THE BEST, ANY WAY IT’S SLICED
HomeBuilder to shore up future
A WAURN Ponds-based pizza franchise has taken out the title of Geelong’s best pizza for the second year in a row.
Town & Country Pizza and Pasta was voted the region’s best pizza restaurant by Geelong Advertiser readers, having won in 2020 too.
Owner Frank Rossi said it felt “fantastic” to be crowned the region’s best pizza for the second year running.
“It’s terrific, I’m really happy for us and our staff,” Mr Rossi said.
“The product that we produce is good, and we pride ourselves on our service.
“Thank you to all our customers — it’s great to be voted No 1 and we hope we can continue to keep up the good service.”
Most popular pizzas at the family business include the country special and southwest chicken.
Mr Rossi started the flagship store at Waurn Ponds shopping centre more than 30 years ago and has since expanded to seven stores in Geelong and four across the rest of regional Victoria, from Warrnambool to Bairnsdale.
“I think we do the right thing
— the beauty of it is that other franchises that have opened up locally, the staff have all been trained here (at the Waurn Ponds store) for at least five or six years,” he said.
MORE than $30m in federal cash is expected to be spent helping build houses for Greater Geelong families after it was revealed as regional Victoria’s HomeBuilder capital.
State Revenue Office figures tracking HomeBuilder applications across Victoria’s municipalities to January 31 show the Wyndham growth area was poised to receive $50.9m in $15,000 and $25,000 grants, more than any other in the country.
Other Melbourne council areas tapping the government credit card are Melton, earmarked to collect $42.755m, Casey, $38.695m, Hume, $35.15m, and Whittlesea, $26.445m.
Regionally, Greater Geelong’s builders and tradies will be in demand with grants worth $33.52m expected to head to the region’s new housing construction, and an additional $7.17m on the cards for renovations.
Greater Bendigo could see $20.025m in federal funds for new builds, Ballarat $17.67m, and Baw Baw Shire $10.82m.
Master Builders Victoria chief executive Rebecca Casson said the grants would also provide a “crucial social benefit” as they created opportunities for apprentices in growth corridors.
“This activity, and the flow-on effects, are what our industry needs to lead Victoria’s economic recovery and build a future-ready state,” Ms Casson said.
But she said builders, tradies, suppliers and customers would need to be patient and understanding as the rush for HomeBuilder created some “short-term supply issues for materials and labour”.
Burbank Group managing director Jarrod Sanfilippo said areas with the most HomeBuilder applications would see benefits “for years to come” as “businesses of all sizes benefit from the construction boom”.
The figures also show the grants will help fund hundreds of renovations in affluent and suburban areas, with $5.085m in the offing for renos on the Mornington Peninsula, $4.345m for Moreland and $4.4m for Kingston.
Final figures for the program are unlikely to be confirmed until April, so the numbers could rise.
Applications might also be rejected if construction does not start within six months, or if costs exceed the $750,000 cap for contracts signed last year, or $850,000 between January 1 and March 31 this year.
Applicants must also not earn more than $120,000 as an individual or $200,000 as a household.