By NOEL MURPHY
ENVIRONMENTALISTS are anxious a bid to expand Campbell Point House might be the start of more incursions on Lake Connewarre and a world-recognised wildlife habitat.
The high-end function centre will take its plan to Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal after suffering a first-round knock-back at council.
“A major concern is the possibility that an approval for this development would act as a precedent for further applications for development around the lake system,” Geelong Environment Council (GEC) stated in its latest newsletter.
“The land is zoned rural and covered with protective planning overlays. There is also a Trust for Nature covenant over the area of the property on the edge of the lake.”
GEC was especially concerned about potential building plans on private land where titles extended to the water’s edge.
“Considering Connewarre lake is a component of the Bellarine Ramsar listing, GEC also believes that this application should trigger an environmental effects statement as there are many bird species listed under this federal act.”
Campbell Point House is on 14 hecatres off Matthews Road, Leopold. The property was used for an episode of TV’s MasterChef and a baby shower for footy WAG Rebecca Judd.
The property, offering five bedroom suites, a pool, spa, tennis court, private jetty and full butler service, costs $3500 a night mid-week and $5000 at weekends.
The owners want to add a new tennis court, gym, staff house, two five-bedroom log cabins, four one-bedroom garden pavilions and two four-bedroom cottage houses, each with a pool and cabana, plus a 92-space car park.
