Centre of attraction

Hamish Heard
A $3 million beach housestyle tourist drawcard will replace a visitor information centre in Corio to direct visitors into Geelong via Ballarat Road.
The Independent revealed in October plans for an iconic structure at the intersection of the Midland Highway and the Geelong bypass to funnel tourists into the city from a new western entry.
Geelong Otway Tourism chief Roger Grant this week said the duplication of the Ballarat Road entry combined with the bypass to present an opportunity to give tourists a better first impression of the city.
“Up on the hill where it will be you can take in panoramic views right across the city to Corio Bay and the You Yangs,” Mr Grant said.
The stateoftheart visitor information centre would be a showpiece of environmental sustainability, using locally quarried stone and timber from the region, he said.
“It’s a highly innovative design that’s very reminiscent of a beach house you would expect to see along the Surf Coast.”
Mr Grant said grape vines around the centre would represent the region’s wine industry.
“Tourists going through to the Surf Coast and the Bellarine will be able to enjoy a wonderful new view of Geelong that will hopefully stop them from just passing Geelong by once the ring road is complete,” he said.
“This is an opportunity for Geelong to reinvent the way people visiting the region see the city.”
But Geelong Mayor Bruce Harwood said the multimillion dollar new western entry to Geelong would not replace Corio as the city’s welcome mat.
The “main entrance” to Geelong would remain via the northern suburbs, he said.
However, Cr Harwood said the new centre would eventually replace the existing Corio visitor centre.
“The centre will also provide some great opportunities for joint business opportunities, with the ability to showcase local products such as wines, seafood, cheeses and locally manufactured goods,” he said.
Council would seek funding from the state and federal governments to build the new centre, he said.