Torquay rail on track

Alex de Vos
Planners have set aside a corridor for a rail service between Torquay and Geelong.
But Torquay commuters face an indefinite wait to board their first train, with authorities yet to set a timeline for development of the service.
Geelong councillor Rod Macdonald, who holds his council’s planning portfolio, said the corridor would run from new suburbs to house around 55,000 residents in Geelong’s south.
“We’ve allowed in the Armstrong Creek urban growth plan for a potential link to Torquay,” Cr Macdonald said.
“The corridor, which will be 80 metres wide, would be a dedicated public transport route but at this stage you couldn’t justify a train to Torquay.
“Without the full population it may just be used for buses to Torquay.”
Cr Macdonald said councils’ priority was to build a rail line from Geelong to service the new suburbs in the Armstrong Creek area.
“Residents will need to get through that area quickly,” Cr Macdonald said.
Surf Coast Mayor Dean Webster welcomed the proposed corridor in a prepared statement from the shire’s media unit.
“For some years now we have been working to secure a rail easement link from Armstrong Creek to Torquay,” the statement said.
“I have facilitated discussions with state and federal politicians and the Department of Infrastructure on assisting council to identify a potential rail link to Torquay.
“We have had substantial input into the Armstrong Creek urban growth plan to ensure a rail link easement continues from the regional centre to our municipal boundary,” the statement said.
The Armstrong Creek urban growth plan has earmarked more than 2500 hectares for development from a total 4500ha between Geelong’s southern suburbs and Mt Duneed.
City of Greater Geelong expects the area to provide 15 to 20 years supply of housing.
Part of the land would include an industrial precinct.