City alight
Melbourne’s White Night will light up central Geelong for the first time this weekend after adding a regional program in 2018, organisers have announced.
More than 50 illuminated art installations would “capture the imagination” of onlookers in the city between 7pm and 2am on Saturday and Sunday, the organisers said.
Council ‘sell-offs’
Geelong’s council could sell “surplus property assets” to repay $50 million in loans to build a new headquarters on Mercer St.
The sell-offs option was in the terms of reference for a new committee approved at council this week to oversee the consolidation of City Hall’s 10 existing offices.
Trains ‘improve’
Geelong passenger trains have recorded their best punctuality results in five months, according to operator V/Line.
In September 91.5 per cent of services arrived at their destination on time, compared to 87.2 per cent at the same time last year, V/Line reported this week.
‘Settlements’ settled
Future residential development will expand mostly north and west of Geelong after council adopted a new “settlement” strategy this week.
The plan confirmed previously outlined growth areas for more than 100,000 new residents around Batesford and Lovely Banks while indicating that additional housing supply on the Bellarine Peninsula would “decline over time”.
Storages fall
Geelong’s water storages have continued falling despite receiving 5mm of rain in the week to Wednesday.
Barwon Water reported a decline in capacity of 607.5 million litres over the seven days, leaving the storages 64.3 per cent full.
Gas ‘incident’
An “incident” has ruptured an unidentified gas line at the entry to Geelong’s Cunningham Pier, according to City Hall.
The consequent leak cut supply to hospitality businesses at the end of the pier as authorities worked to fix the rupture “as quickly as possible” on Wednesday, City Hall said.
Rail upgrade
The “first step” to upgrading Geelong’s rail line is underway with a call for expressions of interest from contractors, state and federal governments have announced.
The contract included the construction of a second platform and track to allow additional services at Waurn Ponds Railway Station by 2021, the governments said.
