What to do with Cheetham Salts?

from w
Just around the corner from our house in Portarlington Road are the old cheetham Salts factory - wrecked buildings and the remnants of fields of salt all the way to Alcoa on Point Henry.  Someone bought the property but no-one has yet found a good use for it. I think turn it into a conservation park for birds, but certainly tidy it up first.

Cheetham salt flats development plans revised into giant Moolap sporting precinct 

NATHAN MAWBY, SHANE FOWLESGeelong Advertiser December 14 2015

A multi-billion dollar sporting precinct could be built on the shores of Corio Bay. Picture: Janine Eastgate

AN AAMI Park-style sporting precinct is a striking feature of a $4 billion plan for coastal land at Moolap.Ridley Corporation and Sanctuary Living have revised their vision for the Cheetham salt flats area, switching focus from creating a golf course ­development to a multi-sport facility.

The new plans will be lodged with the State Government, as it opens public consultation today on the future of the prime waterfront land that hosted the salt works and Alcoa’s Point Henry smelter.

Sanctuary Living executive chairman Stephen Head said talks with key sporting leaders had influenced the change in direction.

“The main difference is the creation of about 80ha for a huge, multi-sport park rather than the golf course,” Mr Head said. “That came out of discussion with people like the Geelong Football Club and others who gave us a bit of advice.” The park would include three ovals, with the potential to build a small stadium if there was demand. There is also room for a soccer stadium, rugby fields, athletics track, hockey pitches, tennis courts and netball courts. “It’s Geelong’s answer to the Melbourne sporting precinct,” Mr Head said.

The 500ha-plus plan would feature up to 3000 homes, a large marina with retail and commercial businesses and 225ha of built wetlands, parks and green space.

It is expected to be a key blueprint, as the Government runs a lengthy consultation process ahead of a draft plan for the site, that is slated for release­ in the latter half of next year.

Alcoa’s masterplan for its land, to be called Point Henry 575, will also be carefully ­considered.

Several conservation groups, including BirdLife Australia and Geelong Environ­­­ment Council, are keen to see the wetlands ­retained as a nature reserve, with some believing it provides unrivalled birdwatching tourism opportunities.

The public has its first chance comment on the plans at an open house session today, which will be held at the Geelong council chamber from 10am. Another is set to be held at the Newcomb Library from 2pm tomorrow.Workshops will also be held next month and in February, before a release of a summary of responses and a discussion paper.

More information: delwp.vic.gov.au/moolap

Comments 14

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Harry15 hours ago

As a Newcomb resident I can tell you that we have plenty of footy ovals,tennis courts and soccer fields.

What Geelong needs is tourist attractions not another housing estate.

Don't let this opportunity vanish under concrete lets leave something for future generations. 

Don't be fooled,there is nothing to love here.

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Jock14 hours ago

@Harry Do you mean something like Flagstaff Hill, in Warrnambool? Or like Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. could that be what Geelong needs??? Something similar??? Well, we get Tall Ships (sailing vessels.) from time to time and that includes The Enterprize. (Which I reckon should home based, here in Geelong or the Alma Doepel.) Cook's ship next year, woohoo!