Q: What makes the Greater Geelong region a good investment environment?
In one word – “location”. There is a good reason why the Geelong region was Australia’s fastest growing in the last two years, and it must be put down to it’s ridiculously attractive location. it’s hard to find another large scale, self contained regional city in Australia that has all the attraction that Geelong has, from jobs and industry, to an amazing waterfront, close access to world class beaches, an international airport and some of the best food and wine experiences you could ask for. And this is all within an easy commute to Melbourne’s CBD – in fact, it’s an easier commute to the CBD than from some of Melbourne’s own suburbs.
Q: Can you share a little about your experience and story as a business leader in the region?
Despite Geelong being a large town – from a business perspective it has the small town characteristic in that everyone knows everyone else and your reputation means everything. Word travels fast and accountability is king – which I think creates a fantastic ambience of trust with your counter-parties here. It also provides additional incentive to take care of people, no matter their position or title, because strategic or selectively good behaviour will be exposed quickly. This is a place where you treat people fairly and with respect, even when you don’t agree.
Q: Do you think Geelong has a supportive and innovative business community? How have you seen this change and grow in your time as a business operator in the region?
There are some lovely examples of innovative people and groups such as the Hamilton Group behind the Federal Mills redevelopment and the Creative Geelong group which supports the arts and creative industries in the region. Geelong’s network of business leaders are supportive in that if they can’t help you directly they will always know someone who can, and are usually happy to make that connection for you. My family has been working in the Geelong region since the 1980’s, and the main point of change is that the size and power of the business network has grown exponentially, which certainly helps with delivering projects of real significance.
Q: How much of Geelong’s investment attraction do you think is linked to its other assets, such as its liveability?
As I mentioned, Geelong’s prime location gives it an abundance of physical ambience which adds to its liveability and where there are people, there are customers for businesses. Although housing affordability is an increasingly serious issue in Geelong, its bang for buck as a place to live is hard to beat in Victoria.
Q: What would you say to someone considering investing here?
While all the normal caveats apply (do your homework etc.) I would say that there is no doubt that Geelong will continue to grow in importance and scale as it assumes its role of strategic importance in the growth of Victoria. Its proximity to markets, being connected by sea and air to the rest of the world, its natural resources and human capital – a well educated and young workforce – lend Geelong all the factors necessary to continue to prosper and grow for a very long time.
