Geelong Future Economy Precinct nears finish line

The Geelong Future Economy Precinct at Waurn Ponds is now a step closer to completion with the last remaining tender awarded to Keystone Civil to construct the Epworth Place extension.

The final stages of the project will extend Epworth Place to provide new alternative entrance points to the Geelong Future Economy Precinct.

Part of the $382 million Geelong City Deal, the project will support future growth in traffic volumes, provide a safer, more efficient truck route, and support the future growth of advanced manufacturers.

The Geelong Future Economy Precinct houses Deakin University, a medical teaching and research hospital owned by the Australian private health provider Epworth Healthcare, and the agribusiness and equine college Marcus Oldham College.

The road upgrades will allow the precinct to drive the city’s future knowledge economy and become a global destination for industry partners to enable breakthroughs and collaborations in medicine and health, advanced materials, manufacturing, energy, agri-tech, food and water infrastructure.

The project will provide 14 hectares of 'project-ready' land for industry by delivering road upgrades, intersection treatments and service augmentation.

The project has already seen the signalisation of the two existing entrances to the Deakin University campus, an additional designated left-turn lane from Nicol Drive North into Pigdons Road and the extension of Nicol Drive North westwards.

The $11.5 million Geelong Future Economy Precinct is part of the Geelong City Deal, and is jointly funded with the Australian and Victorian governments each providing $3.8 million and Deakin University $3.9 million.