STOP | PROTECT 3225

Coles has purchased the land at 2341 – 2349 Bellarine Highway, at the entrance to Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale and next to Swan Bay, and is considering a development application for a supermarket, liquor outlet and open carpark.

Many members of the community believe the proposed development:

• would devastate the Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale shopping centres and small businesses;
• is overdevelopment of a sensitive and highly visible tourism gateway site;

disregards local planning policies which emphasise low-scale, tourism-related use and the protection of Swan Bay.

The work of the STOP group is guided by 12 key facts:

1. The Point Lonsdale Structure Plan (2009 amended 2011), a Greater Geelong Planning Scheme reference document, recommends the site be rezoned from Commercial to a Special Use Zone for tourism and low impact uses.
2. The Structure Plan identifies the Coles land as a key gateway site marking the entry to Point Lonsdale.
3. The Structure Plan warns that commercial development on this land would undermine the wellbeing of established neighbourhood shopping areas.
4. The Structure Plan notes the Coles land is adjacent to Swan Bay, a wetland of international significance protected under the Ramsar Convention.
5. The local policies in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme nominate the site for accommodation and tourism purposes rather than for retail.
6. Local planning policy also calls for low-scale, low-impact development on this site, in keeping with its gateway role and environmental sensitivity.
7. The local policies in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme also oppose out-of-centre retail development.
8. Both the City of Greater Geelong and the Borough of Queenscliffe have written to the Minister opposing the supermarket proposal.
9. Both Councils have declared their support for the site to be rezoned to Special Use, consistent with the Structure Plan.
10. Commercial development of the land is not supported by any adopted policies within the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.
11. The Coles land has an area of 1.93 hectares, located directly adjacent to Swan Bay.
12. Coles purchased the land on 2 April 2025, well after the Point Lonsdale Structure Plan had been adopted and included as a reference document in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.

In addition, commercial zoning of the site is contrary to the Bellarine Distinctive Area and Landscape Statement of Planning Policy established by the State Government in 2023.  This must be applied in all planning decisions on the Bellarine.

We understand Coles is preparing a planning application for the site.

Swan Bay is part of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula ‘Ramsar’ site, internationally recognised for its habitat value and migratory bird populations.

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (also known as the Convention on Wetlands) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

The Borough publicly opposes the proposed development. In February the City of Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM publicly expressed his concerns about the project, and has asked the state Minister for Planning for an assessment of alternative, more suitable locations.

The site lies within the City of Greater Geelong, on its eastern boundary with the Borough of Queenscliffe.  The proposed development will have greatest impact on the towns of Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff, in the Borough of Queenscliffe.

The STOP group has met with and discussed the project with Alison Marchant, MP, state Member for Bellarine in the Victorian State Government.  Ms Marchant has committed to liaise with the Minister of Planning’s Office to ensure that local views -and the protections provided by the Bellarine Distinctive Area and Landscape Statement of Planning Policy – are considered.

The STOP group is pleased the State Government has proposed to expand the Swan Bay Ramsar site, which would extend the protected wetlands to within metres of the proposed development.

As far as we know Coles is preparing a planning application for the site.  As Coles owns the land it is within its rights to erect a fence.

The STOP group is opposed to inappropriate development.  The group is working to protect the Bellarine and the local community so that the region prospers as an attractive tourism hub.

STOP is working with local organisations on concepts for developing the site in a low-impact, environmentally responsible manner, consistent with planning scheme policies and Swan Bay’s ecological character.

The STOP group Steering Committee is a small, voluntary group comprised of representatives from local businesses, environment organisations, community groups, and the permanent and holiday population of Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff.

Over 4,300 people have signed a petition opposing the proposed development.  Community meetings have been well attended.  Anecdotally we know that many supporters have been motivated to contact local representatives to voice their concerns.

Many members of the community are also showing support by displaying signs on their fence, bumper stickers on their cars, and by engaging with the STOP group on Instagram and Facebook.

The STOP group is extremely grateful to everyone (to date over 4,600 people, double the original target of 2,000) who have shown their support and signed the petition.

We hope the community’s show of support will help guide decision making about the potential development of the site and the impact on the surrounding environment.

There is a choice of supermarkets at shopping centres in Ocean Grove and Kingston Village Square, around 10 minutes drive away.  Typically, major supermarkets also offer home delivery.

The STOP group believes the proposed development does not meet the legal “community need” test.  The local permanent population is far below the number of residents typically required to sustain a large supermarket, and as such the proposal does not appear to be driven by local demand.

With a median age of 62 in the Borough of Queenscliffe, it is true that some residents are not able to travel far, however the location of the proposed development would still require most customers to drive.  The Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff shops are accessible by foot for many residents, and are part of the social fabric of the towns, bringing a sense of community and belonging.

The STOP group has sent emails to Ms Anna Stewart, Head of Sustainability, Strategy & Advisory, and to Ms Fiona Mackenzie, General Manager Property, setting out our concerns with the proposed development and requesting a meeting with Coles representatives to discuss the matter further.

The STOP group is continuing to raise awareness, communicate the facts and present its position amongst the local community, to council and government representatives, and other relevant authorities.

If you would like to support the STOP group in opposing inappropriate development and proposing an alternative use for the site, please:

• Sign the petition, and forward to friends and family
• Write to government authorities
• Write to Coles
• Put up a sign
• Get a bumper sticker
• Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
• Spread the word amongst your friends, family and networks.