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AVALON RAIL LINK

Planning study findings and public exhibition Introduction

Avalon is a proposed rail link connecting with and . The rail link will help support Avalon to become ’s second international passenger airport, ensuring that Victoria remains competitive into the future.

Study purpose Reservation of the rail link corridor The rail link design has been developed to between the Melbourne – Geelong accurately define the proposed corridor. This planning study is being undertaken rail line and Avalon Airport is being to identify and protect a reservation for implemented by amendment to the Bridge structures will provide rail- a future rail link to the airport. Greater Geelong Planning Scheme to over-road grade separations at Old introduce a Public Acquisition Overlay. Melbourne Road, and Beach Road. No permanent Background waterways will be crossed but the design would accommodate areas of Situated 20 km north-east of the City Project need temporary ponding after heavy rain, of Geelong and 55 km south-west of The rail link is part of an integrated using culverts or other infrastructure. Melbourne, Avalon Airport is a fully plan to ensure that Victoria is well operational commercial facility positioned in the future to cater for The rail link will terminate at a station to with an operating domestic airline the expected growth in air . be constructed adjacent to the existing terminal and a capable of passenger terminal area of the airport. receiving aircraft up to A380. With the The Victorian Government is planning support of government, the private for a population of more than 10 million operator Avalon Airport Pty people by 2051, including 7.8 million services Ltd is working to secure an international people in Greater Melbourne. By 2061 airline operation at the airport. there is forecast to be around 120 in Avalon area million air passenger movements in The Avalon area is served by existing The Victorian Government is currently and out of the Melbourne region. The transport services including: seeking to reserve a corridor as the first capacity of is finite stage in the development of the rail link. and there are long lead times and • V/Line services between Geelong Reserving the corridor in the short-term costs associated with its expansion. and Melbourne, the majority of will protect the land from inappropriate which stop at Lara and Little River Avalon’s key market is the low-cost development, and ensure that the • shuttle and coach services travel market, and in order to be corridor is available for the rail link. linking Melbourne, Geelong attractive to ‘low-cost’ carriers, and the Surf Coast with flights The proposed rail link will provide a need to be served by a range of at Avalon Airport connection to the existing Melbourne – transport modes – and more specifically Geelong rail line, running from a point have excellent links. • Taxi services and affordable parking between Lara and Little River to the International experience shows the at the airport. existing and future airport passenger benefits of rail in attracting and It has been assumed that, when terminals. It runs across predominantly customers to low-cost airports. introduced, V/Line trains would open farming land between the operate between Southern Cross existing railway line and Princes Station and Avalon via Regional Rail Freeway before crossing Beach Road Rail link description Link and the Melbourne – Geelong rail and entering the airport en route to the line and from Geelong via the current existing terminal. The rail link connects the existing Melbourne – Geelong rail line with Melbourne – Geelong rail line. Avalon Airport, providing connections to Melbourne and Geelong.

AVALON AIRPORT RAIL LINK: Planning study findings and public exhibition 2 Figure 1 Avalon Airport Rail Link

Legend

You Yangs Rd Edgars Rd Built up areas

Rail line Little River

Freeway Farrars Rd TO MELBOURNE Branch Rd Cherry Swamp Rd Road

Railway stations

Avalon Airport

Avalon passenger terminal Peak School Rd Minns Rd Old Melbourne Rd

Peak School Rd

Calvert Rd

Mill Rd

Plains Rd Hughes Rd

Cherry Swamp Rd

MELBOURNE – GEELONG RAIL LINE

Forest Rd North PRINCES FWY

Flinders Ave Windermere Rd

Mill Rd McIntyre Rd Old Melbourne Rd

Beach Rd

Gillets Rd Beach Rd

Lara Perkins Rd

Airport Dr McClelland Ave PRINCES FWY TO GEELONG

Pousties Rd

Rennie St

Forest Rd South

Cozens Rd AVALON AIRPORT

Avalon Rd

PRINCES FWY

Dandos Rd

Avalon Rd 0 200 600 1000 Twenty Nine Mile Rd N Scale: Metres

AVALON AIRPORT RAIL LINK: Planning assessment report 3

CORIO BAY Identification and assessment of rail link options

Project objectives An objectives-based evaluation Geelong Rail Line methodology was applied during the planning study to assist in the examination and selection of Geelong Melbourne project options. The adopted project New connection New connection objectives are: to Geelong to Melbourne 1. Provide a corridor for a high standard, timely and cost effective public transport link for people travelling between Avalon Airport and both Melbourne and Geelong. 2. Support the development of Avalon Airport and help to secure its future as Melbourne’s second . Avalon Airport 3. Support the integration of the rail link with existing and future Figure 2 Common rail configuration – the spur configuration requirements to facilitate access to social and economic opportunities. 4. Support the liveability of the • Flora and fauna • The Central and Eastern route region, having due regard to alignment options have similar and social, environmental and • Surface water lower biodiversity impacts, but the economic sustainability. • Ground conditions Western route alignment option has • Noise a major impact on the biodiversity Assessment of route • Landscape and visual amenity values in the area. alignment options • Social • All three route alignments • Economics and agriculture give conditional support to Three preliminary route alignment project objectives for Aboriginal • Cultural heritage options were identified. They are cultural heritage. the Eastern, Central and Western • Traffic and transport. route alignment options. The options It was determined that the Central have been assessed in detail against route alignment best represented the project objectives. Selection of the preferred option to be taken preferred option forward for further assessment and The investigations were completed by development of mitigation measures. specialists and consultants for a range Key findings of the assessments of issues defined to ensure a rigorous include the following: evaluation of the options. The issues • Assessments of route alignment investigated were: options against objectives • Railway and functional issues 1, 2 and 3 are relatively even. There is little to distinguish • Land use between the route alignments on the important considerations embodied in these objectives.

AVALON AIRPORT RAIL LINK: Planning study findings and public exhibition 4 Preferred alignment

Lara Little River

N Avalon Airport

Figure 3 Central Modified alignment

Central Modified As a consequence, the alignment Land ownership Legend was adjusted to meet these alignmentStudy area considerations and presented and the process Central route alignment Following selection of the Central as the “Central Modified” alignment of reservation Existing Passenger Terminal for final assessment. route alignmentExpanded as Passengerthe preferred Terminal The area of private land proposed to option, the corridor was further The Central Modified alignment is be reserved for the rail link corridor is refined to take into account: shown in Figure 3. It is 5.6 km long, 33.33 ha, which will be introduced by • Environmental and other of which 1.0 km is within the airport amendment to the Greater Geelong inputs arising from the boundary. Provision has been made for Planning Scheme. options assessments, extension to a future 1.4 km south of the current terminal. Protection of the land for the • Airport layout requirements as corridor within the airport will be by expressed in Avalon Airport’s The corridor varies from 34 to 95 a number of means including legal exhibited Draft Airport Master metres wide according to changes in agreement between the Victorian Plan (June 2013) and discussions grade and would cross three existing and Commonwealth Governments with the airport operator; and roads on bridge structures. The rail link and the Avalon Airport operator, • Confirmation of the rail is on embankment for approximately and inclusion of the rail link corridor design details and grade 75% of its length. in the airport master plan. separation requirements.

AVALON AIRPORT RAIL LINK: Planning study findings and public exhibition 5 Assessment of the Ground conditions Social preferred alignment The preferred alignment, like The social and community all other route options, would investigations found that the Even though approval is not being encounter cost and potential Central Modified alignment would sought for the construction of the rail groundwater management issues support social opportunities, create link at this time, the proposed Central if constructed below grade. employment during construction, Modified alignment was subjected However, preliminary design work improve access to events at Avalon to further assessment to ensure that shows that an above ground rail Airport and attract tourism to the area. government and the community are link is possible and preferred. fully apprised of all issues in making The alignment would generally a commitment to a particular route. Noise avoid significant social impacts. The possible closure of Peak School A summary of the issues Due to the relatively large distances Road is a potential impact on and impacts arising from the preferred between the proposed rail tracks and community linkages but would affect “Central Modified” alignment follows. dwellings, the predicted noise levels only a small number of users and there for the preferred alignment do not would be alternative routes nearby. Functional issues exceed the investigation thresholds as The new service would have set out in the Victorian Passenger Rail Economics to be accommodated on the Infrastructure Noise Policy. This would and agriculture system at the time it is introduced. need to be reassessed when the rail Detailed train service modelling link is constructed. The Central Modified alignment has the would be necessary to determine potential to contribute to both regional any improvements required. Landscape and and inter-urban break economic visual amenity development opportunities. It would Land use support the growth of Avalon Airport The rail link introduces elements and generate benefits and jobs in its The preferred alignment considers which are already present in the construction phase. the future plans of Avalon Airport landscape character, which would not and remains broadly consistent with fundamentally change its character. The alignment would have a current and emerging strategic land limited impact on four agricultural use plans and policies for the region. It is anticipated that the alignment properties including loss of productive would be barely discernible and will land and disruption to access Flora and fauna not compromise the visual qualities of and farm infrastructure. the scenic view from the The Central Modified alignment would Regional Park and Flinders Peak Cultural heritage require the removal of some areas of Lookout in particular. native vegetation, including potential The Central Modified alignment is fauna habitat, but this area is less than The rail link is also predicted to have assessed as having minor potential the other route options investigated. negligible impact on views from private impacts on the cultural heritage values areas including dwellings on the of the area. No Ramsar wetlands will be edge of Lara, Little River and others significantly impacted by the scattered throughout the area. There are no historical sites impacted proposed alignment. by or immediately adjacent to the route alignment option. Surface water The alignment avoids areas of The Central Modified alignment does Aboriginal archaeological potential as not cross any major water courses or much as possible. Overall, only about traverse any floodways but does cross 200m of the alignment crosses areas that are subject to inundation areas identified as having after heavy rain. archaeological potential.

If appropriate hydraulic assessments Potential impacts of the rail alignment are carried out prior to construction, on cultural landscape values are surface water impacts can be considered to be insignificant. mitigated and the future rail link works would not significantly impact drainage flows.

AVALON AIRPORT RAIL LINK: Planning study findings and public exhibition 6 Traffic and transport Environmental The traffic and transport impact management analysis concluded that the Central At the time that the rail link is proposed Modified alignment would minimise for construction an environmental traffic and transport impacts. management process will be required Long term road network impacts and will be reviewed and updated in particular will be negligible due according to prevailing conditions to the proposed grade separations. and project requirements. The investigation found that property access impacts can be managed during the construction stage with Community potential requirements for stock consultation underpasses and additional access points to prevent sections of properties From the commencement of the from becoming isolated. planning study, communication and engagement with the community Impacts during construction will and identified stakeholders has be minimal and can be effectively been a priority. A comprehensive managed by scheduling of temporary communications and engagement closures and by detouring traffic via strategy was prepared and executed alternative routes. over the duration of the study and continues to apply through the public Summary exhibition stage of the proposed reservation for the rail link corridor. The proposed Central Modified alignment was found to perform A suite of consultation activities was at least as well as the Central route implemented in Phase One, including alignment option against all project meetings, community workshops, objectives and in one instance, online discussion forums and airport to perform better. In terms of the feedback boxes. On balance, the objective for consistency with feedback was supportive of reserving current and emerging land use plans a corridor for a rail link. and policies, the Central Modified alignment improved its performance The findings were fed into project and was found to be supportive options development and three as it would be capable of being shortlisted route alignments were integrated into potential future presented to the community during land uses for the area. Phase Two consultation. Activities included community workshops, household interviews, stakeholder and business interviews, and an online forum.

Responses and issues raised included a preference for the Central route from communities in Lara and Little River and concerns about noise and visual impacts of the Eastern route from Little River residents. Businesses and local government expressed support for the rail link.

AVALON AIRPORT RAIL LINK: Planning study findings and public exhibition 7 approve theamendment. a finaldecisiononwhetherto advice, theMinisterwillmake Following receipt ofthepanel’s • • • The role ofapanelisto: to considersubmissions. then appointaplanningpanel The MinisterforPlanningwill wto 27October2014. public exhibitionfrom 19September The amendmentwillbeplacedon Avalon AirportRailLink. C308 tocreate areservation forthe Geelong PlanningSchemeAmendment informed thepreparation of Greater The findingsofthisplanningstudyhave Next steps proposal andsubmissions. inquire intoallaspectsofthe Minister abouttheproposal give expertadvicetothe an informal,non-judicialmanner to beheard atapublichearing in give submittersanopportunity on 9October2014. Community Centre from 4–7pm team willbeavailableattheLara findings, membersoftheAARLstudy Should youwishtodiscussthestudy • • • • Locations: 27 October2014. Dates –from 19Septemberto Public exhibition Geelong railline... to theexistingMelbourne– will provideaconnection The proposedraillink Beach Road,Lara,VIC3212 Avalon Airportterminalbuilding VIC 3220 100 Brougham Street, Geelong, City ofGreater Geelong VIC 3220 Street, Geelong, 237 Ryrie Level 2,HarrisonPlace, (Barwon SouthWest Region), Regional DevelopmentVictoria 5 Walkers Road,Lara,VIC3212 Geelong RegionalLibrary Geelong, VIC3220 Street 237 Ryrie Level 2HarrisonPlace Regional DevelopmentVictoria Barwon SouthWest Region and Development C/O RegionalManager, Planning Minister forPlanning Submissions canbemadeinwritingto: the planningpanelatapublichearing. have theopportunitytobeheard by Those makingasubmissionwillalso consideration bytheplanningpanel. Link canmakeawrittensubmissionfor a reservation fortheAvalon AirportRail study findingsandproposals tocreate Anyone wishingtocommentonthe Making asubmission www.transport.vic.gov.au/avalonlink detailed studyfindings,pleasevisit: For furtherinformationandthe Further information

DTPLI 8508/14