15 Mar MARCH NEWSLETTER
March 2026 Newsletter
There is never a dull moment in our busy little town. With the long weekend approaching and Easter just around the corner, Barwon Heads is entering another lively season. We are all enjoying the cooler weather and recent rain, even if it has done little to soak into the ground.
This month: community safety, the bus review, bollards, and the budget
We have sadly farewelled Hanoi Kitchen and congratulate Style and Grace on their move to the beautifully renovated salon across the road from IGA. And do pop into the Barwon Heads Wine Room, which now offers wines by the glass. This Sunday, in honour of International Women’s Day, they’ll be pouring wines from female winemakers.
JOIN US AT OUR GENERAL MEETING ON COMMUNITY SAFETY – ALL WELCOME
23 March
Tin Shed
6.30pm drinks
7.00pm guest speakers
Join us for an important community evening focused on the services that keep Barwon Heads safe and supported.
We’ll be hearing directly from representatives of:
• Victoria Police
• CFA
• Our local Surf Life Saving Clubs
This is a great opportunity to connect, ask questions, and better understand how essential services operate in our growing coastal community.
TALKING HEADS
The beautiful Autumn edition of Talking Heads is available here:
https://flipbookpdf.net/web/
WHAT IS HAPPENING
- Sunday 29th March – Sheepwash classic and the Barwon Heads Primary School Easter Fair
- 3rd April – Good Friday Appeal – Tin Shed
- 4th April – Duck Race – Easter Saturday
BARWON HEADS – HAVE YOUR SAY ON LOCAL BUSES
BELLARINE BUS REVIEW – From Tuesday 3rd March to Sunday 12th April
As our region grows, bus services across Geelong and the Bellarine are under review, and community feedback is now open.
Whether you use the bus regularly, occasionally, or not at all, your input will help shape future routes and services.
Share your thoughts here:
https://engage.vic.gov.au/
Let’s make sure Barwon Heads is heard. We will keep members informed when locations and times are confirmed for pop-up street stalls. This information will also be available on Alison Marchant MP’s website and shared throughout the community.
BOLLARDS PROJECT
The BHA has supported the repair of existing bollards and the installation of new ones in town, contributing $1,000 from the proceeds of last year’s Duck Race.
We have had the pleasure of meeting talented painter and volunteer restorer Phill King, and we also extend our thanks to Nathan Golightly and the team at Golightly Landscapes for generously donating their time and expertise to dig the holes for the new bollards.
Their support will help create a second safe route to school through Seabank, improving safety for students and families. We are extremely grateful for their contribution to our community.
REVIVING THE TRADER’S ASSOCIATION
Stronger Together on Hitchcock Ave
Every thriving main street has one thing in common: coordination.
The Barwon Heads Traders Association is dormant. It’s time to test whether there’s appetite to bring it back — in a practical, focused way that delivers real value to local businesses. The BHA is hoping to facilitate a meeting of interested traders in the near future. We will be in touch shortly, or you can email us at: bheadsasecretary@gmail.com
BARWON COAST UPDATE
The BHA works closely with Barwon Coast. Here is their latest update:
- The Coastal Hazard Exposure Report was released last week and is available on the Barwon Coast website
- One Hooded Plover chick remains at Stingray Bay, Breamlea and is expected to fledge in mid-March.
- The draft Foreshore Master Plan is anticipated to be shared with the community in late March.
- Barwon Coast staff also supported Museums Victoria with the extraction of a 20-million-year-old whale fossil at Ocean Grove Main Beach.
- Almost 2,000 people took part in the January Coastal Discovery Program.
ROADS AND FOOTPATHS
Please continue to exercise caution at the Hitchcock/Geelong Road roundabout. The south-west corner presents a hazard for cyclists following a recent accident. We don’t accept CoGG’s proposed solution — painting the corner with warning yellow — as adequate.
Works on pedestrian crossings at the Barwon Heads APCO roundabout have begun but are taking time due to the need to coordinate different contractors.
Airport roadworks are — at last — nearing completion after a drawn-out and frustrating process
Golf Links Road functions as a shared pedestrian and cycling corridor, as well as a busy school drop-off area. We will continue to lobby Council to fund safer shared-space design from Bridge Road to the Golf Club.
Cleanliness along Hitchcock Avenue and Bridge Road also remains a concern. We are seeking improved footpath maintenance during peak periods
COGG BUDGET 2026-2027
The City of Greater Geelong has invited community input into the 2026-27 budget process. Elise Wilkinson, our local councillor, attended the Ocean Grove Market on 1 March to hear feedback and receive submissions. The BHA provided Elise with information on behalf of Barwon Heads residents, including the following key messages:
- Barwon Heads ratepayers pay, on average, around three times the rates of the average COGG ratepayer – approximately $4,500 compared with $1,500 per year.
- Around one-third of rates paid are spent on capital works, yet the 2025-26 budget contains no capital allocation for Barwon Heads.
- In January 2025, the BHA prepared a wishlist of desirable capital works for the village following extensive discussion and consultation with residents. The congested nature of the through-road, and the problems it creates, remains a major concern.
The most important items on the BHA capital works list are:
- Congestion and safety at the school drop-off areas, particularly along Golf Links Road from the corner of Bridge Road. In this high-risk zone, school drop-offs, pedestrians heading to the beach, and vehicles accessing the golf club and Stephens Parade all converge. The BHA has requested a redesign of traffic and pedestrian use, including a master plan, timeframe, and a footpath towards the beach. We believe this is an urgent issue that has been deferred for too long. The full cost should be borne by CoGG as a priority.
- An upgrade of the public toilets on Hitchcock Avenue, which are heavily relied upon by businesses and visitors.
- The Bellarine link road, providing a connection across the Barwon River and linking the Bellarine Freeway with Torquay Road. This is also a State and Federal matter, and Alison Marchant, our local State member, was reminded of its importance at the market. The BHA has been advocating for this for more than 10 years in the hope that it will reduce traffic through Barwon Heads.
We encourage your feedback on these and other important local issues.
2026 BHA MEETINGS
Suggestions for speakers and topics are always welcome.
We are finalising the 2026 schedule. Meetings will be held at a variety of venues and times — details will be circulated in advance.
Current topics include:
- Community safety and amenity — CFA and Police (23 March, 7:00 pm at the Tin Shed)
- Our town: Barwon Heads Hotel — Joel Taylor (date TBA, at the BHH)
- Our town: The Lobster Pot — Paul Saunders and team (11 May, 7:00 pm)
- Our town: Beaches and Crown Land reserves — Barwon Coast (date TBA)
- Our town: Council update — City of Greater Geelong
We are also planning a visit to the Barwon Water facility.
MEMBERSHIP
Thank you to our longstanding members. Membership subscriptions are due from 1 July. We welcome new members and fresh committee ideas.
Membership form:
https://
Please include your full name when making online payment:
Account Name: Barwon Heads Association
BSB: 633000
Account Number: 130256704
2026 COMMITTEE
President — Sandy Gatehouse
Vice Presidents — Tony Judd & Geoffrey Waite
Treasurer — Brian Cook
Secretary — Paul Brewster
Committee — Philip Bade; Paul Saunders; David Littleton; Karen Firth; Rod Ashby
