Our role is to manage and maintain existing City-owned civil infrastructure assets such as roads, footpaths, and drainage systems.

New civil infrastructure — such as roads, drains, and footpaths — is typically constructed by developers, the Federal Government, or the State Government. Where the City will assume ownership and ongoing maintenance, we are responsible for setting the standards these assets must meet.

Upgrading existing City-owned civil infrastructure

New civil infrastructure, as well as upgrades or improvements to existing infrastructure, can be funded through the following sources:

• Federal Government grants – The Australian Government provides a range of grant programs to fund civil infrastructure projects. Applications normally compete against one another, and grants are awarded for projects that best align with a grant’s guidelines and intent.
  Example: the Minerva Road and Church Street Pedestrian Safety Upgrades project was delivered in 2024 under the Federal Government’s Black Spot Program.
• State Government grants – The Victorian Government provides a range of grant programs to fund civil infrastructure projects. Applications normally compete against one another, and grants are awarded for projects that best align with a grant’s guidelines and intent.
  Example: the Jetty Road and Bay Shore Avenue Intersection Upgrade project in Clifton Springs was delivered in 2024 under the State Government’s Safe Local Roads and Street Program.
• Council’s annual budget – Council allocates funding for civil infrastructure projects every year. The City prioritises projects based on strategic and operational benefit for the broader Greater Geelong community.
  Example of a project achieving an operational benefit: Drews Road in Marshall was upgraded to a sealed road in 2021 to improve access to the Marshall train station, address increased traffic volumes associated with population growth in the area, and address inefficiencies associated with grading in this location (related to native vegetation and work under powerlines permits).
• Council project budget allocation – Council may choose to allocate funding for a specific civil infrastructure project. Such projects are funded at Council’s discretion, subject to a resolution of Council and prioritised over existing projects which have already been identified as having a strategic or operational benefit.
  Example: A footpath extension project on the east side of Montpellier Drive in Highton, constructed in 2022, was funded at Council’s discretion through a Council resolution. The project was not identified as having a defined strategic or operational benefit.
• Special Rate and Charge (SRC) schemes – Our SRC program is an optional funding mechanism that allows property owners to bring forward and fund local improvement projects that directly benefit their area. It provides an opportunity for a group of property owners to contribute funds toward a project that may not otherwise be delivered through standard Council funding.
  To proceed, an SRC project requires a majority of benefiting property owners within the declared scheme area to support and contribute funding. If the majority do not support the proposal, the project will not proceed.
  SRC schemes are the most effective way to deliver projects that have limited or no strategic or operational benefit to the broader Greater Geelong community but are valued by local residents.
  Example: the Ocean Grove Principal Pedestrian Network project has been funded under an SRC scheme – more than 24km of new footpaths will be constructed across Ocean Grove between 2024 and 2027 at a cost of $3.5m, funded by the City and Ocean Grove property owners.

Developers – new civil infrastructure in subdivisions

As part of land developments (such as subdivisions), property developers are required to consruct new civil infrastructure. This includes: roads, footpaths, drains and stormwater systems, street lighting, signage, and other essential public assets. You can see examples of modern civil infrastructure in greenfield growth areas like Armstrong Creek, Lara, and Fyansford, where developers have delivered new roads, shared paths, drainage systems, and wetlands to manage stormwater.
In many cases, developers are also required to upgrade existing City-owned infrastructure that borders their development to ensure it meets current standards and integrates with the new works.

Victorian Government – new main roads and associated civil infrastructure

The State Government – via Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) – builds new main (arterial) roads to support and encourage strategic transportation, population and economic growth. The Drysdale Bypass and Barwon Heads Road Duplication are examples of new state funded civil infrastructure projects recently constructed in Greater Geelong. The projects provided new and upgraded roads and intersections, as well as bridges, footpaths, and drainage systems.