Cats recruit among new wave of residents embracing Geelong and the Bellarine, as Bisinella releases final stage of Baywater Estate
Geelong Football Clubs newest recruit Isaac Smith, is part of a growing number of Melburnians who are escaping the state’s capital city for the relaxed lifestyle of the Geelong region.
Smith, a veteran of 210 games and three premierships with Hawthorn, made the move to Geelong late last year with wife Candice and their one-year-old daughter, Isla.
Having grown up in regional New South Wales, Smith has relished the opportunity to get out of the city with his young family and is embracing the close-knit Geelong community and his new club.
“Geelong is a wonderful place. I come from Cootamundra (New South Wales) and went to university in Ballarat. So regional Victoria is really home for me. There is everything anyone could want here in Geelong, and the people have been very welcoming.”
Smith’s move comes as Victoria’s second largest city and the Bellarine Peninsula welcome a surge of people to the region.
Geelong is really a gateway to so much of Victoria,” Smith said.
“Obviously Melbourne is only an hour away, but we are also close to so much of Victoria. The Great Ocean Road, Lorne, Torquay, the great beaches and restaurants. There is a lot to explore when I get time away from training. That’s something my family and I are really looking forward to, a new and welcoming area to get to know.”
Bisinella recently released land in Stage 14 of Baywater Estate Curlewis. This is the final stage of Baywater Estate on the Bellarine Peninsula. The estate is now sold out.
When complete, the waterfront estate will feature 363 lots.
Bisinella Developments Director Richard Bisinella said while Baywater Estate had always been popular with buyers from Melbourne and Geelong, demand increased after Melbourne came out of lockdown last year.
“We have noticed an increase in the number of people wanting to move here for a sea change,” he said.
Affordability, low interest rates, first home buyer grants and other rebates are supporting this push, as well as the increased flexibility to work from home.
“Being able to enjoy the lifestyle of the Bellarine while being in commuting distance to Melbourne, is also attracting more people to the region,” he said.
Baywater Estate is also only a 25-minute drive from the Geelong CBD so people can still live on the Bellarine and commute to work in Geelong.
Construction of Stage 14 of Baywater Estate has started, with works estimated to be completed in June 2021. Titles are expected in August 2021.
Situated on the northern shores of the Bellarine Peninsula, Baywater Estate provides a peaceful rural setting overlooking Port Phillip Bay.
Residents of Baywater Estate can enjoy the luxury of having the quaint seaside towns, wineries and beaches of the Bellarine on their doorstep, combined with easy access to Geelong. Baywater Estate is also only a five-minute drive from Drysdale and its shops, schools and leisure facilities.
Stages 1 to 12 of the estate have been completed. Construction of Stage 13 is also finished and titled.
Meanwhile, primary school students can look forward to school visits this year from some of their favourite Cats players. Geelong Football Club’s school program BioCATS resumes this term.
Delivered by the Geelong Cats and BioLAB, BioCATS is aimed at Grade 5/6 primary school students in the Greater Geelong region.
BioCATS allows students to participate in dynamic scientific experiments, using problem solving, statistical analysis and observation skills to learn about the science and mathematics of football and career pathways in sport.
The program also reinforces the concepts of health and wellness and the benefits that come from sports participation.
Bisinella has sponsored this unique education program for the past six years.
In 2020, with the impact of COVID-19, the program turned to virtual content with Patrick Dangerfield as the ambassador. However, Geelong footballers will return to school visits this term, with the program aiming to return to on-site learning at the Deakin Cats Community Centre from Terms 2 to 4.
For more information about BioCATS visit www.biolab.vic.edu.au/program/biocats/