Newtown residents demand action as parking crisis strangles neighbourhood commerce

The parking squeeze choking Geelong's Newtown precinct is reaching a tipping point, according to community members who say the neighbourhood's character and viability are under genuine threat.

Over the past 18 months, three apartment complexes have opened within a 400-metre radius of Pakington Street's retail hub, adding an estimated 240 residential units with only 180 designated parking spaces. Meanwhile, street parking has dwindled by roughly 35 spots due to infrastructure works and bike lane installations.

"People come to Newtown to shop locally, but they've given up," says Maria Castellano, who manages the neighbourhood's longest-operating bookstore, now in its 34th year. "I've watched foot traffic drop 22 per cent since January. Customers tell me they can't find a spot within five minutes, so they drive to the Geelong Shopping Centre instead."

The tension mirrors broader frustrations across established inner-city neighbourhoods grappling with rapid residential growth. The Geelong City Council approved the three developments based on traffic modelling conducted in 2023, before the full cumulative impact became apparent.

At the Newtown Community Centre on Gheringhap Street, locals have organised two packed meetings in recent weeks. One regular attendee, who has lived on nearby Fyans Street for 28 years, expressed concern that the neighbourhood risks becoming a dormitory rather than a thriving mixed-use area.

"We're not anti-development," she emphasised. "But you need parking strategy before you add 240 apartments. Now we're paying the price."

Geelong City Council acknowledged the concerns in a statement, noting that a revised parking management strategy for the Newtown precinct is under review. A council spokesperson indicated recommendations would be presented to councillors by September, potentially including paid parking zones and mandatory developer contributions toward off-street facilities.

Local business owners aren't waiting. Several have joined the Newtown Traders Association in advocating for interim solutions: temporary permit parking for residents on side streets, improved signage directing drivers to the underutilised car park behind the IGA on Pakington Street, and fast-tracked approval for a proposed 120-space facility on unused council land on Kalimna Terrace.

"This neighbourhood has soul," says Castellano. "But soul doesn't survive when people can't park. We need council to act decisively, not study this to death."

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