A $36 million redevelopment of the old Kongwak Butter Factory, into a commercial, hospitality and accommodation venue, is being pitched as “the beginning of another chapter in the rich history of Kongwak and its iconic Butter Factory”.

The would-be developers of the Kongwak Butter Factory Precinct project, fronting Korumburra-Wonthaggi Road in the middle of town, say it has the potential to once again make the factory “the pride of its community”.

Details of the much-anticipated project were revealed in full in the past week on the Department of Transport and Planning website where notice was given that a decision will soon be made by the department under the State Government’s “fast-track” Development Facilitation Program.

Predictably, it was the topic of conversation among stallholders and patrons at the town’s popular weekly market last Sunday.

Core aspects of the project include an event space for 200 people, a restaurant for 150, a conference centre for 52, a caretaker’s house and 40 cabins spread across the 16ha site.

According to the documents, is hoped that additional offerings such as the general store, restaurant, and gallery “can provide new life to the main street of Kongwak and will be a place for the local community to socialise over a coffee, connect with the creative local community or obtain basics like milk and bread”.

So, what’s not to like?

Despite the prospect of such an exciting project arriving in the sleepy hamlet of Kongwak, with the promise of jobs and a boost to the local economy, it has not been universally embraced.

The ‘Save Kongwak Group’ which has so far collected 4083 signatures of a target 5000 against the project on a Change.org petition, say it is a major overdevelopment that will “change the face of Kongwak forever”.

“We are for small-scale development including a restaurant, cafe, art gallery and general store but we oppose a large wedding and convention centre venue, late-night trading and live music and we oppose street-facing car parks, short-stay cabins and effluent processing on farmland and any impact to our Avenue of Honour.”

The group has been quick to respond to the publication of project details, describing the proposed scope of works on its Facebook page, and claiming that there would be a peak flow of 69,000 litres-a-week of sewerage.

“Raw sewage will be pumped over the Foster Creek to be processed in the former dairy grazing paddocks,” they say.

But an exhaustive set of 21 planning documents, which almost certainly soaked up most of the Regional Development Victoria grant of $500,000, paint a picture of a project and an operation that will respect the significance of the iconic butter factory while injecting new life into the main street of the town.

For more details search ‘Ministerial permit PA2402814’ on the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning website HERE

Developers welcome your interest

REPRESENTATIVES of the Kongwak Butter Factory Precinct Pty Ltd, Damien Backholer and Gemma Cosgriff, have welcomed the release of the detailed plans for their project and have encouraged the community to take an interest.

Speaking to the Sentinel-Times this week, they say their aim is to bring the butter factory buildings back to life in a way that is in keeping with a rural town setting.

“It is great to see our plans for the revitalisation of the Kongwak Butter Factory get to this point where the community can now have its say as part of the town planning public notice period.

“There is a lot of detail on the plans and the supporting documents, and we encourage the community to take the time to review the information that has been formally submitted.

“We have also updated our website with architectural renders and more FAQs and this is the central point of true and accurate information, with the link to the planning portal available via this page, click HERE.

“Our purpose has always been to bring the Kongwak Butter Factory buildings back to life in a way that celebrates their history and the region, in a sustainable way that is harmonious with the rural town setting, and which can be enjoyed by people from near and far for generations to come.”

But they have also noted that the planning process is in the hands of the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) as the responsible planning authority, and they will be informed of the outcome in due course, whenever that might be.