Pakenham boom picks up pace

By Paul Dunlop
PEOPLE are making Pakenham home at a quicker rate than almost anywhere else in Victoria.
A Housing Industry Association report has found Cardinia Shire was the state’s fourth fastest growing municipality.
The population boom is centred around Pakenham, Beaconsfield and Officer but is also spreading to Kooweerup, Emerald, Bunyip and Garfield.
According to new HIA figures, the local population jumped 10.3 per cent in 2006, bringing the total number of residents in the shire to more than 59,000.
In the same year, more than $143 million of residential building work was approved.
Only Wyndham in the south, Melton in the east and Whittlesea in the north had a higher growth rate than Cardinia.
The neighbouring City of Casey was also among the top 10 big movers.
Pakenham’s population explosion is bringing a host of extra opportunity – and pressure – into the town.
Transport, education, social and recreational services are already feeling the pinch of the population boom.
Cardinia Shire Council chief executive officer Garry McQuillan said residents would soon see an even greater transformation.
Mr McQuillan said managing that growth was by far the biggest issue facing civic leaders.
“There will be a fairly massive change in population over the next five to 15 years,” Mr McQuillan said.
“The completion of the Pakenham bypass will create a further upsurge in growth. Residential development is already occurring and that will continue.
“The State Government has also set aside 2500 hectares of land for industrial development. There is a lot happening all round.”
Mr McQuillan said quite a few national and international chain stores including Big W and K Mart were looking seriously at establishing a presence in town.
The area’s booming population meant the arrival of big business department stores was inevitable, he said.
Rick and Amanda Read are just one of the many young couples who have moved to the area in recent times.
The Reads, married earlier this year, have built a house in the popular Lakeside estate.
“We love it here,” Mr Read said.