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Filipino-Australian leads township building in Victoria
VICTORIA, Australia — About 75 kilometers southwest of Melbourne, a charming, waterfront seaside town is growing and attracting families wishing to enjoy a more affordable relaxed lifestyle with access to beaches and the countryside.
The City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) is the largest regional city and the second largest city in the state of Victoria after Melbourne.
A significant number of plans are currently in the works, with a Filipino-Australian leading some of these. Working as the coordinator for strategic planning at the City of Greater Geelong Council for the past five years, Maureen Tesoro's work involves creating sustainable residential and employment communities that will benefit the city's more than 200,000 residents.
With a growing population, increased migration and housing shortage, her work has never been more crucial and fulfilling at the same time. At present, Tesoro and her team of 10 town planners are working on various projects to introduce new policies, framework plans and structure plans in CoGG.
"The Strategic Planning team at CoGG prepares policies and plans in relation to land use in the city. Most notable projects to date include greenfield planning for the Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas which anticipates 110,000 new residents, and the South Geelong Urban Design Framework which was recently included in the planning scheme legislation for implementation," said Tesoro.
Early influence
Born in the Philippines, Tesoro grew up in flood-prone Marikina City. Her father Ed is a retired architect and her brother Edwin is an engineer.
"Our house gets flooded every year when I was growing up. During the rainy months, our furniture were on top of high tables to avoid getting them wet during floods—that was our normal. I studied architecture and urban planning to see how planning can help create sustainable communities," she said.
Tesoro started her career in Manila as an architect, but she took on an interest in urban planning a few years into her career.
She gained experience at architectural design firm Palafox and Associates, working on a variety of comprehensive land use projects in Metro Manila and in the regions. She and husband Christopher then moved on to Singapore in 2006, where she was part of a team working on land use plans in China and the Middle East under Liu Thai Ker, Singaporean architect and master planner. They eventually settled down in Australia with their son Jordan in 2008.
Long-term planning
In Australia, Tesoro said there is a process for long-term planning.
"Most of the plans we create will need 30 to 40 years to fully develop. Planning a community takes into consideration its future requirements," she said.
"The planning process in the State of Victoria is structured and supported by legislation. Any planning project starts with supporting studies on storm water and drainage, environmental values, identification of vegetation needing protection, transport and service infrastructure requirements including community centers and open spaces. Depending on the study area, there may be more investigation that is required. This process identifies potential risks to development and what is required to ensure that adequate infrastructure will be in place," Tesoro added.
"Maureen leads a strong team who is helping shape our city’s future. Her experienced leadership ensures that our planning is robust, sustainable, and resilient, enabling the creation of liveable communities for Geelong's new residents," said Jacqueline Randles, manager for planning and growth at CoGG.
Tesoro started her local government career in Victoria at Wyndham City Council, where she held various strategic and statutory planning roles for 10 years. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
