THE Bridgewater boom is on the cusp of acceleration.
The final stages of Bridgewater Rise housing estate will be released for sale this month.
And the dormant Bridgewater Poultry site will bounce back into egg production next year with new owners promising industry leading biosecurity practices.
The double boost comes a fortnight out from a Loddon Shire push to attract new residents and grow housing development in local towns.
The two-day Loddon Lifestyle and Housing Showcase will be held in Bridgewater, pitched at developers and builders on the first day and potential home buyers on the Saturday.
Construction of the first new homes in stage one of Bridgewater Rise could start before Christmas.
“Of the 15 lots, 14 have been sold in under two years,” said McKean McGregor real estate agent Drew Stratton.
“That is a marvellous sale rate  in these times and show that people are wanting to buy and invest in Loddon communities.
“Buyers have been young families wanting to stay in the area or move to Bridgewater, people looking for a lifestyle change and investors.”
Civil works on the shire’s biggest housing development have been finished and titles for the 15 lots were registered last week. “The high demand for stage one has now seen developer Josh Cummins and his family consortium set the launch date of not one but the two final stages of Bridgewater Rises with 19 more lots available.”
When completed, the 34 new homes at Bridgewater Rise will increase the town’s housing stock by 17 per cent, according to 2021 ABS figures.
Housing investment in Bridgewater is expected to be matched by industry after last week’s sale of the former Bridgewater Poultry in Fantasy Road, closed since 2019 after a salmonella and allegations of animal cruelty.
New owners Bridgewater Estate Eggs Property Pty Ltd this week started moving equipment into buildings at the site.
Among shareholders are the Trevanion family who own Southern Riverlands Poultry, established in Boort five years ago to supply free range chickens to Hazeldenes. Southern Riverlands now has capacity for estimated one million birds.
Michael Loader, a director of the Australian-owned Bridgewater Estate Eggs, said shareholders had extensive experiences in agriculture and would expand into egg production.
 “We are spending a lot of money to get this up and running, to get operations and biosecurity right,” Mr Loader.
“We want to be an industry leader for biosecurity with better  practices, better equipment, animal wefare and comfort at front of mind. We want to be the more than just ticking a box.
“Ideally, we will be generating income this financial year.”
Mr Loader said the egg production facility would initially have a staff of between five and 10.
Prevous owners of the site sold eggs under the Loddon Valley Eggs, Victorian Fresh Eggs and Country Fresh Eggs labels to major supermarket chains. The farm made up about 10 per cent of the national egg market at its peak. Closure saw a decline in enrolments at the town’s primary school.
Mr Loader said: “The site will be very operational within 12 months. We’re using local contractors to get things ready and you can expect daily movement on the site.”