Residents of a popular seaside town in Victoria are bracing for an uphill battle to block a McDonald's store from opening on the same street as a primary school.
Members of Phillip Island's tight-knit community have banded together to fight the fast food giant from being approved for development just few hundred metres from a primary school in the township of Cowes.
McDonald's has submitted plans to Bass Coast Shire Council to build a restaurant on 194 Settlement Road in Cowes, which has a population of around 6500 people but often balloons in size due to tourist numbers.
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The permit was lodged on April 1 and it has attracted vocal opposition from thousands of locals.
Resident Travis Thompson has lived in the area since 2012 and told nine.com.au the proposed site of McDonald's is "not a great choice" for Cowes.
"The intersection they want to put it on is already a congested intersection. On any busy weekend, there's already traffic coming into Cowes down the main road," Thompson said.
"Adding a McDonald's there with the drive-through is only going to increase congestion, as well as any time at school start or end of school day, there's traffic there all the time, and that's going to be an issue."
Thompson said, if approved, it would be the only drive-through on Phillip Island.
He'd be "pleasantly surprised" if the community outrage results in blocking the Macca's, but knows it would not be an easy fight.
"But McDonald's is huge... they have tonnes of money," he said.
His cautious optimism is shared by fellow long-time residents.
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High school student stands up to Macca's
An online petition opposing the McDonald's in Cowes has attracted over 5000 signatures.
It inspired a second, smaller petition launched by 17-year-old Cowes local Airlie Minter.
Minter fiercely opposes the McDonald's and said building it within walking distance from a primary school would be "atrocious" for the community.
"Even at my high school, after school finishes, people often say, 'Oh, let's go get something from Macca's. It's not good, it's unhealthy," Minter told nine.com.au.
"Especially for primary school kids, they are much more naive... they're children, an easy target [for fast food]."
The high school student has lived on Phillip Island her entire life and is passionate about protecting her local environment.
She warned that a McDonald's could threaten the region's natural beauty and result in a scourge of extra litter across the island.
"That happens as it is with all the fish and chip places, people leave rubbish everywhere, and with how much rubbish McDonald's produces every single order, it's just going to skyrocket," Minter added.
Minter and Thompson are among thousands of residents who are appealing to Bass Coast Shire Council to reject the application.
It's a tough task challenging a giant of industry like the Golden Arches.
Residents of Northcote in Melbourne's inner-north can attest to this after their petition to stop a McDonald's from opening on High Street was unsuccessful last month.
"People told me, people I really care about, told me there is no point in trying to fight... it's not going to change anything," Minter said.
"And I said, Well, what if it does? What if this one thing that I've done changes everything?
"I'm really hopeful that maybe it could change the council's perspective."
Bass Coast Shire Council said it would assess the McDonald's application against the Bass Coast Planning Scheme.
"Council is aware this proposal will attract community interest, and teams will work with the community, local businesses, and relevant authorities before preparing a recommendation to Council," it said in a statement.
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McDonald's Australia said the Cowes location would create 100-120 full-time, part-time and casual jobs for the area and would be owned by a local franchisee.
"The restaurant would service both local residents and visitors to the area, offering great value, convenient service, and a welcoming place for people to visit," a spokesperson said.
"We're committed to being a good neighbour and making a positive social and economic contribution to Cowes."
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Dan Murphy's proposal sparks 'big box' takeover fears
Dan Murphy's has applied for a liquor licence at 137 Thompson Avenue in Cowes.
The addition of a chain liquor store nearby the proposed McDonald's site has prompted similar fears about the "big box" takeover of Phillip Island.
The liquor store would be built on a 703-square-metre trading area and sit on a commercial zone.
"I don't approve of the 'Walmartification'... I want local businesses here, people who have an investment in the community," Thompson said.
A public notice will be on display for community feedback until May 15.
The Dan Murphy's proposal falls under the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, not the council.
In a statement, the parent company for Dan Murphy's said it "welcomes the opportunity to bring a Dan Murphy's store to Cowe".
"The application has been advertised and local stakeholders can provide feedback before 15th May 2026," the spokesperson said.
"Over the last six months, Endeavour has been, and continues to, engage with the Cowes community on the proposal."
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