The company behind the $400 million proposal, Big Hill Investments, applied to have the rural land on Belvoir Park Road near Ravenswood rezoned as special use to accommodate a golf course, 450 homes, a boutique hotel and a conference centre.

Project backer Greg Williams said it would be the biggest resort Bendigo had seen and he hoped to have detailed plans exhibited before Christmas.

A decision on the amendment may be one of the first big decisions a new council will make after being sworn in in November, but angry residents in the Big Hill area have vowed to make it a contentious issue in the forthcoming elections.

City of Greater Bendigo acting chief executive Prue Mansfield said it would be months before extensive work needed on a complex range of issues about the suitability of the site could be completed and a report submitted to the council.

Ms Mansfield said any recommendation on such a substantial project would have to consider a range of site-specific issues.

These would include investigations for high salinity, water erosion and other hydrological matters, as well as environmental concerns surrounding native vegetation and the location abutting the Greater Bendigo National Park.

"Then we will have to consider the visual impact of the proposal, as this is one of the major gateways to our city and is outside the urban growth boundary," Ms Mansfield said.

"There is a wide range of sustainability issues we will have to deal with relating to an independent community out there on its own."

Bendigo AFL great Greg Williams said a similar resort at Creswick shown to the council indicated the potential of the idea, which would be a fine asset for Bendigo.

"We are hoping when people see the details they will realise what a quality resort it is."

He said one of the key facets would be sustainability, and water treatment plants would allow the use of groundwater too saline to be used elsewhere.

The resort would not rely on the Coliban Water supply but would use bore water, rainwater and recycling systems - making it free from water restrictions.

But Big Hill Action Group spokesman Bruce Carpenter said claims of sustainability were merely a front.

The major environmental and social issues, and loss of amenity, had not changed since the development was first proposed in 2003.

"It doesn't take much to see this would be environmentally disastrous," Mr Carpenter said.

"Are we going to end up with urban sprawl on the south side of the city like Melbourne has with Taylors Lakes?"