Correspondence
Submissions have been sent to Kingston Draft Cycling & Walking Plan March 2008, Land & Biodiversity White Paper, New Residential Zones for Victoria.
Forthcoming Events
Saturday June 7th at Chelsea Pier an Sunday 22nd June Bonbeach foreshore for Growing the Foreshore’s Future Planting Days. Planning for growth: New Residential Zones and you. Notting Hill Neighbourhood House Speaker: Bob Birrell, Centre of Urban Planning & Population Research Monash Uni. “Population increase in Melbourne and its impact on Melbourne” Monday 2nd June 2008
Recent Events Attended
Cr West and MBCL sec attended a VLGA meeting at which Logging in Melbourne’s Water Catchments was debated. Logging in the catchment causes significant reduction in water yields. MBCL was also represented at the SPA AGM at North Melbourne Library. Speaker was Dr Katherine Betts, Australian Population Sociologist interpreting recent trends in political population policy and its economic & environmental impact.
KRAMMED
Meeting discussed the undemocratic impact of the State Government’s decision to take control of development in 26 Principal Activity centres. There will be no community involvement permitted in decision making and only TWO council representatives from each of the 26 councils allowed to participate in development decisions in Activity Centres.
Yarra Dredging
Yarra dredging commences with toxic contaminants dumped in the bund in the centre of the Bay off Brighton. The bund will not be covered for possibly 6 months. POMC will hold one of their so-called information sessions from 5-7 pm at Doyles Tuesday June 10th
Parks / NRA Team Leaders Reports
Members were delighted to welcome Tony Collins and Lee James who gave us a comprehensive report on the structure of the Parks team, recent staff appointments and activities. Another Green Corp team of 9-10 people have been working with the NRA team for 6 months and are paid a training wage. Volunteers work in conjunction with Conservation Volunteers Australia who provide funding. Dole recipients also work with the parks team two days a week. Funding has been provided through the Living Links Program thus enabling revegetation work south of Chelsea Life Saving Club to proceed with indigenous ground cover and shrubs.
Living Links provided $20,000 to clear gorse from a stand of eucalypts east of Bowen Road on the south bank of Mordialloc Creek. Water is a big issue in managing sporting grounds which require 80-90 thousand litres a week for each oval so it is planned to install rain water tanks on sporting club buildings. Cr West advises that a market gardener has been using water collected in a sand quarry. This supports Melbourne Water’s belief that the disused quarries in the sandbelt could be used for water retention basins.
Parks Reports
Tony reports that there is to be an upgrade of Kingston Heath.
The Parks team will be planting 28,000 trees, understorey and groundcover in the Scullin Reserve in May.
Parks team were kept busy in April clearing damaged vegetation after severe storms.
MBCL to be included in a working group formed if/when Mordialloc Creek is dredged.
Yammerbook Nature Reserve held a planting day May 3rd to revegetate the swale with grasses and sedges.
Friends of Bradshaw Park
April working bee included weeding and planting .A snow gum was planted in memory of Peter Brunning and his contribution to the local park and environment. Members from the Grange attended. Cameras have been installed in possum boxes at the Grange to enable sticky beaks to watch the possums! Invasion of privacy?? Twelve people at Braeside Park are involved in setting up a community nursery.
Weed Removal
Reports from members of Boxthorn, pampas grass and gorse on VicTrack land near Pompei’s boat shed, of a she-oak growing out of a eucalypt on George Wood’s Reserve, and three large boxthorns in Edward’s Street, Cheltenham. Stephen has reported these pests on several occasions.
Waterwatch Program
Volunteers are STILL waiting for advice when they will be taken to the monitoring site and given instruction in use of the equipment that MBCL has purchased with Ward funds donated for that purpose.
Mordialloc Creek Bridge
Nina has safety concerns about the safety railing on the east side of the bridge which has a wide gap under the bottom railing large enough for a small child to crawl or fall through. She has repoted this to Tim Pallas, Minister for Roads etc.
Apartment Home Office Complex Cnr Albert, Bear Streets
The complex has large digital nautical images on the façade of the building out of character with adjacent residences and at variance with what was decided at the mediation meeting attended by Nina and others.
NQR Site 530 Main Street, Mordialloc
After two mediation meetings it is disturbing to find that Council is supporting the sole entry/ exit point for resident, staff and customer vehicles into Epsom Road despite heavy traffic usage from the Nepean Highway, Beach Road and patrons from the Kingston Club. Former Masonic Ldoge, an historic building, is looking neglected and may be for sale unless a use can be found for it. Bells Antique Shop The lease ends on this oldest heritage listed shop in Mordialloc forcing the present lessee to seek other premises. The shopping strip unfortunately is lacking diversity now that Diversity Books has moved to Mentone – looks like more coffee shops, licensed cafes and $2 shops.
Forecourt of Station
The forecourt must be nearing completion soon. Let’s hope it will be worth all the dislocation for public transport users, taxis and traders