Committee of Management Mordialloc Creek
W. Grahame reported on this meeting which was held at the Mordialloc Motor Yacht Club. Melbourne Water, Kingston Council Officers. DEWLP. Boating and Fishing Club Members were in attendance. Issues raised were moorings. Sea Scouts lack of boat launching facilities.
Heritage Listing of Pompei Site and Mordialloc Creek Environs
Discussion about Heritage listing for not just the Pompei site and large boat building shed but also the creek environs from the mouth to the railway bridge has been postponed until February 2019. A local heritage consultant thought the whole area was worthy of this listing because of its long fishing and boat building history. While the big shed could become a boat building museum this seems unlikely to happen.
The Grange
P.MacGuire-White reported on drainage run-off from sports ground hard surfaces outside the Grange boundary effecting the vegetation within the Grange.
Green Wedge
Reports of a victory at VCAT with a large Coptic Church being refused. The planning permit sought was not only for the Church, with a tall tower and dome, but stables for horses, sports grounds, etc. The refusal was based on the fact that the church would be more useful in an urban setting rather than on a 40 hectare block of land planned to encourage small size farming activity according to Green Wedge policy documents. With Planning Minister Wynne’s victory in Saturday’s election the Green Wedge may become even more secure!
Mordialloc Bypass EES
Submissions are due 14th December. The construction of this six lane freeway may well have implications for water in Mordialloc creek, Woodlands, Braeside Park and Waterways wetlands. The freeway will be constructed with a landfill embankment and an elevated six lane freeway over roads and Waterway’s Wetlands. The freeway will be divided into two elevated bridges each with three traffic lanes. VicRoads claims that the separated elevated bridges over Waterways wetland will be “less noticeable with trees planted to grow up between them”! The EES document mentions that this freeway could convey freight and containers from Hastings to the docks. Construction of the landfill embankment will disturb acid sulphate soil and may pollute groundwater flowing towards and into the creek.
VCAT Hearing for Regent’s Park
The Jack Cuthbertson Memorial Garden is going to be removed to make way for two netball courts despite the fact that the Mordialloc Secondary College nearby will soon have three extra netball courts provided by the Government making five courts in all. There will be a loss of mature trees including original Banksias in the Memorial Garden in Regent’s Park. Four speakers presented arguments for retention of the Memorial Garden at VCAT to no avail. VCAT Chairperson has given approval for destruction to go ahead.
Pocket Parks
Pocket Parks for marginal seats was offered by the Labor Government prior to the election. However City of Kingston missed out on this offer although the loss of the Jack Cuthbertson Memorial Garden, and probably Tarella Road’s established remnant bushland, will reduce small parks/open space available in Edithvale/Chelsea suburbs lacking in this feature for residents who prefer passive recreation rather active sport.
Edithvale/Bonbeach Level Crossing Removal
There appears to still be some uncertainty about how effective the trench for the train line will be in dealing with drainage expected to find its way via a pipe into the Bay especially at times of high rainfall and high tides. Presenters to VCAT are yet to hear the outcome of the Hearing although a report did appear in the Planning Institute magazine, Vol 44, No9, October 2018. It stated that “out of the many State Government level crossing removals the Edithvale Bonbeach projects, which proposed trenching of the railway line, has been the most challenging from an environmental perspective. Following the VCAT Hearing it has been recommended that “changes include requirements for more extensive monitoring and mitigation plans for Edithvale and Wannarkladden Wetlands and the Bonbeach and Edithvale foreshore vegetation.”
Port Phillip Conservation Council
Reports that coastguards, whose boat is currently berthed at Patterson River, have received approval to have a three storey building, boat harbour and lengthy pier stretching out into Port Phillip Bay, constructed at the foot of Oliver’s Hill in Frankston. Because this section of the Bay is so shallow it will have to be constantly dredged. There is some querv about the need for this development because, in the case of an emergency in the Bay, a helicopter can deal with the problem more quickly than the coastguard boat which takes forty minutes to arrive from Patterson River.
End of Year
Well folks it has been a very busy year with members preparing and presenting submissions at three or more VCAT Hearings. And it hasn’t ended yet. EES submissions about impacts of the Mordialloc Freeway are due 14th December and local Heritage listing of the Pompei site is proposed to be discussed in February 2019. At least with the State Election ending with a pleasing outcome there might be a chance of more favourable Hearings at VCAT occasionally!
Merry Christmas to all!