Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st February 2017

Mordialloc Creek

Interestingly after heavy rain beaches around Port Phillip Bay were polluted particularly Mentone beach and not so much Mordialloc beach – the usual culprit. Mordialloc creek carries drainage from industrial areas in Braeside and the old tipping sites from which leachates can enter the drainage system and flow into the creek. On this occasion perhaps the large Melbourne Water drain outlet at Mentone Parade may have contributed to beach pollution with drainage entering the Bay at this point and flowing northwards to Mentone beach.

Mordialloc Lifesaving Club

Had a quick inspection of the new LSC and found that there is more concrete surrounding the building than expected. Apparently this is to provide entry and parking for the large surf boats that will be stored in the building- one of the main reasons for the size of the building occupying limited foreshore open space. The large rusty looking iron ramp construction will require removal of more foreshore vegetation early in the New Year when it is to be delivered and placed in position. Fortunately the south end of the building has been left unconcreted and hopefully will remain a pleasant grassed area for public use. The nicest aspect of the inspection was seeing a little family of blue wrens hopping around in the dry grassy area!

Yammerbook Nature Reserve

A car park of 34 spaces is proposed for this reserve but residents are concerned feeling that additional parking is for the benefit of parents dropping off and picking up children at the nearby school and that after hours, antisocial behaviour is likely to increase in the park. A bus stop on Wells Road is an alternative means of reaching the park or the school.

Esplanade Brighton

The partial demolition and works to the existing blue stone wall, and removal of native/indigenous vegetation has distressed a dedicated group of Bayside residents because of the impact on the dunes and vegetation which has been described as being “ so precious, so conservationally valuable that not a square metre of them should be disturbed.” (Brighton’s other golden mile.in the Age 26 Nov. 2016)

Unfortunately Bayside Council has decided to grant a permit with four pages of conditions . The plans must show that removal of indigenous vegetation is to be replaced with a similar extent of indigenous coastal vegetation , etc , along these lines. The proposal to replace the llifesaving club with a larger building wasn’t discussed in this document.

George Woods Reserve Playground

The playground is underway with the Moreton Bay Fig Tree still in place. It apparently will not be removed although we have been assured that all new planting in the area will be locally indigenous. Nina claims that extra lighting is not needed around the playground because of the high towers lighting the rail siding nearby. Toilets will not be provided for the playground because of cost and difficulty of sewage work. Toilets at the Chute Street boat ramp will have to be used –which is why we claimed that a site closer to these facilities would have been the best location for the playground and would have left the Arboretum intact.

Level Crossing Removal

A meeting of the Public Places and Environment Committee was held 14 December 2016 at Council to discuss this proposal. Two academics from RMIT, supporters of Sky Rail, were present and spoke as did a member of the Frankston anti- sky rail group. Both had convincing arguments for their positions. Some feel that an elevated rail line in surroundings that are predominantly low rise housing will blight the suburbs south of Mordialloc Creek, but the high water table in this area will create drainage problems –apart from the Bonbeach to Carrum section of the line which will have to be elevated to cross Patterson River. The three completed trenched stations, Bentleigh, McKinnon and Ormond are extremely ugly and will become more so because the State Government has decreed that Ormond station will have a 10-16 storey building on top of the station – and other stations may have four storey buildings above the station.

Bay Trail

Cr West has presented a motion to council requesting that the proposed indented parking areas along this section of the back- of –kerb bike track be removed from the plans.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

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