Congratulations to Councillor Rosemary West, former Age and Leader journalist, who on 27th June was awarded honorary membership by the Australian Journalists Association! Quite a coup for Kingston Council to have a councillor on board with the wealth of skills and experience which Rosemary has!
We trust that David E. is making great progress in his current battle with ill-health.
Correspondence
Bill has prepared several papers dealing with State wide issues which also impact on local councils. Paper No.1 dealt with M2030 policy on housing and the need for improved public transport if M2030 is to succeed as envisaged. At present the Brack’s Government seems to be ‘improving’ public transport with buses. Paper No 2 to the Independent deploring Council’s lack of a substantial environmental policy, and Paper No.3 is a Submission to the Victorian Environment Assessment Council River Red Gum Forests Investigation. We are grateful to Bill for the research and effort in producing detailed documents of this calibre. We need now to persuade Kingston Council that our mature trees are also worthy of preservation rather dispensable items to make way for views or developments.
Mordialloc Creek Water Quality
A copy of Stephen Hains letter was sent to Melbourne Water in the hope that a decision may be taken to monitor water quality as it enters and leaves the wetlands at Waterways. However we have been referred to another MW contact for further discussion. In the mean time the EPA have conducted a survey of toxic sites around Melbourne. Hobson’s Bay has the most contaminated sites with 14 and Kingston comes second with 8. Priority sites are those where pollution presents an unacceptable risk to health and groundwater. Interestingly “owners are forced to pay for a clean up or to stop groundwater pollution.” How will this affect the Alex Fraser concrete crushing activities in a former sand quarry full of contaminated groundwater?? And are these eight contaminated sites in Kingston adding to the poor water quality in Mordialloc Creek?
Keysborough Golf Club
Keysborough Golf Club in the Green Wedge is still bubbling along. This is Watson’s development. Golf course, clubhouse, pro-shop, restaurant, function centre, maintenance building, together with 394 dwellings. Objections have been lodged.
Bike Path Saga Continues
MBCL was represented on a Mordialloc Village community bus tour of the foreshore 18th June. CEO, Strategic Planner and Mayor, and an elderly councillor who claimed he had never seen the Bayside bike path but never-the-less didn’t want a shared path on the verge of Beach Road. Response from other committee members was disappointing. The feeling is that the Mayor etc, don’t want any discussion or debate. The attitude is one of defensiveness and claiming concern for vegetation removal but not wanting any discussion about the council’s policy of foreshore management which will see removal of understorey and ‘pruning’. The proposed meeting with the DSE has not yet eventuated though DSE people have met with Belinda Ainley and possibly others to spin their idea of veg. management. Stephen’s survey finds people wish to retain the sandy walking cliff top path.
Tree Removal in Kingston
Tree Removal in Kingston continues with 31 pines removed from the Grange. Nina mentions removal of understorey at the Hazel Pierce Park. What is Council’s policy on understorey removal? Is it for security supposedly, or for ‘views? Discuss this matter with David Digby at the next Environment Network meeting – when Max deigns to call the meeting. The Grange recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Geoffrey has contacted Andrew Booth of EV and had a site inspection on the cliff top site of the bike road.
Chicquita Park
Chicquita Park battle is on again. Please ensure that a submission is sent to Council about the need to preserve this park in its entirety. Once developed with 63 units it will be an inappropriate residential development well outside an activity centre. The loss of this gem can be sheeted home to a former council with no appreciation of the value of open space for the well being of the community. The park could have been bought for a quarter of what’s being asked now had there been the politcal will to do so. The elderly councillor is being particularly recalcitrant at present.
Drills Land
The AGRA sub-committee met 31-5-05. C of K have taken over the management of the reserve, excluding the water body, because Melbourne Water considers planting and improvements are a recreational function which doesn’t fit with Melbourne Water’s charter. Felix Botannica have been hired for planting and minor earth works worth $80,000.19520 plants in tubes are waiting for rain to be planted. Plants will be kept 10m clear of the water body to allow MW to carry out future water body changes. fencing will be installed to protect plants and photo point posts to record growth. A ranger has been budgeted for a day per week. Aspendale Gardens Primary School is involved having visited CRAG and Council nursery to see plants likely to be used. They will assist Felix Botannica with planting. Students have also recorded birds swans, pelicans, cockatoos. David Digby reported that carp could be a problem because the public put them into Waterways wetlands. William Fry Reserve was stripped of water vegetation by carp and Waterways lakes are now infested by carp.
Mordialloc Creek
A working bee happened on the 4th June. AGRA are concerned about the Waterways link to Mordialloc creek. Nina will explain.
Bradshaw Park
On the 3rd May woody indigenous over-growth was removed ready for future planting. Stephen and David Digby surveyed vegetation on the railway reserve and hope to have this included in Bradshaw Park.
Port Phillip Conservation Council
Stephen to be MBCL delegate. Second delegate will be Bill with Mara and Brian as deputy delegates. Thanks guys!
Council Depot
Council Depot to be relocated to the South East Green Wedge area in Heatherton site of a former Primary School. Brian and Barry attended discussions with City of Kingston.