Peter Scullin Reserve Landscaping
Thanks to the intervention of the DSE no vegetation removal occurred before the Wine and Food event.. Kingston Council, had neglected, as Committee of Management to apply to the Minister for approval to remove vegetation on the Reserve. A permit was only applied for by Council on the 8th March after DSE advised of the need for a permit. Vegetation clearance commenced Wednesday March 22nd resulting in the loss of 22 Coast Banksias, 14 Sheoaks, all eucalypts .45 trees removed. Council’s list of to revegetation species differs from that of the DSE which lists a Banksia woodland of 80 trees. Council list has 21 Banksias. We had been advised by Parks and Gardens staff that no trees would be removed. All the Coast Wattle, Boobialla, Correas, understorey plants, have gone leaving the Reserve exposed to the elements and the remaining Sheoaks likely to succumb to gales. The other plantings will be grasses and low growing ground cover rather than a substantial windbreak on this vulnerable site.
Thanks to all submitters to the so-called consultation process regarding landscaping the Reserve. Two submissions were claimed to have been too late although one was handed in one day early and one on the due date at Council offices. Incompetence, inefficiency or what???
The Peter Scullin Reserve is Crown Land. How is it that Council officers were unaware that Ministerial approval was required to remove vegetation from Crown Land given the length of time some of the officers have lived and worked in Kingston?
Glen Agnew is back in the water and researching madly we are happy to report!
Wetlands Project
Waterways Wetlands type of creek development is proposed from Bowen Road to Boundary Road on land currently zoned industrial. However Graham Duff, Melbourne Water, stated at an AGRA meeting that no industrial construction can take place between the creek and Canterbury Road without Melbourne Water approval. A tree barrier could be planted to screen industry from residential areas south of the creek subject to land owners approval. The meeting was also informed that all water from Dandenong Creek flows into Patterson River. A small amount of water is diverted at Pillars Crossing into Mordialloc Creek at all times to keep the creek running. Flood control initiatives for Aspendale were also discussed. In a 1 in 100 year flood Aspendalians were happy to learn that they would be quite safe.
Mordialloc Creek Bridge
Also discussed at the AGRA meeting was the issue of bridge replace- ment and the need to raise the height of the bridge to prevent it acting as a dam during an unusually high tide combined with a 1 in a 100 year flood. Janice Munt has written to VicRoads requesting that MBCL be included on a reference committee for the bridge widening.
Mordialloc Creek
Mordialloc Creek Banks are being planted by a contingent of students from Mordialloc Secondary College under the supervision of their teacher, Carlos Lopez and the Natural Resource Area team. Good work, team!
Bay Trail Bike Path
Discussion of possible meeting with individual councillors to outline practical alternatives to the proposed costly and environmentally harmful recreational path, referring to the DSE Practice Note on inclusion of bike paths in the Sustainable Neighbourhoods document as an alternative means of transport. KCEC to organise a presentation the alternative path? ?
Kingston Environment Group Network
Stephen reported on meeting with the CEO and Environment Manager to discuss Council’s decision not to provide officer support for this environmental network, unlike the support offered to all other Kingston networks. No satisfactory reason was given for this discriminatory action. Discrimination is also apparent in blocking environmental appointments to several Council reference groups and committees dealing with open space, foreshore vegetation maintenance, biodiversity, climate change, etc.
KRAMMED
KRAMMED President has worked professionally and persistently to persuade Council to adopt a roo deck policy for Kingston similar to the one which Bayside Council has adopted. Roof decks are the latest trendy irritant to blight the lives of residents who resent being overlooked in their gardens or homes or suffer noise generated from partying neighbours on their roof decks. Council finally adopted the policy at the meeting 27th March thanks to Janelle.
Leisure Needs Survey
Watch for the Leisure Needs Survey advertised in this weeks Leader. Community meetings to be held at various venues April 3rd and April 10. Apparently ” residents and traders in the activity centres were recently surveyed … about whether they wanted more or less open space in activity centres. “Interesting that conservation groups were not “surveyed” prior to the community surveys to take place in each of Kingston’s activity centres.
Water Extraction
Good News to conclude! The ACF’s campaign against a massive increase in water extraction from the Great Artesian Basin, the Murray River and fragile mound springs in South Australia was successful. This water was to be used for the proposed expansion of the Roxby Downs copper and uranium mine. Let’s hope the massive uranium mine in South Australia can also be stopped.