We wish to express our sincere thanks for the Melbourne Water Newsletter Grant which will assist with the cost of mailing, p/copying, faxing information to MBCL members.
Meeting Attended in July
Friends of the ABC Mordialloc Branch, Metropolitan Transport Forum, Victorian Channel Authority meeting Chelsea Town hall, KRAMMED Resident Action Group.
Forthcoming Meetings
Green Wedge Defenders, Duck Inn 6th July, Green Wedge Farmers meeting at Bangholme Soldiers Memorial Hall August 9th, Kingston Conservation and Environment Coalition Mordialloc Neighbourhood House 7.30pm 20th August. KRAMMED AGM Parkdale Uniting Church 17th September. Guest Speaker Nigel Kirby President SOS.
Mordialloc Structure Plan
Following representations from KRAMMED, Mordialloc Village Committee and local residents Kingston Council agreed to hold a public meeting to allow Mordialloc residents to express their concerns at GHD Consultants plans for the area. Watch for information about the time and place for this important meeting.
Kingston Foreshore & Waterways Landscape Guidelines
After an exhaustive consultation process the report was presented to Council July 9. Congratulations to Chris Dance consultant, Lindsay Fraser and Environment Officers on the outcome of the landscape study of Kingston’s fragile foreshore strip.
Mentone / Parkdale Lifesaving Clubs
There is concern at Council’s approval of ‘tearooms’ for both lifesaving clubs. A 20 seat facility at Parkdale LSC and a 60 seat ‘tearooms’ (open 7am-11pm) at Mentone LSC. There is inadequate parking in the car parks or on Beach Road. Already there are reports of cars parking around the War Memorial at Parkdale. Penny will report to the Mentone Village Committee to seek assurance that the Village committee will be included in discussions.
Green Wedge
Rosemary gave a report on the DOIS approval of a residential golf course development of the Myer family’s property, Eynesbury. Approval was given without the Planning Ministers knowledge.She was not amused. This development is one more incursion into the Wedge. Politicians of all persuasions will be asked to sign the Green Wedge Charter,e.g Shadow Minister for Transport, our local Member. The Keysborough Animal Shelter was informed about the Bangholme meeting for all farmers and businesses who wish to remain in the Wedge and carry on their business. Unfortunately Dandenong Council is approving developments in the buffer zone in attempt to force or ‘phase’ out those unwilling to leave.
Heatherton Dingley Review / Pitrones
Disappointment that DOI appears to be encouraging Kingston Council to permit residential/ industrial development in this section of the Green Wedge before the release of the Metropolitan Strategy.. Defenders have written to the Minister requesting that a decision be with held until the release of the Strategy. A retirement village is proposed for Pitrones, also in the Green Wedge. Residents are opposing the development since traffic would use Spring Road to gain access to Springvale Road. An apairist doesn’t want to move his business from the adjoining property.
The Parks
According to the BIOSIS Report Chicquita Park has vegetation of high local significance which should be retained because Kingston has so little remaining significant indigenous vegetation. The Strategic Planner has been asked to evaluate options to save 100% of the park. However the land was recently resold, this time with proposals for a 64 unit development. The options are 1 to save all the park. 2 80% can be requested by Council, saved with no compensation required 3 50% saved would mean loss of significant vegetation. 4 70% of the site developed would mean a loss of vegetation and the scout hall. Should 100% of the park be saved a Friends group would need to be formed to maintain the park. Parks Victoria are assuming more control over the Friends Group in Braeside Park. Plant propagation is continuing with 25,000 plants per year propagated by the 7-8 people who regularly attend these sessions. Twenty people attended the AGM at the Grange and heard Tony report on the new NRA group. The Committee was re-elected. Eight posters have been produced with proceeds from the Grants funding. Penny has joined (we think!) the PPCC Committee. MBCL is fortunate in having two committed conservationists on this important committee
Chiquita Park (again) Ron conducted a nature walk in the park and a lovely photo of Ron and Phyllis appeared in the local paper recently. Unfortunately two of the rare Cherry Ballarts have been mysteriously cut down – cut down by Council!! Possibly as a result of the far too often used excuses. “They are sick”, “They have outlived their usefulness” etc.
All is going well at Bradshaw Park with grasses and shrubs flourishing. Unfortunately the Drills Land committee have become frustrated with the wetland expert, Tony Brindley who hasn’t materialised to report on the Master Plan progress. Funding of $170,000 is available and plants and people are ready to go.
Mayfield
Kingston’s last pastoral mansion is to be demolished following the failure of successive past Councils to make an effort to save the building. A CERES centre was Nina and Brian’s idea for preserving the mansion and gardens. Their idea was passed on to Cr Shewan.
Wildlife Officer
Brian and Nina have suggested to Cr Shewan that Kingston needs a Wildlife & Habitat officer to complement the KCC’s aborealists role & purpose..
Beach Erosion Mentone
As a result of weeks of gales sand has been badly eroded at Mentone where the Melbourne Water drain crosses the beach. Due to littoral drift, the beach erodes on the south side of the drain and has undermined, once again, the promenade wall- a small but significant example of what happens when man-made structures are placed on foreshore and primary dunes. A “Beach closed” has been erected as a safety measure. Enquiries have revealed that Council doesn’t appear to have an ‘Indemnity Agreement’? Local Law 5 ??
The Agnew Report
Glen is presently exploring the possibility that another exotic species, Caulerpa taxifolia, may have settled in Port Phillip Bay. This pest is in residence in the Port of Adelaide and Lake Macquarie, NSW. and is prevalent in the Mediterranean. In addition to research at Rickett’s Point, Glen has been asked to carry out UW videoing for MEFEC. He has been ably assisted in his work recently by Verity Hayler, carrying on a family tradition!
Metropolitan Transport Forum
MBCL president and secretary attended the Forum and heard the Minister for Transport (who cycled to the meeting) and the secretary of the DOI, Lyndsay Neilsen, claim that they were spending more on public transport than roads. David Engwicht from Brisbane presented some ‘creative’ ideas for getting people out of their cars and onto their feet, trams and trains. Six Mayors were at the Forum. Kingston Council was well represented by Cr Shewin.
While the theme of the Forum was encouraging greater use of public transport, current studies found that this policy will fail unless there is high quality, high frequency, affordable public transport coupled with active discouragement of car ownership and use, and restrictions on residential, retail and commercial parking in medium to high density residential areas 400 metres from a transport hub. (Environmental Issues and their Impact on Metropolitan Strategy. Technical Report I. Planning Melbourne for the 21st Century). Approvals for residential developments within the Mordialloc study area, 50-150 metres from a transport hub, indicate that Met Strategies practical proposals have not yet trickled down to local government planning officers given the generous number of car parking spaces provided for each development.
SBOS and LSIOS
The long awaited SBOS and LSIOs have finally been released by Kingtson Council and as expected, 11,000 properties are affected the highest number for Metropolitan Melbourne. Despite the history of flooding in the former City’s of Mordialloc and Chelsea over a period of 70 years, residential development has been continuously approved on the flood plains of Mordialloc Creek catchment. Loss of property value and costly insurance will now be a major problem for 11,000 households.