News that two of our valued members have relocated to Cheltenham. Very best wishes to Ron and Phyllis as they settle into their new home. News also from Penny travelling in China where she reports “everyone is very green conscious. In Shanghai they have 1.8 metres of greenery for every person – trees, grass and ground level plants. In Guilin a developer removed a tree and 10 people rang the authorities to complain!” Kingston Council please note.
Just Received Goolengook Forest Investigation. Submissions close August 4. Booket available for submitters from MBCL if interested. Also Draft for community comment for Sustainable Water Strategy. Forms for long or shorter comment available from MBCL. Petition to request the Legislative Assembly to prepare a new metropolitan strategy and revoke M2030. to grant local planning policies effective control over height and residential density, stop VCAT acting as a de facto planning authority, maintain green wedges, stop usurping public lands and community assets, protect environmentally sensitive areas. Petition forms available from MBCL.
Melbourne Water Beach Outlets
Stephen reported on outcome of meeting to discuss removing drains at Marina Road, Mentone and near Rosella Road, Mordialloc- the Ashmore Avenue Drain. Groynes and jetties covering the pipes were rejected Extending the pipe further into the Bay a possibility as was the idea of a soakage pit for the Marina Road drain but further discussion revealed that the cliffs at Mentone could be damaged. Stephen suggested to URS that the Ashmore Avenue drain could possibly be diverted to Mordialloc Creek since it drains the area east of the rail line. This would remove the drain from crossing the beach.
Invitation
Invitation was received to meet Liberal politicians to discuss with them environmental issues Hon. David Davies, Hon Murray Thompson, Inga Peulich, and Liberal candidate for Mordialloc Stephen Hartney were present as was Hon Geoffrey Connard whose idea it was to arrange the meeting. We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight issues and the site visit of the proposed cliff top bike path. Geoffrey H. raised a number of matters:- loss of parks and open space, foreshore vegetation, dredging the Bay and need to retain green wedges.
Bay Trail Bicycle Path
Cr Alabaster and Cr McKeegan were led along the proposed route of the bike path by Jonathon Guttman. Greg was shocked at the destruction to vegetation likely if the path is located on the cliff tops, and the astronomical cost of the bridges as well as the fact that a concrete path would exacerbate run-off causing erosion of the cliffs. A meet- with Cr Arthur is difficult to achieve. Meeting with Member for Mordialloc has taken place. We are awaiting results.
Tree Vandalism and Screen
Since the wholesale destruction of vegetation on the Peter Scullin Reserve two sheoaks on the Beach Road side of the reserve were vandalised over Easter. Bayside Council is considering placing screens on the site of vandalised trees. DSE has not ruled out allowing this but wants to see the design of the screens – yet to be decided. As usual Kingston Council has refused the use of screens and so far has not been able, or wanted, to catch the vandals. Bradshaw Park has also suffered vandalism. Timber for fires??
Mordialloc Creek
Friends of Mordialloc Creek held a working bee April 1st and planted 400 plants amongst the trees planted last year. North and south banks are being revegetated and habitat corridors created. NRA team, Mordialloc College and Yarrabah students have worked enthusiastically to restore creek vegetation. The Rakali Survey is under way.
Drills Land
Following Nina’s success in locating the title deeds of Drill’s Land she has now made contact with Aboriginals who have suggested appropriate names for the site one of which is Carrum Carrum – but decision yet to be made by the Committee meeting June 6.
Mordialloc Creek Bridge and Nepean Highway
Mordialloc Structure Plan suggests exploring tunnelling under Mordialloc Creek instead of building a larger bridge over the creek. Larger boats could move upstream provided the creek was regularly dredged. However Bridge Hotel foundations may be affected. Attenborough Park will lose some land particularly if the turn into Station Street has to be widened. Lowering Nepean Highway through Mordialloc would make easier access for pedestrians but difficult for vehicle crossings. Putting rail lines underground created interest recently but the State budget hasn’t provided funds for such an expensive proposal. Underground stations are not very attractive places i.e. the PTUA says of Box Hill underground station “Filthy, dark and dingy are all words that describe it”
Melbourne 2030
PTUA also claims that the Government’s transport plan flops and the 20% more passengers by 2020 target has been dumped. There was no mention of the target in the budget document at all instead billions will be spent on expanding the Westgate and Monash freeways in spite of the cost and finite supplies of oil. Question. If the Government has dumped the 20% more passengers by 2020 does this mean that M2030 has also been dumped and we won’t have to have multi-storey apartment blocks crammed around our little suburban stations in the expectation that everyone living there would use public transport???
Rain Gardens
Nina raises interesting questions about this latest trend to harvest water. Will maintenance become a problem? Who will weed the gardens? What is the environmental impact of spraying the weeds versus mowing nature strips? Is the idea of concrete parking lots in the strip acceptable? Good questions!
Waste Transfer Station
Waste Transfer Station was approved by VCAT to be sited in Malcolm Road Braeside. Council supports the permit. The proponent took the case to VCAT because Council took too long to make decision. The application was advertised in local papers. Waste from skips will be sorted. Six objections because of traffic, dust and air pollution. What impact will the waste station have on the wetlands and drains flowing into Mordialloc creek?