Correspondence
Submissions have been sent to:- Victorian Channel Deepening Authority, Environment Effects Act 1978 Review, City of Kingston Amendment C32 (Flood Overlays)
Dates to Remember – Friends of the Grange Heathland Reserve Spring Planting Day, Oct 12 9am Noon, Free sausage sizzle.
South of Mordialloc Creek Foreshore Forum Tuesday, 8th October, 7pm -9pm Chelsea Heights Community Centre. Keynote Speaker, Noel Kesby, Acting Regional Director Sydney South Coast. Noel is an expert on coastal dune management. Of relevance to residents living on Kingston coastal dunes.
Dr Eric Bird will be Keynote speaker at Mentone lifesaving Club, Wednesday 9th October, 7pm 9pm Dr Bird is author of The Coast of Victoria: Not to be missed!!
Channel Deepening
MBCL was well represented at Chelsea Town Hall in August when the VCA representatives were closely questioned about the impact of deepening the Rip,on tide levels in the Bay. Due to the sea level rise already occurring, an increased rise in tides in the Bay could prove devastating for the residents south of Mordialloc creek. Recent storm surges have badly eroded the foreshore at Aspendale and Carrum. Alternatives to deepening the shipping channels are Hastings, where deep water berths exist, and the rail lines from Darwin, Fremantle and Sydney. Construction of the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway Corridor is proceeding rapidly. Containers can be shipped to Melbourne from Darwin in four days as opposed to eight days by ship.
Review of the Environment Effects Act 1978
MBCL’s Submission to the EEA was presented at the Panel Hearing at Nauru House, 19th August. Our concern is the need for public consultation to be included at all levels of a proposed project. The Government aim is to ‘streamline’ decision making in the interest of’efficiency’ and ‘certainty ‘for developers. Robin Saunders also presented a submission based on the need for public consultation in decision making. The EEA will probably become part of the Planning & Environment Act…thus making it the size of a telephone book!
Mordialloc Structure Plan
There continues to be concern: that the upper echelons of Council are pushing for four storey developments in the study area despite the community clearly stating that this is not acceptable. Nina asked that the proposed public meeting not be held during the school holidays. We have asked Lee Ekland to mail invitations to all who have made submissions to the Strategy.
Green Wedge
A tour of the green wedge areas, the Hazardous Waste Zone and Lyndhurst Toxic Waste site was organised with the guides describing potential flooding issues when the Scoresby freeway is built over Dandenong Creek, its impact on the flood prone areas. Leachate spills from Lyndhurst entering the drains and creeks flowing into Patterson River are of concern.
The Parks
Vermin have been blitzed in Braeside Park where baiting has reduced rabbits to 28 per spotlight km. Six foxes have been caught in soft jaw cages. Litter traps in the Dingley shopping centre has reduced litter entering Dingley Drain which is being tested monthly at five points. Parks Victoria have provided three grants to re-plant an area suspected of having a salinity problem. Unfortunately older Red Gums are dying. 25,000 plants have been propagated by the Friends. The adjacent golf course is recycling water from the dam on the boundary with the Park, and using the water on the golf course, but this has reduced the water that the Park relied on. Bores have been installed to measure water levels Rowan Woodlands suffered from the gales but is looking better overall with Tony Collins working there with his team. Drill’s Land. After much promotion of the planting session it was discovered that Melbourne Water hadn’t sprayed the area to be planted to clear out the gorse. Limited planting and mulching may be possible. Disappointing response from Melbourne Water! Spring weeding of grasses and chick weed at Bradshaw Park. A downpipe for the hut is needed. to stop flooding of the building. Nina and Brian used the free vouchers supplied to MBCL to attend a Greening Australia Lecture by Leon Costermans. They found it a rewarding experience.
Port Phillip Conservation Council
Stephen reported that the Minister for Conservation has intervened to state that a walking path at Seaford should not be converted to a hard surface bike track through the tea-tree
reserve:
Flood Issues
Forty residents attended a KRAMMED meeting to hear speakers discuss potential flooding issues in Kingston’s flood prone areas. An increase in storm surges predicted for the Bay was seen as a related and important consideration since the cumulative effect of stormwater run-off from intensive development in the catchment, and storm events in the Bay will impact on the inadequate drainage system causing a back up and over topping of stormwater in drains and creek leading to flooding of the flood prone areas.