Important Submission!! Inquiry into the Sale and Development of Public Land and Open Space
The Legislative Council has established a 7 Member all Party Select Committee to conduct the Inquiry into the sale or alienation of public land for development. Subs due 28th September. It is of the utmost importance that public land is retained for public use as more land is acquired for development sites.
Channel Deepening Inquiry
Channel Deepening Inquiry is almost complete. The Environment Management Plan will be presented to the Inquiry July 30th and POMC’s response to the inquiry will be presented by Jeremy Gobbo QC July 31″. The Hearings are open to the public and well worth attending .Evidence presented by the Blue Wedge and others has been compelling in detailing safety issues as larger ships enter the Heads, the impact on the Great Sands as more water enters through the deepened southern shipping channel and erodes the southern beaches. The possible leaching of toxic sediments from the Bund 10 kms offshore from Mordialloc, or resuspension of toxicants while the bund remains uncovered for 140 days or longer during dredging.
Kingston Bay Trail Bicycle Path
The July Mordialloc Village Committee quotes the April 2007 Revision, “Review community submissions .. Final public consultation being arranged to discuss “on-road” option. Otherwise – All quite on the Western Front.
Mordialloc Creek Bridge
Mordialloc Creek Bridge is still causing angst for drivers who are finding traffic hold-ups on all streets and service roads around Mordialloc Main Street and Nepean Highway. Work on the bridge is not permitted at night for Health and Safety reasons under the tender awarded by Vic Roads. Traders are becoming desperate as they lose hundreds of dollars of trade. Work will take 18 months to complete.
Waterwatch Program
Still waiting to hear if there are any offers of funding to allow MBCL to purchase the $800 equipment essential to undertake the program. Two members are qualified to commence water quality monitoring and a third has applied to undertake training when the next round commences. Letters have been sent to four councils whose wards abut the creek to alert them of the need for funding.
George Woods Reserve
Nina requested that Council plant a tree on the reserve to replace a boxthorn that was finally removed. Nina also alerted Council to the fact that Kingston’s logo on their career advertisements was the Pacific seastar and not the indigenous variety!
Mordialloc Creek Catchment
A new initiative by the NRA crew has created a Friends of Mordialloc Creek Catchment to include Epsom Wetlands, Mordialloc Creek and Yammerbook wetland. Each Reserve is different in their own right with their own vegetation targets. They will retain three different plant communities, techniques and approaches to vegetation management.
Coastal Management Workshop
Coastal Management Workshop was well attended at Doyles Hotel 3rd July. Pleasing to find once again that basically, with few exceptions, all those attending wanted to retain the character of Mordialloc, Chelsea, Bonbeach and Carrum. Trees on the foreshore were considered important which was a refreshing change from the attitude expressed by members of another foreshore committee. Congratulations to one doughty Character who actually planted a tree on the foreshore on National Tree Day!!!!
Mordialloc Station to Bay Trail (as distinct from the bicycle trail)
Matt Slavin attended the July Village Committee meeting with a further version of the proposed redevelopment of the station forecourt. Steps at the entrance to the station are to be used for performances but really an unnecessary encumbrance for people in wheel chairs who will have to negotiate a barrier if they come by car to the station. It is also proposed to re-pave Mordialloc Main Street with asphalt instead of bricks.
Linton Street Park
St Kilda Football Club have been throwing their weight around and were threatening to pull out trees that the Friends Group have been planting for many years even though the club doesn’t own the land. It is leased from Kingston Council. St Kilda’s intransigence has made it a difficult club to deal with.
Chicquita Park
Council has refused to allow the developer to increase the height of residential development to three storeys.