Tag » Blue Wedges

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 14th March 2012

Three Pieces of Rubbish

Walter reports that Port Phillip Conservation Council supports a scheme whereby people visiting bayside beaches take three pieces of rubbish home in addition to their own rubbish. Walter also reports that Beaumaris Motor Yacht Club is presently going though the EES process. It will be an act of environmental vandalism if that project is approves in a National Estate Registered site. Bayside Conservation Society are concerned at the number of trees to be removed for the back of kerb bike track.

Mordialloc Creek Master Plan

The pedestrian bridge form Hazel Pierce Reserve to the island is now off the agenda. Unfortunately an avenue of Canary island palms alongside the reserve is still on the agenda. The State Government has given sea scouts on the island $75,000 for repairs of their club house. All good news. Unfortunately the Arboretum in the George Woods is still threatened with a large regional playground. The Arboretum was planted in 1926 and should be retained a s a pleasant quiet space.

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd August 2011

Correspondence

August has been a busy month with members letter writing and submissions sent to relevant authorities. Nina is seeking support for the retention of the Mordialloc Masonic Hall which is up for sale. Contact made with Kingston’s historian, Graham Whitehead. Nina, Mara , Mary & Wal have written re retention of SE Green Wedge. Submissions have been sent to Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee, Victorian Planning System Ministerial Advisory Committee and Green Fields Exploration in Victoria for coal seam gas mining. Letters also sent to the Leader with mixed success. We miss the Independent and Mike Morris!

Forthcoming Events

Open Day Spring Planting Friends of the Grange September 10 Saturday 10am-noon.

Watch for a possible walk along the foreshore from Carrum to Mordialloc later in the year organized by NRA people. This will be an opportunity to see latest work of the NRA team.

Geelong Environment Council

Geelong Environment Council is seeking support to prevent a coal mine being extended a further 300 ha into the fragile heritage listed heathland. Visit the National Parks Association website to find out how to take action. Or contact Matthew Guy, Minister for Planning, Spring Street, Melbourne and Premier Ted Baillieu at the same address. Coal seam gas mining exploration is scheduled for many Victorian environmental /scenic sites. Watch out.

Waterwatch 

Waterwatch has been in abeyance as a result of Kingston Council withdrawing funding. Bronwen has negotiations under control so that water quality will continue in due course.

Bay Trail

Bay trail has been trapped in a web of intrigue as certain councillors try to push for a shared bike path on the Mentone promenade and to remove environmentalists, cyclists and communities preferred option of back-of – kerb using the grass verge on the side of Beach Road (approved by VicRoads) and conforming with the soon to be completed Bayside section of the Bay Trail- a safe bike path for students and others preferring not to ride on Beach Road.

Lobbyists Register

Cr West is to be congratulated on moving in Council, 22 August 2011, that a Lobbyists Register be compiled for councillors, planners and staff as a matter of transparency and accountability. This is especially important in view of the recent report of a lobbyist touting for funds from businesses for Liberal candidates prior to the November State Government election without reporting to Electoral officials or Liberal Party Head office. The motion was modeled on the Victorian Government Lobbyists register and should be supported by concerned citizens.

Mordialloc Creek Master Plan

MBCL and Mordialloc Village Committee support the retention of the Mordialloc Sea Scouts on Lamberts Island. The Sea Scouts are prepared to renovate their building if Council would renew their lease. There have been problems with the creek dredging programme. It seems the polymer that was supposed to glue dredge spoil together prior to transport to a tip didn’t work and in any case several tips refused to accept the dredge spoil because it was too toxic! Walter has sent a letter to the First Bloke suggesting that Pompei’s shed become a “men’s shed”.

Southeast Green Wedge

Alan Hood spoke with great authority at the KCEC meeting describing the scheming behind the scenes as developers try to gouge out land from the green wedge for residential development. The former “Theme Park” land on the corner of Hutton and Springvale Roads is a case in point. Millions have been spent purchasing the land confident of approval of re-zoning in due course. Planning News has articles supporting retaining GW!

The Collins Report

National “tree” Day on Bonbeach resulted in 35 people attending with 1700 plants planted. 26 people planted 2000 species at Mordialloc Creek.

Yammerbook detailed soil testing to assess possible acid sulfate soil was undertaken. Tests available soon.

1200 plants at a planting day in Chicquita Park with another planting in September/October. Manna Gums are sprouting and Cherry Ballarts fruiting.

Future EVC assessments at Bonbeach foreshore between Harding Avenue and Patterson river, Kingston Heath Reserve, Heights Park and Caruana Drive Redgum Reserve.

Horticulture Audit 64 sites assessed, 254 targets, 244 targets achieved . 96.1%

Mordialloc Walking Trail

Johanna compiled an excellent list of sites suitable for inclusion in a walking trail. Unfortunately the trail likely to be produced by council lacks certain features such as remnant racing sites such as stables and owners houses.

Obituary: Mike Morris 25 July 2011.

Formerly a journalist with the Dandenong Examiner and Mordialloc Chelsea Independent. MBCL was always grateful that Mike gave full coverage to issues we submitted and printed our letters in full! Mike gets a mention in Bob Ellis’s book, “Goodbye Jerusalem”. It seems Bob, Mike, Mungo MacCallum and Michael Leunig were part of the team of reporters on Richard Walsh’s paper Nation Review, no longer around sadly. John Hepworth, one of the team, was dying and Ellis reports that “ “the Hepworth Fellowship was gathering. Mungo MacCallum had been in, and Richard Walsh and Mike Morris and the surviving gang from Nation Review….and Leunig and John Hindle (visited) almost daily.”

Blue Wedges Newsletter

Blue Wedges reports that the expensive sand bag wall at Portsea is not working and DSE have now installed a rock wall which hasn’t saved the beach but may prevent further erosion of the dunes.Jenny says “What certainly has changed since channel deepening is Portsea beach and the strength and frequency of ocean swells now able to enter the Bay and pound Portsea shoreline.” Dr Eric Bird’s document “Changes on the Coastline of Port Phillip Bay” gives great coverage of sand movement and erosion around the Bay which he claims is a natural process and will continue – exacerbated, of course, by human intervention.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st June 2011

Cr Peulich Visit

Welcome to Cr Peulich – a ‘getting to know you’ visit to discuss issues of importance to MBCL members. And a welcome to Rod who presented the background to the 1985 battle for the Bay Trail in Sandringham – now likely to be completed back of kerb in conformity with the successful existing sections of the trail through Sandringham, Black Rock and Brighton. Meanwhile Kingston’s section of the trail languishes while futile suggestions, for example using Mentone promenade, are debated rather than adopting Bayside’s back of kerb example.

Foreshore Funding

Weeding the northern section of Kingston foreshore. Penny asks why $300,000 dollars allocated to Cr Dundas for use on the foreshore cannot be used for the NRA team to weed and revegetate the foreshore? Who is responsible for eventual use of this money?

Bay Trail

Judy’s Letter to the local paper referred to the fact that Cr Dundas moved in Council that the back of berb option for the bike track , favoured by MBCL , Bayside council and a majority of residents surveyed, be deleted from the options to be presented to the Transport Minister. Such are the machinations involved in attempting to have a safe, viable bike track built to encourage the community to adopt an alternative form of transport to alleviate climate change.

Trees in the Nature Strip Beach Road

Council is to be congratulated for giving Beach Road the option of having a tree in their nature strip. The furore from residents who didn’t want to lose “their” view or the ability to park on “their” nature strip resulted in four page letters being letter boxed along Beach Road. Stephen provided a lucid and reasoned response.Well done.

Waterwatch

Bronwen, Anne and Darren found that phosphate levels had declined this month due to the lower temperature of 11 degrees. The team discussed the idea of testing water quality further upstream e.g. on the Edithvale drain alongside Springvale Road – or at Waterways where water enters the wetlands. Bronwen would be interested in trialing this idea.

Climate Change and Biodiversity Report

Walter reported on the CC&B meeting where population was the topic with a viewing of Dick Smith’s excellent film .Jonathon presented demographic stats showing population growth in Kingston. Walter then handed out 20 copies of Kelvin Thomson’s 14 point plan for a sustainable population for Australia and also recommended a Melbourne University report entitled “Zero Carbon Australia: a Stationery Energy Plan.” This can be purchased for $30 from the university.

The Collins Report

Staff changes include Tim Ford being appointed to the role of Horticulture Supervisor; Glen Firth acting in Tree Establishment Supervisor role.

Yammerbook has received approval from Melbourne Water on two concepts and will now undertake soil testing to assess possible acid-sulfate soils so that extension of the lakes can go ahead. Flora and fauna surveys revealed Wallaby Grass, remnant or emergent.

Chicquita park landscaping work is continuing, Levanto Street fence has been removed and the area will be sprayed and mulched in June in preparation for planting. Sporting grounds and parks are still affected by flooding earlier in the year.

Made a presentation to the Mordialloc Lions Club and hope that they will become involved in Parks activities.Working with Mordialloc Rotary at Parkdale Station.Tony was then questioned about changes to NRA’s foreshore work area e.g the PETER SCULLIN RESERVE which has been removed from the NRA team’s responsibility and now comes under Parks and Landscaping. Nina queried the reason for these changes. Does this mean formalizing the reserve rather than adhering to the long held concept of a natural, open area with indigenous trees and under storey providing shade and shelter? The consultant’s plans show an avenue of Canary Island Palms , an invasive weed species according to the Advisory list of environmental weeds of coastal plains and heathy forest bioregions of Victoria. Canary Island palms were removed from the Hazel Pierce Reserve five years ago. Nina asked why the Banksias had limbs removed and the understorey cleared near the promenade and barbecues. Understorey provides shelter from the prevailing south west wind . This is more important than see- through views.

Fun for the Over Fifties

Organised by KCC, may well have been an attempt by real estate and developer sponsors to lure the over fifties out of their comfortable homes and into the rabbit hutches presently being constructed in Kingston by a certain well known developer. However environment groups were offered a stall to display material so Nina revised the MBCL brochure and replenished our supply. One good thing to come out of the event. Thanks ,Nina.

Mordialloc Creek Master Plan

Mordialloc Creek Master Plan raises once again that hoary old chestnut of removing the sea scouts from Lambert’s Island to provide access for the public to yet another restaurant, possibly within, or part of, the motor yacht squad building. Mordialloc Council’s Tract Consultant’s plan 1985 ,also wrestled with the question of how the public was to access the island. Another old saw also re-emerges in the draft master plan where it is stated that the George Woods Reserve is “under utilized” so therefore some structure must fill up the open space – this time it is a large regional playground in the arboretum amongst the mature trees on the pleasant open grassed area. There is ample room on the site of the existing playground for expansion.

Green Wedges

Green Wedges are under threat this time from the Baillieu Government who are reviewing the boundaries and would like to see expansion of schools, churches and wineries and who knows what else, into the wedges. Why are we not surprised?

Blue Wedges

Blue Wedges report that a barrage of sand bags at Portsea hasn’t saved the beach as the ocean swell pounds through the Heads. The “independent” Office of Environmental Monitor is “satisfied that dredging is not the cause of Portsea beach disappearing”It also claims that there is insufficient data to prove that dredging is the cause of the problem. Then that must mean that there is insufficient data to support their claim that the disappearing beach is NOT linked to dredging? Well done, Jenny!

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st July 2009

New Members

Welcome to new members Helen Stubbs and Joan Firth and to Tony, Kingston’s Park Supervisor keeps us informed of projects underway and in the pipeline, and to Lee James from the NRA team.

Congratulations

To Nina for a well deserved Appreciation Award from Kingston Council in recognition of the many conservation activities in which she is involved and especially the research work undertaken to establish the Yammerbook Nature Reserve.

Meetings Attended

Nina attended the Living Links meeting at Beaumaris and reported that recreational, natural and cultural information has been collated to create living links between assets in the Dandenong Creek Catchment. Funding could become a problem – sponsorship is sought.Tony will send MBCL plans of the catchment area.

Brian and Wal attended an Urban growth boundary meeting at Cranbourne (changes to) and were concerned at the bureaucrats present complacent acceptance that “We have 800 years of coal therefore we don’t need to worry”!

Mary attended and spoke to the submission on Changes to Urban Growth Boundaries at the recent Panel Hearings.

Desal Plant. Wal reported on the meeting at Wonthaggi “to bury democracy”. Melbourne houses have been letter boxed. Wal has presented MBCL with excellent short DVD’s explaining the

environmental impact, energy consumption and cost to the community of this ill-conceived project. Members are encouraged to borrow the DVD’s from MBCL secretary.

Submissions

Changes to Urban Growth Boundaries submissions were prepared and forwarded also a submission re loss green wedge due to Moorabbin Airport development.

Waterwatch

Judy and Brian undertook Mordialloc Creek water quality testing at the Bowen Road site and reported that there was slight turbidity possibly due to recent rain – otherwise nothing unusual. Bowen Road works have been completed. Judy fears that with cars travelling over the creek to access Aspendale Gardens the tranquility of the site will be lost and bird life disturbed.

Parks Report

Tony Collins, Parks Superviser presented a comprehensive report outlining water conservation initiatives for sports grounds and parks in conjunction with South East Water.Piped water will go from Carrum to Kingston, the Peninsula, Cranbourne and Cardinia.

Golf courses in Dandenong and Kingston will benefit from this scheme. Staff changes at Kingston included Rebecca Cohen on maternity leave replaced by Lee Halkias from the NRA team. Parks upgrades include Highett Sports ground planted with warm season grass, Kingston Heath soccer ground will have a synthetic surface, Parks staff are supporting the Friends of Moorabbin Reserve at Linton Street.

Mordialloc Creek and Environs

Nina and Brian reported a crack in the Mordialloc Creek bridge underpass retaining wall. Reported to Council. Shared bike path under Wells Road bridge- work has been completed. Shared path is only 2 metres wide so will this be sufficient width for foreshore bike path??? George Woods Reserve playground is to be upgraded at a cost of $100,000. NRA team claim that there is bank erosion between the Chute Street boat ramp and railway bridge caused by the mature pines along the bank. These are to be removed and replaced by River Red Gums which are indigenous to the area. It is likely that wash from fast moving water craft may be the reason for erosion.

Attenborough Park

Revegetation work in Attenborough Park has been completed although the Master Plans for Hazel Pierce park, and the Pompei site have not been put out for public consultation.Banksias, casuarinas and Monterey Cypresses have been planted but surprisingly two Moreton Bay Figs were also planted. These are not indigenous trees.Will the community have a say as they have for Kingston Heath Reserve? Will the community have any input to plans for the George Woods Reserve?

Foreshore Happenings

The Monterey Cypress near the Lifesaving Club on the foreshore has had some of the dead branches removed by Council staff. Remaining branches appear healthy despite the tree being poisoned by vandals.Work has been carried out on the Parkers Road drain which enters the Bay near Parkdale kiosk. This section of foreshore is extremely narrow and badly eroded.

Climate Change

Despite Kingston CEO expressing an interest, in 2008, in setting up a climate change group nothing has eventuated, whereas City of Bayside has a Bayside Environmental Friends Network consisting of 17 Friends groups, landcare groups, schools, foreshore protectors and climate change campaigners.Would MBCL members be interested in networking with Bayside Environmental Friends. Discuss! Other ideas? Does Kingston Council have plans to deal with rising sea level and its impact on the vulnerable foreshore south of Mordialloc Creek? Is there any restriction on development in this area.? Will the Byron Bay scenario be repeated around Port Phillip Bay? Letting nature take its course has been recommended by Byron Bay council – or moving out of million dollar mansions threatened with the eroding foreshore into relocatable homes is the other alternative in this case.

Blue Wedges

Blue Wedges reports that storms, April 26 2009, caused extensive damage from Portsea to Seaford with collapse of a sea wall at Williams Road beach Mt Eliza and Kananook Creek flooding higher than in living memory. The EES and SEES Channel Deepening Inquiries both heard that tide heights would increase as a deepened entrance would allow more water to flow in and out of the Bay. Meanwhile climate scientists are in agreement that sea level rise is happening faster than expected and that we should prepare for “one in a hundred year” storms every twenty years or even sooner.Lack of rainfall in the Murray Darling Basin has caused the destruction of the Coorong and its bird life. A similar fate is likely for Gunbower on the Murray. DVDs are available illustrating this wetland’s wonderful flora and fauna now at risk.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.