Tag » Environment Victoria

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd February 2016

Canterbury Industrial Site

Work has commenced on this site but unfortunately Melbourne Water is no longer interested in incorporating a small remnant of Plains Grassy Wetlands into a waterway to be constructed to purify drainage water before it flows into Mordialloc Creek. The remnant Grassy Wetlands is one of two remnants of this species growing in the forrmer Carrum Carrum Swamp . The other remnant is 4 hectares remaining in the former Epsom training track. A stand of Melalucas is also under threat from the industrial development. Kingston Council is going to VCAT over this issue and Nina plans to present also.

David Bainbridges Foreshore Survey

Bronwen advises that David’s survey has been placed on MBCL’s web site so that members can access it. David said his survey reveals a decline in indigenous species in the Natural Resource Area on the foreshore.

Non-Indigenous Species

Non-indigenous species are still being planted for example -sterile Gazanias close to the Edithvale wetlands. Other non -indigenous species are planted in planter boxes in Edithvale shopping street and at the Child Care Centre. We have remarked on this problem previously. Why are’nt the staff involved planting locally indigenous species and by so doing educating the public to the value of vegetation indigenous to the sand belt suburbs ?

Non indigenous species such as the Banana Passion Vine is causing aggro in Nina’s garden and is an example of the problems that can be caused when nuisance plants are introduced. Megan reports on a virulent stand of blackberries in the industrial site on Canterbury Road.

Removal of Vegetation

Alarming to receive a letter from Council planning department advising of possible removal of vegetation from the site of the proposed Mordialloc Lifesaving Club monolith after we had had a good outcome from our meeting with some of the landscaping staff on site. It appears that a botanist is to be engaged to assess the state of the two historic Monterey Cypresses. One in particular is popular with picnickers who like to sit under its spreading branches.

Level Crossing Removals

Discussion is commencing along the Frankston line as residents try to envisage a two or three line train track on concrete pillars racing overhead every ten minutes during peak hour. Cut and cover method has been employed to remove crossings at Ormond, Bentleigh and McKinnon stations. Mordialloc hasn’t been mentioned yet although Mentone may be in the firing line.

Green Wedge

Whether the Memorial Park is still to be located in the SE Green Wedge is uncertain however a Memorial Park in Gisborne is for sale and according to the owner is juts the place for weddings and picnics. The SE Green Wedge Committee have a new member to assist them. An ex-planner Alan Thatcher is clearly delineating property boundaries in the Green Wedge.

Inland Rail Route Report for PPCC

Walter, Jenny and Len Warfe have presented a case for the inland rail freight route at the Parliamentary Committee hearing last month. If built this rail freight line may do away with the need for a second port in Victoria and would also do away with so many container trucks on the road.

Environment Victoria

Environment Victoria has asked Port Phillip Conservation Council if they would be responsibile for Port Phillip Bay protection . Also monitoring the impact of the sale of Port Melbourne and future dredging that the sale of the Port may entail.

Managing Residential Development Advisory Committee

Residents have until March 14th to make a submission to the committee. It is difficult to find what is the true state of affairs – which areas will be protected from height increases, will there compensatory open space provided- what rights will third parties have to make an objection if they find a loud noisy entertainment centre opening next door in an Activity centre? Etc,etc.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd July 2013

Environment Victoria

Environment Victoria organised a street stall and door knocking in Mordialloc recently as part of their campaign opposing the Napthine Government’s plan to open up national parks to commercial tourism by putting out to tender development of hotel accommodation in parks. Environment Victoria is also appealing urgently for funds to oppose the State Government’s plan for a massive brown export coal industry with Shanghai Electric Group. Under threat the 90 Mile Beach, Strezlecki Ranges, Gippsland Lakes and Corner Inlet to become a major port for coal exports.

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 5th June 2013

Booklets, Brochures, Web Site, Etc.

Work is continuing to upgrade these items and include Yammerbook ,work on Mordialloc Creek and bike path in this material.

Beaumaris Cliff and Sea Ledge Fossil Sites

Bayside Councillor, Heather Stewart, was contacted by Judy to see if Bayside Council would add support to MBCL nomination of the cliffs for the National Estate Register. Suggested meeting of Dr Fitzgerald with local politicians to add weight to the nomination was also mooted.

Environmental Victoria Campaign

Environmental Victoria now has 11,000 signatures on a petition urging the Napthine government to protect national parks rather than open them up for ecotourism and privatisation. This government has brought the wind industry to a standstill making it more expensive for families to install solar hot water and panels, pursued highly polluting brown coal exports and cut environment spending, programs and protection. EV is continuing their campaign and will be in Mordialloc Saturday July 20 from 10.00am to 3pm .EV Continues to meet with Coalition politicians to alert them to the community concern about their broken pre-election promises. MBCL/KCEC met with a local member Friday 21st July.

Dingley Bypass

VicRoads has applied to have the VCAT appeal upgraded to a major project meaning that they now have to bear costs ($3000 per day)– not the objectors! Our expert witness will still have to be paid as well as an increased fee to lodge an application. Hearing fees for some cases will be more than $1400 per day making it impossible for community groups to lodge an objection about an inappropriate development. Friends of the Earth and Environment Defenders Office all claim that higher fees will mean less scrutiny of planning matters. Mediation 18 July @ VCAT 10am. Hearing 29/30 August for two days 10am at VCAT.

Ecotourism in National Parks

Queensland, NSW and now Victoria wants to allow grazing, shooting and logging in national parks. Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke, has had to back down in his attempt to extend federal powers over national parks after cabinet rejected the move when mining and gas lobby groups said ,”it would restrict coal seam gas and other projects near the boundaries of national parks.” Resources Minister, Gary Gray, led the push against changes in the cabinet. (Age 19 June 2013)

Mordialloc Creek

Melbourne Water and Parks Victoria are meeting to decide on management of the creek up to Wells Road. It is understood that Melbourne Water is responsible for flood prevention and drainage issues. Parks Victoria ?

Yammerbook

City of Kingston Engineer, Alan West, has drawn up a contour map for 1:10 year flood levels. This map will guide placement of features in Stage 2 of the concept design for paths, viewing platforms, picnic area and disabled access.

June – A Busy Month

With the opening of the refurbished and restored Laura & Charles Ferguson Museum in Old Bakery Lane Mentone ,12 June – more space for the historical society’s items and documents. Also Mordialloc Masonic Hall Open House 12 June and again June 19 when the public was invited to check out the space and offer suggestions for future community use. U3A and Art groups have expressed interest, community meeting space was a popular suggestion, space for men to play chess,etc, and a reading room since Mordialloc doesn’t have a library.   

Canary Island Palm Trees to be Lit Up?

Mordialloc Traders want the palm trees to have lights costing $200,000. Lighting trees raises questions about energy use and the impact on nesting birds. There is a family of Sulfur Crested Cockatoos in the trees and recently the lovely Rainbow Lorikeets have driven out starlings and made the trees their home. Which is the greatest attraction- lights only seen at night or the Australian bird life- a swirl of colour and chattering in the trees?

Groundwater and Environment Protection Laws

Free EDO seminar , 3 July 2013, Carlton. Groundwater has an important role in the environment supporting surface water systems and its own eco-systems. Unfortunately at present there is over-extraction and contamination from mines and coal seam gas projects.

Farmland Trust – An Idea For The Green Wedge?

  1. Engage the community:- provide education service, facilitate understanding of farmland policy.
  2. Ownership : offer secure lease holding, facilitate cooperative ownership, manage crowd funding initiatives.
  3. Benefits : increasing sustainable food production, increasing regional food security , providing greater urban liveability, preserving community heritage, building resilient regional economies, strengthening communities.

Further Ideas – Green Wedge Projects

  1.  Walking and cycling connectivity
  2.  Old Dandenong Road streetscape improvement
  3.  Establish a Green Wedge care group
  4.  Neighbourhood garden blitz
  5.  Horse trail.
  6.  Wetlands feasibility project .
  7.  Elder Street South open space development project.

These projects aim to provide for a diversity of projects that will allow interested members of the community to work in partnership with Council to improve the presentation of the Kingston Green Wedge. Food for thought?

Climate Change

There is more discussion recently in the media about the need to reduce green house emissions. See an article by Tim Colebatch “Climate change: Abbott must get off the fence” in the Age, June 25, 2013. In the June edition of the Monthly magazine, “The burning truth about coal” by Bill McKibben. He states that “Australia’s coal has to stay in the ground , along with Canada’s oil, and the huge reserves of gas in the US….If that carbon is poured into the atmosphere …the planet will overheat disastrously.” Tim Flannery in the Quarterly Essay, “After the future : Australia’s new extinction crisis” Issue 48 ,2012. This article deals with Queensland and NSW ‘s weakening protection of national and marine parks. NSW’s government’s first action when elected, was to pass legislation, proposed by the Shooters and Fishers Party, to ban the creation of new marine parks and extensions to marine sanctuaries for five years. The former Baillieu government’s attempt to change the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act so that the Secretary of the DSE can exempt logging interests from the need to survey for endangered species in logging coupes. The present State government is planning to open national parks to ecotourism – shooting deer in national parks already takes place. In Western Australia national parks and A-class nature reserves can be resumed for mining. If coal mining is approved in the Galilee Basin, Qld, the Brimblebox nature reserve and three threatened bird species will not survive.

Environment Victoria’s campaign to protect national parks is timely.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd April 2013

Beaumaris Cliff Fossil Site

Great news! MBCL’s application requesting that the Beaumaris Fossil Cliffs and Sea Ledge be listed on the National Heritage List has been accepted. Special thanks to Mark Dreyfus QC MP, for assisting our application by appealing to Tony Burke MP., Minister for Sustainability and Environment for his support. Thanks also to Prof. Tim Flannery and Dr Eric Fitzgerald who supported the MBCL application. Dr Fitzgerald has been undertaking research work at Beaumaris. He informed Judy that a Coasts program similar to that seen on SBS, has been filmed at Beaumaris and will be shown at the end of the year. Judy presented the nomination document at the April PPCC meeting and received acclamation from all- including G. Goode no less! Dr. Fitzgerald will be guest speaker at the May meeting of KCEC at Mordialloc Neighbourhood House.

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 6th February 2013

Meetings

Cheltenham Community Centre, 2-12 Chesterville Road ,6.30pm . Melbourne talks about the future – a discussion paper prepared by the Ministerial Advisory Committee for the Metropolitan Planning Strategy for Melbourne. Nine principles are identified to align Planning Minister Guy’s proposed zoning reforms, including the need to protect housing change and established retail outlets.(shopping strips). Importantly also is emphasis on environmental risk associated with anticipated sea level rise due to climate change and floodplain management. RSVP 9583 0095

Environment Victoria

Barbecue at Peter Scullin Reserve 12-2pm March 23 .This is part of EV’s Campaign to highlight the Baillieau’s government’s destruction of environment protection of parks, forests, marine reserves. Farmland is also under threat as result of mining exploration in all of Victoria’s most significant parks.

Bradshaw Park

Friends have applied to council for a name change for the park to be called Bradshaw Bushland Reserve to correctly reflect the nature of the reserve. The murals on the hut have been graffitied and cannot be removed. So Council proposed to rep-paint murals with a graffiti-proof paint featuring local flora and fauna . Original murals were painted by St Bede’s students 1999-2010 Artists work can be seen at Cheltenham.

Parkdale War Memorial

Disappointing to find an enlarged garden bed featuring non-indigenous flowering plants and palms around the memorial as well as a large expanse of dark grey concrete placed between two sections of the granitic sand bike path. Sand coloured bike paths blend with the foreshore environment and have been placed around the Peter Scullin Reserve and Mordialloc Pier.Unfortunately an even larger slab of dark grey concrete now covers a section of the Mundy Street car park and connects with a section of the granitic sand bike path. DSE policy states that locally indigenous plants are to be used on Crown land around Port Phillip Bay.

Mordialloc Creek Friends Group

Mordialloc Creek Friends Group have received a grant of $9000 to revegetate the north and south banks of Mordialloc Creek between Wells Road Bridge and the Chute Street boat ramp.

Mordialloc Creek

Melbourne Water staff have contacted Bronwen re the creek water monitoring program. The program had been halted because of a health and safety issue . We are indebted to Bron for her involvement in this scheme.

Mordialloc Creek Advisory Committee

Mordialloc Creek Adivsory Committee met to discuss outstanding issues following the completion of creek dredging. Further work is required replacing mooring poles. Smaller boats will have to moor closer to the bridge where the creek is narrow with larger boats mooring closer to the mouth of the creek. The Pompeii Site also came under discussion as leases are due for renewal. A small artists’ colony is ensconced in one of the smaller sheds along the rail line. The Creek Advisory Committee (February 26) were happy to have a group helping to keep alive the fishing village/boat building atmosphere of the area.. It was suggested that a Men’s Shed would fit quite well in this area also allowing boat owners and fishermen a place to relax and repair equipment.

Beaumaris Cliffs Fossil Site

Judy and Mara are preparing a submission to be sent to Federal Environment Minister Burke requesting that the internationally renowned Beaumaris cliffs be restored to the National Estate Register. If not the National Estate then possibly the Victorian Register although it is understood that the Victorian Government doesn’t show much enthusiasm for protecting sites of significance.

Herb-Rich Plants Wetlands / Woodlands and related EVCS

Aree under threat at the proposed Mordialloc Creek wetland upstream of Wells Road Bridge, and also where the Dingley Bypass connects with Westall Road. The 2008 consultant’s report was peer reviewed by Dr Yugovich this year. More plants were found at both sites possibly due to the recent wet season. A presentation to council on both issues has resulted in Melbourne Water deferring construction and further consultation with both MW and VicRoads in an attempt to save the rare plants from destruction.

Chelsea Heights 44 first Avenue

A proposal to permit a subdivision with 25 houses on a floodway zone is being opposed by Kingston Residents Association and a coalition of environment groups – KCEC and MBCL. The development borders the edge of the RAMSAR listed wetlands. The impact on these wetlands includes: disruption of acid sulfate soil and possible contamination of water quality int he wetlands because of the potential for flooding. The proposal is to excise 1.3 hectares from an urban flood zone formerly the Carrum Carrum Swamp which flooded regularly. 1934, 1952, 1969, 1994 etc. Insures are warning that thousands of Australians are facing soaring insurance premiums for flood coverage. Melbourne Water told the 8th Victorian Flood Conference that Melbourne, Port Phillip and the Westernport Region face significant flood challenges. The City of Kingston has 11,000 flood prone properties .. 44 first avenue is one of them.

Bay Trail

The final section of the Bayside Bay Trail is now under construction back of kerb! At the Council meeting Februrary 15th, Cr Gledhill successfully moved that Kingston’s section of the Bay Trail, Charman Road to Mordialloc Creek, should also be back-of-curb. At last! it might be pushing our luck but a Melbourne Water officer was asked to consider formalising the bike path on the south levee bank of Mordialloc Creek from Wells Road Bridge to Bowen Road. This would create a safe off-road bike track from Braeside park to Mordialloc Foreshore and/or a round trip off-road to Patterson Lakes. If the track was on the raised levee bank it would be possible to view the hills, wetlands and Braeside park instead of a dirt bank and back of houses. Here’s hoping!

Kingston’s Biodiversity Strategy Review

The review is now underway. It would be reassuring if the following guidelines were included in the revised version of the strategy:- Increase the quantity and protection of native vegetation including cliff tops and dunes; improve connectivity of habitat corridors across Crown Land; recreate structural elements (e.g. tree layers, shrub layers and ground layers) to aid rehabilitation of communities that occurred at the site prior to white settlement; use only indigenous coastal plant stock propagated from local gene pools from progeny from remnant populations from Kingston, Bayside or Frankston; use indigenous vegetation to soften the visual impact (as viewed from the beach and other public places) of hard landscape elements such as houses, and other buildings, cars (parked or otherwise) car parks, roads, paths, toilet blocks, etc; provide additional shade by planting indigenous trees; with regard to structures on the Victorian coast, be sympathetic to coastal character and pay attention to the effect of extreme coastal weather on the built environment.

Banksia Backlash

Banksia Backlash has again broken out at Bonbeach where a gentleman looks over his fence at a sand dune and salt bush and whines that ‘his view’ has ‘been dramatically reduced’. Most houses along the foreshore strip are two storey hence he could see over the dune- or else he could open his gate and walk to the water.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 7th November 2012

Happy New Year to All

Hope that everyone has had a restful break ready to face another busy year with a Federal election in the offing, the State Government introducing horrendous planning policy and VCAT increasing fees making objections to inappropriate planning decisions impossible for ordinary folk.

The Environment Defenders Office is inviting submissions objecting to the increased VCAT fees. Subs due 15 February.

Submissions

Submissions have been sent urging the Federal Governemnt to retain control of EPBC environment policy rather than hand this power over to State governments. Nina made submissions re Public Housing Development and support for a dog ban in our National Parks. A submission went to VEAC’s Marine Investigation referring to Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary and the Beaumaris fossil site. Judy has done sterling work by contacting a Museum of Victoria involved with research work at the Beaumaris fossil site. This could result in an exciting outcome. Discovery of patches of Plains Grassy Wetland EVC’s at Melbourne Water wetland site on the south bank of Mordialloc Creek and at the Dingley Bypass site. MW have postponed work ont he creek site until further studies have been undertaken. There will be a Preliminary Conference with VicRoads to discuss an optional route for the Bypass at Dingley.

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd October 2012

Environment Victoria

Following Mike Power’s visit to our October meeting it was decided that we would participate in EV’s Reclaim Victoria’s Environment campaign by holding a street stall in the Main Street. Actions taken by the Baillieu Government have seen a reduction in protection of significant environmental features throughout Victoria. These include the Coastcare program slashed, approving an open-cut gold mine in the heart of Wombat Forest near Daylesford, returning cattle grazing in the Alpine National park, urban sprawl continuing with an announcement of six more suburbs for Melbourne covering productive farmland and green wedges. There are already approx. 100 policy reversals and no end in sight. Equally disturbing is the Federal Government’s decision to hand over national environment approval powers to State Governments, six of which have Coalition governments.

Continue reading »