Tag » Mordialloc Structure Plan

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 2nd August 2006

A Sincere Vote of Thanks once again to members for their commitment to the daunting task of trying to combat the cavalier attitude of some local government officials with regard to the environment. For example for the past two years members have spent countless hours researching, debating and surveying residents in an attempt to find the best option for a safe, environmentally friendly route for the Round the Bay bike trail. An invitation to KCEC to make a presentation to councillors September 4 provided a small glimmer of hope!! A trillion thanks to members who door knocked homes for the survey, to Dr Earl and Nina who compiled a statistical report on survey results to E-mail to councillors, to Brian who spent hours preparing a power point presentation and to Stephen for his tremendous contribution in measuring Beach Road lanes to prove that the wide Kingston lanes could accommodate a back of kerb bike track rather than located on the cliff tops.

Yammerbook Nature Reserve

Grand Opening Sunday 10th September at Wells Road close to Mordialloc Creek Bridge. The culmination of years of planning to convert neglected piece of land into an important addition to Kingston’s wetlands/parkland thanks to the determination of AGRA, Melbourne Water and to Nina who has found time in her busy schedule to organise the opening Well done all!

Mordialloc Creek

National Tree Day Planting.. About 40 people planted 800 mixed plants- grasses, groundcover and shrubs beneath the existing tree canopy along old Wells Road opposite the factories. Mordialloc College and Yarrabah held their National Tree Day planting along the creek Friday 28-7-06. At Bonbeach 13 volunteers planted 400 plants on the foreshore but not one tree because of Kingston Council’s policy of not planting trees for five years in that location and indeed along the whole 13 kms of foreshore!

Paintball Facility Aspendale Gardens

As a result of a mediation meeting which AGRA and Barry Ross attended (on MBCL’s behalf) the site has been modified because Melbourne Water required the proponents to build bridges over Smythes Drain which runs through the property. The facility will now be located to the north between Smythe’s Drain and the levee bank of Mordialloc Creek. Stephen Hains withdrew his objection so apparently doesn’t consider that it will devalue his expensive Waterways development.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd May 2006

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.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st Feburary 2006

Guest Speaker Tricia Phelan

Tricia Phelan from Power to Change was guest speaker at the February meeting. Power to Change is a joint initiative of Environment Victoria, Climate Action Network Australia, Native Conservation Council of NSW, Greenpeace and WWF. The campaign is focused on local action and seeks to work with local communities in Melbourne’s south east for the next two months. Solutions are outlined in the campaign such as helping people to change over to Green Power which is the brand for Government accredited renewable energy products. The introductory letter from the campaign organiser stated:- “MBCL has demonstrated a commitment, among other things, to protect foreshore vegetation in the area. We are concerned about the impacts of climate change on the foreshore and hence we would like to work with MBCL to heighten local awareness about these impacts. ” For further information c/- Environment Victoria 9341 8116

Drills Land

Comprehensive minutes of the Drill Land committee meeting 7th February were tabled. Remarkable progress has been made in establishing a lake and creating an island. Unfortunately funding is not available to complete Stage 2 in the next 3 year plan. Plans for completion are ready and supported by Melbourne Water at a cost of $50,000. The committee will explore other avenues for necessary funds.

Landscaping of the Peter Scullin Reserve

Removal of under storey in the Reserve is concerning. Members inspected the site and decided to request a meeting with the council officer responsible for the project. Under storey is to be removed before the annual two day Wine and Food event March 18 despite the landscape architect recommending that no vegetation be removed before replacement plantings are in place. While the proposal to plant extensively with Banksias is welcome, these trees are slow growing leaving the area exposed for visitors to the foreshore on the other 363 days of the year.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st December 2004

Welcome to 2005

2005, at present shaping up to be a challenging year. 2005 has begun with a rash of VCAT and Panel Hearings, Melrose Street residents have already been to VCAT over a Dan Murphy proposal to have large semis exit into Melrose Street. Result unknown at this stage. MBCL have objected to a concrete crushing facility at 295-305 Kingston Road, Clarinda on the grounds that lead based paint and asbestos from old buildings may enter drains flowing into Mordialloc Creek. Panel Hearing to commence 21 February at Fujitsu Building. 10am. KRAMMED will be attending VCAT 14/15 February.334-337 Station St, 3 storeys 21 residential units, four retail shops and six offices. Amended plans now appear to include a 40 seat restaurant resulting in a significant increase in car parking rate required pursuant to the Kingston Planning Scheme. This design is by the same firm responsible for 541 Main Street, Mordialloc – another congestion centre in the making. suburbs. Mary Delahunty’s parting gift a three storey height limit for Melbourne suburbs. And watch out for the country dunnies sprouting from the roof tops of developments near you approved courtesy Kingston Council. (Country dunnies was a term used to describe roof decks by a VCAT Chairman!!!) Bayside Council has a policy restricting roof decks, not so Kingston Council despite requests from KRAMMED and Others.

Mordialloc Creek Water Quality

Reports of a grossly polluted Yarra reinforces our concerns about water quality in the Creek given the Very Poor rating given to water quality in MW’s Annual Report. Monitoring results have been received but raise more questions. For example water quality results are the same at Pillars Crossing and after the flow passes through the Hains wetlands. We have asked MW to carry out tests to ascertain if the wetlands are performing as promised prior to approval given for the 700 house residential development.

Photo Point Monitoring

Brian kindly offered to use his digital camera for monitoring vegetation on the foreshore and creek banks. However he had difficulty finding some monitoring points. Decision to contact Tony Collins to seek advice on replacing missing indicators and also whether a six month monitoring agenda would be of benefit to the NRA team.

Bicycle Path from Carman Road to Mordialloc Creek

After meetings with consultants in June and July 2004 it should not have been a surprise to find that the preferred options of those who attended meetings were ignored in favour of a bike path routed on the cliff tops at Mentone and a third path through the vegetation from Rennison Street to the Pier resulting in unnecessary removal of vegetation in both instances. (Yet another example of council’s failure to seriously consult with the community. See Bill’s comments below.) Submissions to the bike path strategy are due February 11. We urge members to make a sub highlighting the precedent set if a bike trail through foreshore vegetation is approved in Kingston. Friends of Patterson River have been successful, with the support of politicians in keeping the path off Seaford foreshore, and a relevant Bayside council officer does not want a path routed through the Beaumaris cliff tops due to drainage and erosion problems. Similar damage could be expected if a path was sited on Mentone cliffs.

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