Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 6th December 2000

Australia Day

A successful day despite steamy conditions. Sincere thanks to members who helped in setting up, collecting signatures for the petition and staffing the MBCL stall. A letter of appreciation has been sent to the Melbourne Water Community Liaison staff thanking them for the donation of material distributed from the MBCL stall.

Drills Land

Nina Earl, Brain Earl, Barry Ross and Robert Pyne attended a meeting where a sub-committee of AGRA was formed with Ken Carney as president to discuss plans for this land. Nina has volunteered to undertake historical research of the land. Water in the ‘lake’ is saline and will require testing to ensure that the surrounds are suitable for indigenous species. A compromise may be necessary to accommodate off-leash dog people and environ- mental concerns. The land covers approx. 20 acres = 8.5 hectares.

Volunteer Pre-Christmas barbecue

MBCL members were amongst those who attended a pre-Christmas barbecue at at Excell’s Bonbeach Depot. Photopoint monitoring images are now on CD on the Excell computer. A third round of monitoring the Creek and Foreshore
Natural Bush areas is due to commence this month. Letters have been received from both the EPA and Melbourne Water informing us that both parties are considering replacing the warning sign on Melbourne Water’s stormwater drain at Mentone.

Beachwatch

Penny has joined the Beachwatch team and is able to provide valuable information about water quality and protection of foreshore vegetation. The team was instrumental in alerting the authorities to a sewage leak at Mentone Beach last month. The beach was closed for 4 days.

Biosolids

MBCL and KCEC were invited to a presentation to Kingston Councillors by Golders and Melbourne Water in mid-January concerning the use of ETP biosolids as fill for the large water- filled borrow pit on Woodlands Industrial Estate. The Councillors have not approved the proposal which will now go to VCAT.

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 2nd August 2000

Correspondence

Submissions to Senate Inquiry into the WTO and Treaties, ResCode 2000, Kyoto Protocol.

Photo Point Monitoring

The first round of photography was completed in August and the film has been dispatched for printing-possibly on a compact disc for easy reference at a later date. Notes were made on plant growth in each area. School groups have successfully planted grasses in sections of the foreshore and these are flourishing. Thanks to Tony for so efficiently organising sites. THE PARKS Tony Collins was present and was able to give a detailed report on The Grange’s feral proof fence almost completed. Rowan Woodland. After a controlled burn in April a Scout group planted 1000 plants. Revegetaion is occurring. Chiquita Park’s future is still uncertain. Bald Hill/Namatjira Park with remnant plants is now part of Excell’s contract. Mordialloc Creek Smillax is being used to control Bridal Creeper. Kingston Heath has minor remnants of Swamp Paperbark .Community people may be employed in this park. Kingston Foreshore. It is reassuring to know that there are two people working full time on the foreshore. Excell has been working with school groups on the foreshore also. This is in part an education exercise to encourage young people to realise the importance of foreshore conservation. Bonbeach, Williams Grove,Friends of Bonbeach planted trees on the foreshore on Sunday 30th July. Clusters of students from Seaford/Carrum Primary Schools are also involved.

Kingston Street Tree Management Study

It was decided that MBCL would write in support of Ron’s review of the document. An appreciative acknowledgement has been received from David Digby.

Woodlands Industrial Estate / Biosolids

The Peer Review of Golders Report is still being carried out by Woodward Clyde on ti use of biosolids in Lake 1, Woodlands Industrial Estate.

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 5th July 2000

Correspondence

Letter from RP. re Kingston’s Street Tree Strategy (for MBCL file), Port Phillip Regional Catchment re weed & rabbit action plans, VLGA Constitutional reform document, DOI re changes to Commonwealth Assessment & approval development projects when the EPBC comes into operation, Offor Sharp re Woodlands Wetlands, EPA re Ballast Water & Hull Fouling, John Thwaites re Grand Prix and review of land use on Crown Land.

Photo Point Monitoring

Tony Collins (Excel) advises that the sites have been marked along the creek and foreshore and photographing can commence late August and then every three months thereafter. Tony will attend 5th August meeting to finalise details.

The Parks

The feral fence has been commenced at The Grange. Unfortunately there has been an out- break of vandalism causing considerable damage. Rob Jones has been replaced by Emily while he is on leave. 800 grasses have been planted at Bradshaw Park. S.C-S waters the yellow box eucalypts. Heaths are growing well in the control burn areas of the Rowan Woodlands. The Southern Golf Club ‘lake’ on the boundary of Braeside Park has gone ahead but a Parks Victoria officer is meeting with the Friends group to discuss the issue. Friends wonder whether the SGC should pay for the groundwater used in the ‘lake’. A request was made to BIOSIS for payment for the potting mix used in the rescue of plants from Epsom. Some difficulty arousing interest in the Federation Trail proposal and payment to the artist involved. Two foxes were found dead in the Park as a result of the poisoning program. A cat ban has been successfully introduced to Hains development south of Braeside Park. Well done our new Councillors!

Continue reading »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 7th June 2000

Correspondence

Letters sent to:- SAP re E coli levels at St Kilda, Alpine Parks Submission to MPs Perton & Birrell & Independent MPs, Team Leader Parks re grass mowing at Mentone, Kingston CEO re the bio-solids fill for Lake 1 Woodlands.

Donation of Information

G. Agnew donated ocean water quality documents to MBCL. Expressed concern at some councils’ street tree planting programs. Deciduous trees create a problem with the litter entering drains. Reports that high E coli levels at St Kilda may be due to compaction of the Grand Prix track at Albert Park cracking sewage mains.

Pests

Terry Lane in the Age, June 4th, claimed that pressure groups like SAP (and possibly Krammed and MBCL) are regarded as ‘pests’ because they are persistent in pursuing their cause. MBCL, in our 32nd year of causing irritation, is happy to be numbered amongst the ‘pests’ especially as the ‘pests’ according to Terry, “in the long run are usually proved right!”

Continue reading »