Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 4th July 2018

Correspondence

A letter received from DELWP re Insurance Arrangements for Incorporated Volunteer Groups offering to indemnify MBCL for public liability claims which may arise as a direct result of volunteering activities. Following discussion it was decided to sign up but with a proviso that “we accept the offer on the basis that any claim made that our organisation is NOT responsible for the excess of any potential forthcoming claim”

Green Wedge Planning Provisions Review

A copy of this review was received and appears to be a comprehensive document with DEWLP seeking answers from strategic planners about uses in the Green Wedge. DELWP required succinct answers to questions such as :- Emerging planning issues in the Kingston Green Wedge and Stakeholders in the Kingston Green Wedge. It is hoped that Green Wedge Planning Provisions will not be weakened as a result of this review.

Melbourne Water

MORDIALLOC CREEK June Council meeting discussed a Draft Mooring Policy for Mordialloc Creek. Officer Recommendations included the following points:

  1. Authorise officers to cede management of A section to the Crown.
  2. Write a letter of support to DELWP advocating for the establishment of a Mordialloc Creek
  3. Write to Mordialloc Creek Community group advising of points 1&2 of this option as well as offering basic financial administration support.
  4. Authorise officers to provide basic financial administration support…
  5. Advocate for the development of a formal agreement with DELWP for the committee to have operational maintenance exclusive of dredging and any structural asset replacement responsibilities.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd May 2017

Bay Trail

As a result of the Member for Mordialloc’s complaint that there had been insufficient consultation about the trail, two MBCL members had a meeting with the member who could not be convinced that there had been sufficient consultation. Council organised two more drop in meetings about the Bay Trail in May. Meanwhile inflammatory misinformation about lane narrowing was still being disseminated by certain residents.
Latest plans for the Bay Trail were presented at the Public Places and Environment meeting in May and were impressive. The bicycle lane, back of kerb, will only be 2.5m wide, similar to the Bayside Bay Trail. VicRoads have approved narrowing the road lane where necessary such at bus stops.

Stormwater Management

Kingston Council has prepared Amendment C152 to introduce a policy for developments that deals with stormwater – residential or non-residential. This may be necessary because an article in The AGE 23 May, reports that climate change flood risks has doubled in new modelling which states that “Coastal council are at the forefront of dealing with the impacts especially councils such as Seaford, Carrum, Bonbeach and Aspendale”.

Level Crossing Removal

Edithvale rail under road. This option has been approved. Residents opposed to elevated rail option. Unfortunately the high water table will have to be dealt with. A Preliminary Impact Assessment: Groundwater-Rail Under Road AECOM-GHD has identified potential groundwater impacts on the Ramsar listed Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands as a result of the rail under road approach adopted for Edithvale and Bonbeach level crossing removals.

Some of these imparts are:

  • Long term groundwater level impacts (drawdown, mounding, and water logging)
  • Subsidence impacts
  • ASS acid sulphate activation
  • Saline intrusion

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 8th March 2017

Coast and Creek Booklet

The layout of the booklet is finally taking shape with the graphic artist keen to view any photos of the creek or the foreshore providing there are clouds in view!

Yammerbook Nature Reserve

Residents do not want an extension to the car park since they feel that there will be antisocial behaviour after hours if the park is extended. Certain councillors are also uncertain about extending this facility mainly favouring parents dropping off and picking up school children. There is a bus stop nearby on Wells Road.

The Sporting Globe

The mediation meeting was held at VCAT in February. No agreement between parties so this development will go to VCAT in March. The only concession made was reduction in the size of the sign on the front of the building.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st February 2017

Mordialloc Creek

Interestingly after heavy rain beaches around Port Phillip Bay were polluted particularly Mentone beach and not so much Mordialloc beach – the usual culprit. Mordialloc creek carries drainage from industrial areas in Braeside and the old tipping sites from which leachates can enter the drainage system and flow into the creek. On this occasion perhaps the large Melbourne Water drain outlet at Mentone Parade may have contributed to beach pollution with drainage entering the Bay at this point and flowing northwards to Mentone beach.

Mordialloc Lifesaving Club

Had a quick inspection of the new LSC and found that there is more concrete surrounding the building than expected. Apparently this is to provide entry and parking for the large surf boats that will be stored in the building- one of the main reasons for the size of the building occupying limited foreshore open space. The large rusty looking iron ramp construction will require removal of more foreshore vegetation early in the New Year when it is to be delivered and placed in position. Fortunately the south end of the building has been left unconcreted and hopefully will remain a pleasant grassed area for public use. The nicest aspect of the inspection was seeing a little family of blue wrens hopping around in the dry grassy area!

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 7th December 2016

Happy New Year to All

Let’s hope it is a peaceful and environmentally satisfying year as well. Trust everyone has had a chance to rest and relax in preparation for coping with the outrageous rants from the occupant of the white house. What a contrast to the calm, gracious, intelligent former occupant.

Good News

It seems that the EPA has been given teeth at last to cope with pollution hazards. 21 problem sites have been listed in Kingston. There are 298 sites on the Priority Sites Register where clean up notices have been issued due to pollution of groundwater and land – a potential risk to health and the environment. This problem is due to Kingston being historically home to landfill sites 17 of which are now on the Priority list to be cleaned up.

Grange Heathland Reserve

Penny reported that gas extractors from nearby landfill sites are being located in the Grange which is a carefully managed Nature Reserve. Surely a more suitable site could be found for the extractors.

Mordialloc Bypass Project

Due to pressure from Aspendale Gardens Residents Association the extension to the Mornington Peninsula Freeway is back on the agenda despite less expensive alternatives . Impact on Braeside Park and Waterways with an elevated roadway over Mordialloc Creek is concerning. Discussion when Walter and Jenny Warfe met with Government officers recently was congenial. The freeway is not a high priority for the Government.

Mordialloc Creek  

Interestingly after heavy rain beaches around Port Phillip Bay were polluted particularly Mentone beach and not so much Mordialloc beach – the usual culprit. Mordialloc creek carries drainage from industrial areas in Braeside and the old tipping sites from which leachates can enter the drainage system and flow into the creek. On this occasion perhaps the large Melbourne Water drain outlet at Mentone Parade may have contributed to beach pollution with drainage enterting the Bay at this point and flowing northwards to Mentone beach.

Mordialloc Life Saving Club

Had a quick inspection of the new LSC and found that there is more concrete surrounding the building than expected. Apparently this is to provide entry and parking for the large surf boats that will be stored in the building- one of the main reasons for the size of the building occupying limited foreshore open space. The large rusty looking iron ramp construction will require removal of more foreshore vegetation early in the New Year when it is to be delivered and placed in position. Fortunately the south end of the building has been left unconcreted and hopefully will remain a pleasant grassed area for public use. The nicest aspect of the inspection was seeing a little family of blue wrens hopping around in the dry grassy area!

Yammerbook Nature Reserve

A car park of 34 spaces is proposed for this reserve but residents are concerned feeling that additional parking is for the benefit of parents dropping off and picking up children at the nearby school and that after hours, antisocial behaviour is likely to increase in the park. A bus stop on Wells Road is an alternative means of reaching the park or the school.

Esplanade Brighton

The partial demolition and works to the existing blue stone wall, and removal of native/indigenous vegetation has distressed a dedicated group of Bayside residents because of the impact on the dunes and vegetation which has been described as being “ so precious, so conservationally valuable that not a square metre of them should be disturbed.” (Brighton’s other golden mile.in the Age 26 Nov. 2016)

Unfortunately Bayside Council has decided to grant a permit with four pages of conditions . The plans must show that removal of indigenous vegetation is to be replaced with a similar extent of indigenous coastal vegetation , etc , along these lines. The proposal to replace the lifesaving club with a larger building wasn’t discussed in this document.

George Woods Reserve Playground

The playground is underway with the Moreton Bay Fig Tree still in place. It apparently will not be removed although we have been assured that all new planting in the area will be locally indigenous. Nina claims that extra lighting is not needed around the playground because of the high towers lighting the rail siding nearby. Toilets will not be provided for the playground because of cost and difficulty of sewage work. Toilets at the Chute Street boat ramp will have to be used –which is why we claimed that a site closer to these facilities would have been the best location for the playground and would have left the Arboretum intact.

Level Crossing Removals

A meeting of the Public Places and Environment Committee was held 14 December 2016 at Council to discuss this proposal. Two academics from RMIT,supporters of

Sky Rail, were present and spoke as did a member of the Frankston anti- sky rail group. Both had convincing arguments for their positions. Some feel that an elevated rail line in surroundings that are predominantly low rise housing will blight the suburbs south of Mordialloc Creek, but the high water table in this area will create drainage problems –apart from the Bonbeach to Carrum section of the line which will have to be elevated to cross Patterson River. The three completed trenched stations, Bentleigh,Mackinnon and Ormond are extremely ugly and will become more so because the State Government has decreed that Ormond station will have a 10-16 storey building on top of the station – and other stations may have four storey buildings above the station.

Bay Trail

Cr West has presented a motion to council requesting that the proposed indented parking areas along this section of the back- of –kerb bike track be removed from the plans.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 5th October 2016

Aboriginal Artefacts at First Avenue Edithvale

Cr West moved a motion in Council as to why the discovery of 16 Aboriginal stone artefacts discovered on this significant heritage site were not presented to councillors in the officer report and whether the Council could preserve the artefacts for display.

Masonic Hall

Masonic Hall has had two groups expressing an interest in this building – one an art House Cinema and the other a theatre group.Unfortunately any group interested in the hall will have to fund the complete renovation of the building. Meanwhile the Council is spending generously on sporting fields and the Moorabbin Reserve for the St Kilda Football Club.

Mordialloc Creek and Environs

Boats moored in the creek at Pompei’s Landing have had a disastrous time, first of all with vandalism that set fire to two boats and then, during the recent gales, a tree branch from the Monterey Cypresses crashing onto two more boats. It was suggested, 5th October, that MBCL become a Committee of Management for this section of the creek. Council will be trying to develop the site as soon as the difficult problem of ownership of sections of land is settled. Of concern is the fact that the Mordialloc Structure Plan has a photo of a two story café/restaurant on the water’s edge of the creek. A little unwise surely given that the area is flood prone.

MBCL supports the proposal in the Structure Plan that small boat owners be provided with a building suitable for maintenance of boats during repairs. This building could be sited alongside the Vic Track fence line. Research into COMs reveals that it would require significant funding to prepare a business plan for a three year stint with Government approval.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 6th August 2014

Correspondence

Nina, Stephen, Mary – Objections to deviation of Bay Trail off the gravel verge onto foreshore Crown land at Mentone Lifesaving club to provide parking for MLSC patrons.

Wal and Megan – letters to the Chelsea, Mordialloc Mentone News re proposal to have land rezoned land for residential development in Kingston’s Green Wedge. The Government may not deliver a decision until after the State Election.

Meetings Galore

With an election in 100 days groups have been formed to highlight important environmental issues. Frankston rail line will be severely disadvantaged if the Liberal Govt’s Metro plan is approved. Trains will run from South Yarra to Spencer Street rather than around the loop.STOP, Victoria First, Get Up and Environment Victoria have all been active in the South East electorates.

Mordialloc Masonic Hall

Lengthy discussion about possible profitable uses for the hall . The upper level could be divided into smaller spaces for meeting rooms, leaving the ground floor for more displays, craft markets, U3A or musical activities.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 4th December 2013

Old Wells Road Rain Garden.

Melbourne Water installed a large drain on this site to manage drainage problems in the area. This necessitated the removal of established vegetation along the north bank of Mordialloc Creek- a Natural Resource Area (NRA)- a traditional work area for Kingston Council’s dedicated workers in NRA parks and reserves. It was disappointing therefore to find that when the water garden was constructed by Melbourne Water, it was Kingston’s Parks people who were involved in the selection and planting of vegetation in the rain garden. Instead of continuing the practice of planting species locally indigenous to the creek habitat the Parks team involved used foreshore plants which haven’t survived the 40 degree heat. MBCL are requesting that the NRA knowledgeable team continue to be responsible for revegetation both South and North banks of Mordialloc Creek, and that the pocket parks along the banks be returned to the management of the NRA team rather than the Parks department.

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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 – 1st August 2012

Beaumaris Cliffs National Estate Register

The important Beaumaris Red Bluff Sand Cliffs were removed from the National Estate Register (along with hundreds of other significant sites in 2004) leaving the cliffs without legal protection. Correspondence with Mark Dreyfus and Tony Burke, Minister fro Environment, advised that we could apply for the cliffs inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register. However Geoffrey Goode,(PPCC) found after discussion with the Victorian Geological Society, that it is almost impossible to have any site accepted for listing in Victoria. Documents provided would require an astute legal eagle to deal with them.

Canary Island Date Palms Hazel Pierce Reserve

A letter from DSE A/Manager Environmental Planning Port Phillip Region, advises that the DSE prefers that all re-vegetation on coastal Crown land utilize indigenous species. DSE does not support the planting of Canary Island Palms on coastal Crown land and will advise City of Kingston of this. Canary Island Palms are listed in DSE’s “Advisory list of Environmental weeds of coastal plains and healthy forests bioregions of Victoria.” Letters were sent to Kingston CEO.

Meetings Attended

Wal attended a Beyond Zero Emissions meeting dealing mining emissions as a result of coal exports to China, India. 400 people attended. He also attended a meeting at Beaumaris Yacht Club attended by groups from around the Bay. issues affecting foreshore and waters of the Bay. Beaumaris Bay .

Waterwatch

Dredging work on the section of Moridalloc creek between the rail and road bridges is proceeding on time and on budget. Melbourne Water is planning to begin construction of wetlands on industrial land above Wells Road bridge. This work will connect with Waterways wetlands and may further help in improving water quality.

Green Wedge Management Plan

The plan was approved by Council 27th August with compromises that did not suit all land owners nor the Southeast Greenwedge Coalition. Nor was Lady Hamer happy with the Baillieu Government ignoring Premier Hamer’s plan to prevent development in the green wedges the lungs and green spaces of Melbourne. 6000 hectares of former green wedge land will be subject to plans for development including shops, sawmills, schools and petrol stations. Special thanks to Cr West who has valiantly fought to preserve Kingston’s green wedge for future generations – with able support from Crs Shewin and Staikos.

Council Pre-Election Survey

A meeting organized to meet council candidates was attended by four women who, if elected, will be a much needed antidote to Kingston’s present testosterone posturing at meetings.

The Collins Report

The NRA sites and foreshore were audited in July. We look forward to results as promised at the September meeting. The Horticulture crew assessed approximately 20% of sites managed by the crew to check on plant survival, mulch depth, weed cover, litter and quality pruning. The crew achieved 97% successful result. Rock wall at Carrum built to prevent beach erosion is nearly completed. Yammerbook Reserve has received draft detailed designs from Jeavons Landscapes but need to confirm flood levels with information provided by Melbourne Water prior to obtaining final approval and signing a licence agreement. National Tree Day proved to be very successful for council’s team with 80 people from a wide spectrum of volunteers and public and private schools planting along Mordialloc Creek, Kingston foreshore and reserves. An Interfaith Group planted 600 plants in an hour at Carrum foreshore on Saturday 28th July during National Tree Day.

Bay Trail

We understand the Vicroads plans to narrow Beach Road to Australian standards as a safety measure claiming that a wide road encourages speed whereas a standard width road would discourage speed. Should the narrowing eventuate it would simplify the locations of Kingston’s section of the Bay Trail on the verge of Beach Road to conform with the successful Bayside bike trail.

Barkly Street

Three storey 24 unit development may go to VCAT 19th November. Matthew Guy’s New Planning Zones will replace Res Zones 1,2,3 with zones allowing three to four storey’s in suburban streets and a a mixture of business activities in Activity Zones. (i.e our suburban shopping strips and housing on the fringe.) Third party objection will no longer apply where a development conforms with the new zones.

Port Phillip Conservation Council AGM

Will be held at 7.30pm Monday 22nd October at Long Beach Place Chelsea Community Center, 15 Chelsea Road. Guest Speaker will be Dr Graeme Pearman. Should not be missed. Dr Pearman, former head of CSIRO Aspendale Atmospheric Center was warning of climate change three decades ago – as were many other scientists such as Barry Pittock also a scientist at Aspendale.

Pompei Site

The site appears to be under threat according to an Age article 30th August “Local Legend’s son in deep water over family’s creek lease.” According to Mordialloc Structure plan no matter what development was planned for the area boating repairs, launching and possibly apprenticeship courses for boat builders were to be retained on site as part of the attraction of Mordialloc Creek and environs. Without boating activity and character Mordialloc would lose the “timeless unsophisticated quality which is perhaps one of its greatest assets.” This is according to Mordialloc Foreshore & Environs Strategy Plan for Mordialloc City Council November 1987 by Tract Consultants. Mordialloc Structure Plan endorsed the proposal to retain structures that would enable small boat owners to repair and launch their boats and if possible to have a museum of wooden boat building.

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League Inc.