Meeting Minutes » 1999 »

Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st December 1999

We were delighted to have Penny McGuire-White join MBCL after moving to Mentone in 1999. Penny is still actively involved with The Grange as well as many other interests. We are indebted to our President, Johanna van Klaveren, for the enormous time and effort which has gone into producing a Web site for MBCL. (see the call sign at the top of the page).

On Monday 31-1-2000 Johanna and Brian will be presenting their submissions at the Panel Hearing for Planning Amendments to Non-Urban Land in the Keysborough Green Wedge. The Hearings are open to the public. Support from members of KCEC and MBCL would be welcome! The Hearing is at Springvale Council Chambers.

Welcome 2000

After a busy 1999 with many important planning issues to mull over, 2000 got off to an equally busy month. The defeat of the Kennett Government was an unexpected boost to greenies hopes for less destructive environmental planning decisions. We are monitoring the Labor Governments decisions.

With Council elections due in March it is an opportunity to seek out candidates with sound environmental credentials. Do you know of any person willing to stand?

Tony Collins (Excel)

Tony reported that two new groups of volunteers have been formed making a total of 16 groups. Some MBCL members indicated that they would be interested in monitoring Natural Bush Areas from Mentone Foreshore to Mordialloc Creek and along Mordialloc creek This would involve taking photos and reporting to Council quarterly on weed cover and plant growth. Times, areas, photo points and cameras will be organised by Tony who will report at our February meeting.

The Parks

Chiquita Park is owned by the Defence Department who plans to sell the park for $2 million Kingston Council has been given first option. The park has a stand of Cherry Ballart trees worthy of protection. Bradshaw Park was a finalist for the Heritage category in the City Pride Awards. The Open Day was successful. Nina and Brian took MBCL’s Epsom display board to the Park and collected more signatures for the protection of the Herb Rich Grassy Wetlands at Epsom former Training facility. The Grange received a grant of $44,000 for feral fences, educational information, booklets and brochures. A rare orchid was found after a ‘burn’ in the park.

Braeside Park is waiting for a promised Federal Grant of $35,000. Improvements to the sewage system mains along Chute Street and Governor Road will mean the installation of a small pumping station in Braeside Park. Ron’s article in the Friends of Braeside Park newsletter also appears on the Friends Webb page. This caused a stir amongst Park’s management who wanted the article removed from the site. The Friends members believed that communities should be able to demonstrate their democratic rights – with one dissenting member. The article which commented on the shortage of staff to manage the park satisfactorily was sent to the Minister for Conservation. MBCL suggested that Parks management are free to put a response to Ron’s article on their web site!

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd November 1999

Urgent!

An information session introducing plans for the Kingston Lodge residential and wetland development will be held at Mentone Council Offices, Mentone at 4.30pm Monday 29th November. Council will accept comments from groups and individuals concerning this controversial development. Stephen Hains will be present.

Significant Tree Register

Could members bring along their comments and ideas for a Significant Tree Register currently being considered by Council Environment Officers? It is hoped that this Register, coupled with a By-Law, may prevent the wanton destruction of mature trees on development blocks.

The Parks

Water testing at Braeside Park involves two Friends volunteers one day once a month to test five sites. A draft report on tests prepared by a volunteer is being published. Kingston Council is reported to be using a school to monitor water quality in Mordialloc Creek. When queried a council officer was uncertain of Melbourne Waters monitoring sites which are at Wells Road bridge and Pillars Crossing only. Glen Agnew is monitoring Dunlops Drain, Lake 3, Woodlands Industrial Estate and Mordialloc Creek with his own equipment. It was decided to write to Kingston CEO and Melbourne Water asking what is being done to monitor the Creek, mosquito larvae and algae blooms in Lake 3. The cost of chemicals for monitoring is $600 per year.
Open Day at Braeside Park was successful with 34 people attending a Heathland walk with Ron. Friends of Karkarook Park now has 6 members and automatic opening and closing gates with a people counter attached. Rangers are required to spend twenty minutes each day counting the golf balls which lob in the Park from the adjoining golf range! Our taxes at work! There were 1600 applicants for 12 positions with Parks Victoria.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 6th October 1999

Residential Strategy Workshops

J.Eggleston and F Rimington attended the Workshop, October 13th, at Moorabbin Council Offices. Neighbourhood Agreements and Covenants places the burden of protecting residential amenity on residents. The process is time consuming and difficult to achieve in streets with 30 plus houses.

The Parks

Braeside Park rangers have been reduced to three. There were formerly eight rangers. Rangers now work seven days a week and in summer, from 7am to 8.30pm. An article recording these facts in the Friends of Braeside Park newsletter was picked up by the local paper and resulted in the Friends being asked to attend a meeting with the upper echelons of Parks management to ‘please explain’. The Parks persons angst may be premature given that the ALP policy on OUR NATURAL ASSETS states that Labor will “Properly resource and expand the role of park rangers”. and “Defining the role of park rangers as including environmental management and the provision of education and interpretive services.”

Excel’s Visit

Tony Collins, Team Leader Natural Resources for Excel has 14 natural resource areas to anage. He explained his plans for giving advice and assistance to Friends Groups in Kingston. He will attend MBCL meetings on a bi-monthly basis to answer questions and meet on site when necessary. MBCL’s role may be mainly monitoring the Creek and foreshore natural vegetation areas. Will query status of Attenborough Park /responsibility for South bank of the creek?

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 1st September 1999

Braeside Park

Braeside park celebrated it’s 10th birthday Sunday 22nd September. Ten Volunteers were presented with certificates in appreciation of their commitment over the years.

Tree Destruction

Mara contacted MBCL concerned at the imminent destruction of a mature flowering eucalypt on a neighbouring block destined for unit development. There were three similar incidents in the last two weeks. The issue has been raised with Council Environment Officers and requested them to commence a Significant Tree Register to try to prevent the destruction of trees by developers before building commences.

Epsom Training Facility Panel Hearing

The Panel Hearing of Amendment L 47 to the Kingston Planning Scheme (Epsom and Environs) commenced on 6th September. The issue concerning MBCL, KCEC and Council was the ULC proposal to relocate a 7 hectare remnant community of Herb-rich Plains Grassy Wetlands (West Gippsland) Community to a flood retarding basin on the southern section of the site on Governor Road.
The Urban Land Corporation paid $17.5 million for the land which is targeted for a 428 house residential development. The development is opposed by the managers/owners of Moorabbin Airport since Epsom is the last piece of open space suitable for the flight path of aircraft taking off and landing. The site is in fact dysfunctional for housing because of aircraft, traffic and industrial noise, traffic problems and possible flooding as well as the most important issue the proposed relocation of the plants. Herb-rich Grassy Wetland (West Gippsland) Community is protected under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. There are more than 60 regionally significant species on the Epsom site and more were being located even while the Hearing was in progress. Despite this ULC has applied for a permit to relocate 20% of the species to the retarding basin. The remainder of the plants will be destroyed because of the filling required before housing construction commences.
Evidence presented at the Hearing confirmed that past attempts at relocating an entire grassy wetland community have not succeeded because it is impossible to exactly replicate che soil profile and hydrological regime.
We wish to thank Jason Stewart who attended our 1-9-99 meeting and took us through the Botanicus Report and planned strategies for the Hearing. Simon Cropper was Council’s Expert Witness at the Hearing as a Peer Reviewer of the ULC’s Biosis Report which favoured relocating the plants. I attended the six day Hearing and welcomed the support of Jason, and at the presentation of our submissions on retaining the plants in-situ, David Bainbridge, Brett Donaldson (KCEC) and Brian Pullen also KCEC. Report due in two three months.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 4th August 1999

Braeside Park

The Mayor has been invited to the Annual General meeting 22-8-99. This will be the 10th anniversary of the Park. A grant of $700 has been earmarked for a portable display board.

Port Phillip Conservation Council

Sandridge Beach is to be re-nourished with 100,000 cubic metres of sand taken from the Bayside area. Bayside Council has to give approval for the sand removal. Groynes are to be constructed at Sandridge. Lifesaving Clubs in Kingston have been generously funded – Mordialloc LSC : $14,500, Mentone LSC: $48,500, Aspendale LSC:- $20,750. National Park, Portsea likely to be privatised. The company operating the car ferry is interested. PPCC organised a tour 1-8-99 to Campbell Cove where 159 beach huts are enjoying a rent free existence on Crown Land.

Carrum Residents Action Group

The State Government plans to sell Bonbeach TAFE and CRAG have been given 12 months notice to re-locate their community plant nursery. The sale of TAFE, almost certainly for residential development, will mean a further loss of open space in the City of Kingston.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 7th July 1999

The Parks

The first series of photos have been taken for photo posts at Bradshaw Park. The photos are developed in Mentone free of charge. Mentone Park Primary School attended a planting day. Ron donated 50 plants to Bradshaw Park.
Christine Cama, President of the Braeside Park Friends Group has unfortunately resigned after five years of battling bureaucracy. She will be missed. A $5910 Grant from Parks Victoria was received and will be used for salinity control by intensively planting trees to lower the ground water. $2000 worth of plants have been sold by the Friends Group. There has been no response from Geoffrey Leigh after repeated requests for funds to establish a litter trap on the Dingley Drain. AGM August 22 1999 at the Braeside Visitors Centre. P.S. The Bicycle Hire service at Braeside has folded. Bring your own bikes! Dingley Primary School was involved in planting on Arbor Day at Rowan Woodlands.

Woodlands Industrial Estate

Work is proceeding on Lake One on the north east corner of the Industrial Estate. The plan is to drain the very deep borrow pit, clay line the bottom, use bio-solids from the Carrum Treatment Plant for fill and place a clay lining over the bio-solids. It is claimed that there will be no problem with this proposal. Interested groups were invited to inspect the site and the treatment plant on Sunday 18th July.

Communication Tower at Mordialloc Hospital Site

Mara reported on Kingston Council’s intention to place a 90 ft communication tower on this site. Nearby residents objected on visual and health grounds and the possibility that Optus or Vodaphone may also seek approval to use the tower.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd June 1999

Welcome

We are delighted to welcome new members Penny and Ernest McGuire White and Nina and Brian Earl. Attendance at meetings, suggestions, queries and/or complaints will also be welcome. Please come along!

The Parks

A burn at Rowan Woodlands to encourage regeneration of indigenous plants.

Karkarook Park
Ron gave a talk to encourage the formation of a Friends Group for this park which has had its third opening ceremony this time by the Hon. J. Kennett. Once again the Friends were not invited!

Braeside Park
Administration changes has meant the loss of two more rangers. Mark Mooney, after 11 years., has transferred to Nepean National Park. Letters have been sent to Geoffrey Leigh, MP requesting funding to install a litter trap in the park on Dingley Drain. Funds for a trap have been approved for the Woodlands Industrial Estate. A monthly test of Dingley Drain is carried out by the Friends group. Quarterly reports will be issued shortly. According to Kingston’s Stormwater Management Plan March 1999, Dingley Drain is subject to tip leachate.

Port Philip Conservation Council Report

Our delegate to the PPCC reports that Sandringham LSC wants to combine two foreshore buildings into one new building at the bottom of the cliff on the sand. There is some opposition. The intrepid lifesavers have evidently not heard of the EPA reports into climate change and storm surges. Stephen also reports that the PPCC would like an MBCL brochure for their Web site.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 5th May 1999

Correspondence

Submission to the Hazardous Waste Consultative Committee at the request of the Niddrie Quarry Action Committee. Due 28-5-99

The Parks

A regeneration burn has been carried out at Bradshaw Park. Braeside Park has received orders for 1000 indigenous species from the developers of Palm Cove development on Wells Road, Aspendale. Karkarook Park will be handed over to Parks Victoria in early June with a second Opening Ceremony predicted. Braeside Park celebrated its 10th Anniversary in April with slide presentations, theatre productions and numerous family activities organised by the hard working Friends Group and Parks staff.
Kingston’s Draft Open Space Strategy has been released for comment. It is important to stress in making a submission, that passive open space is more popular with the community than active sport requiring expensive facilities usually built on our limited parkland. Eco-tourism, walking, cycling and nature walks are especially popular according to the Sandbelt Open Space Plan. 1992.

Epsom Racecourse Flora and Fauna

MBCL members were asked to attend an inspection of the significant indigenous species on the Epsom Training Track with ULC operatives, Council officers and Native Resource staff. Approx 52 species have been identified in the centre of the course. The ULC have been requested to re-configure their residential plans for the 428 housing development to ensure that the plants can remain in-situ since they won’t survive transplanting. Surrounding industries are objecting to the close proximity of proposed housing claiming that residents will object to noise leading to factories possibly being forced to re-locate.
Brian volunteered to write to ALP candidate, local MP and DNRE re the importance of the species. Brian will also contact the factory owners.

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 7th April 1999

Correspondence

Our Grant Application to Parks Victoria – not successful
Our Grant Application to Kingston Council – still being considered
Submissions to Epsom Training Track Development due 30-4-99. MBCL submission presented 23-4-99.
Submission to the Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan due 30-4-99. Completed.

Guest Speaker PPCC Councillor Alan Clarke

Alan reported on current environmental issues affecting Port Phillip Bay including the proposal to build a large marina at the mouth of Kananook Creek, Frankston. The first inquiry at VCAT cost $280,000 and the second inquiry cost $300,000. Capital Resorts claim the Frankston marina will be totally unviable. Sandringham Yacht Club costs $1 million a year to maintain and has caused Hampton beach to erode costing $3 – $4 million to restore. The question then arises should yachtsmen pay for marina facilities?
Aquaculture is not likely to be sited on the Eastern side of Port Phillip Bay because of its popularity as a yachting venue especially for major competitive/International regattas. Port Phillip Conservation Council received $3000 to produce a series of 1800 photos as a record of the Bay coastline. The photos are significant when used as evidence at VCAT hearings to illustrate the extent of erosion caused by manmade infrastructures such as piers and marinas. Old photos show the existence of a beach at Olivers Hill, Frankston, a fact denied by consultants at the VCAT hearings. 12 photos have been donated to MBCL by PPCC.
At the General Meeting of PPCC an attempt was made to formulate a policy on acceptable height limits for buildings around Port Phillip Bay coastline.
There is concern at the changes that the Kennett Government has made to the composition of Regional Coastal Boards because the changes seem to remove community consultation. Decisions could be made at Government level and implemented by the Coastal Boards despite possible local opposition to developments.

Parkdale Lifesaving Club / Bicycle Path

A draft plan of the proposed bicycle path linkage with the Bayside path appears satisfactory but will depend on whether councillors will accept the path to be sited on the verge of Beach Road. Village Committee members asked that Council delay: making a decision on kiosk/cafe in Parkdale Lifesaving Club until the Kingston Foreshore Strategy was released and the community had a chance to comment on the proposal. Council ignored the request and approved the development on the 26th April despite inadequate parking for a 60 seat cafe. There was concern also that the proposed bicycle path on the verge of Beach road may be jeopardised because of the unresolved car parking issue.
Council Minutes report- “at a preliminary conference with objectors, “The grounds of objection were discussed and most objectors present still felt that the development should be rejected.”

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Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League – Minutes – 3rd March 1999

It is encouraging to hear that our President, Jack Cuthbertson is making progress and will be coming home at the weekend to continue with his recovery from a very serious episode.

The Parks

Braeside Park
A dead red gum tree removed by Vic Roads for a freeway extension at Cranbourne has been accepted by Braeside Park for decoration and a bird roost at a cost of $3000. A wetland development will created around the tree in the western car park. An explosive method of dealing with rabbits has been disapproved of!
A day of family entertainment is planned 2nd April to celebrate the Park’s opening 10 years ago. A “special dinner” for Friends is planned a barbecue in the picnic area. A $5000 grant has been received for fencing to prevent cattle eating trees.
A project for disabled is to be incorporated into Park activities. This will take the form of potting in the nursery. A grant application has been made to Kingston Council. The bird population is becoming very diverse with the arrival of a magpie goose.

Karkarook Park
A Friends group has been formed. The Park may host the Green Link nursery.

Bradshaw Park
A coast wattle has been removed from the north east corner of Bradshaw Park.

Parkdale Lifesaving Club / Bicycle Path / Beach Road Safety Plan

The proposed meeting to discuss the three inter-related issues has been held over due to the delay in the finalisation of the consultants report. We are assured that the meeting will take place when the report is received.

Kingston Foreshore Strategy

The Strategy has been released for the Steering Committees comments. It is pleasing to note that the environment objectives and principles attracted the highest level of support in the 72 response sheets/ submissions received. Protecting remnant vegetation is a high priority. Re-vegetation throughout the foreshore with indigenous vegetation is recommended.
Dangers associated with climate change and storm surges have now been acknowledged by the consultants and now appear in the draft document, for example warnings about beach erosion and destruction of buildings in front of the sand dunes.
Of concern are the suggestions that the “height limits of new buildings in the Activity Node (Mordialloc) may provide opportunities for a more flexible approach”.

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