Forthcoming Events
Mordialloc Historic Walking Trail Suggested sites of interest are being called for by 1st March. See enclosed leaflet.Friends of Kingston Heath Reserve meeting 10am April 8th Uniting Church Herald Street, Cheltenham. Environment Defenders Office Tilting at Windmills April 19 9.30am – 4.00 South Yarra Senior Citizen Centre Introduction to Planning & Environment Act 1987. Le Gym Action group meeting at the Comfort Inn Mentone Hub 7.30pm Wednesday 5 March 2008. This group would like support. Contact Martha 9583 9205.
Bay Trail
The bike path is underway with work occurring in the Bay Street car park. This has resulted in the removal of three car parking places beach side of car park. Similar work appears likely in Rennison Street car park.
Attenborough Park
Nina reports that car parking on the grass and under cypress trees is continuiung in the park from the bridge works to the toilet block. Parking correlates to level of patronage of Doyles complex – higher on Thursday to Sunday and when there are local events such as the Wine and Food Festival. Doyles van parks regularly on the site. This issue has been reported to relevant council officer who reported that law enforcement staff don’t work after 7pm when major parking irregularities occurs. This matter was also reported to Mordialloc Village committee. Warren Ashdown, Council officer attending, stated that he would deliver a report at the March Village Committee meeting to be held on Lambert Island! Community members can attend Village Committee meetings as observers.
Mordialloc Creek
A cheque has been forwarded to Melbourne Water to purchase the kit. Melanie will be contacting MBCL members who have volunteered to undertake water quality testing upstream of Wells Road bridge. Melbourne Water plans to extend wetlands between Waterways and the Wells Road bridge may impact on the program when work begins.
Yammerbook Nature Reserve Committee
Committee are seeking funding from council for Stage 2 works for the lake area to create an island sanctuary, dog pond , fencing and signage. A plan first revealed in the Independent newspaper to reshape and dredge the creek from the rail bridge to Wells Road, remove Phragmites to make it accessible for watercraft was presented to an AGRA Committee by Cr Ronke recently. The plan also proposes to realign the levee banks around the George Woods Reserve, Mordialloc College Sports grounds and Browns Reserve. Proposed dredging of the creek would mean destruction of much bank revegetation recently completed by volunteer groups, council NRA staff and funded by companies such as Alinta.
Proposals to link Yammerbook and Centre Swamp Drain by breaching the south bank of the creek to create wetlands may have some value. Cost $6 million. The island opposite Chute Street boat ramp at present a bird habitat is designated for removal.
Parkdale Yacht Club
Extension of liquor license to midnight six days a week – shorter hours Sunday is causing consternation to residents opposite on Beach Road. 16 objectors attended a mediation meeting 21 February. Johanna represented MBCL . Mentone Hotel is also applying to extend hours to 3am. Parkdale Kiosk has a liquor licence. The Ward councillor also supports Mentone Lifesaving Club having a restaurant. Parking is already a problem along Beach Road.
Recent articles in the media describes violent behaviour outside late night licensed premises.
Local Sustainability Accord
Cr West attended the sustainability meeting of officers from various councils at Kingstson’s Fujitsu premises.The Accord originated from a proposal by Andrew Booth, Environment Victoria and Cr West . Banyule Council is planning to incorporate sustainability in activity centres and emphasized biodiversity mapping involving the community!! CoK please note.
Channel Dredging
The case returns to the Federal Court 3rd/4th March when Blue Wedges legal team will present their strongest case for halting the dredging. The argument had been based on the fact that Peter Garrett, Minister for Environment, had only been in the job four days when he was asked to decide on arguments based on 15,000 pages of scientific documentation presented at the SEES panel. In effect it was argued he based his approval for dredging to commence on an assessment of provided by the Victorian Government and advice from department bureaucrats in Canberra. Contributions to the fighting fund are welcome.The bund to contain 2.6 million cubic metres of contaminated clay from the Williamstown channel will spread across six square kilometers of sea bed . Toxins from Yarra sludge will remain uncovered for 140 days until dredging is finished when it will be capped with sand. The sludge contains lead ,arsenic, mercury and organochlorines.
Parks Report
Bradshaw park would like the remnant vegetation on the rail reserve included in the care of the park and for weeds to be eradicated on the rail and highway reserves.
Kingston’s Coastal Management Plan
was released at the Foreshore Reference group meeting. It seems that tall trees are not to be planted at the end of streets to allow views for Beach Road residents. This is totally contrary to a foreshore management plan that recommended that trees be planted at end of streets in the Aspendale to Carrum stretch of foreshore!!! The Victorian National Parks Association warns that time is running out for our coastal plants and animals.VPNA is the only state wide non-government organization campaigning for the protection of Victoria’s marine and coastal biodiversity. VPNA supports community groups along the coast. Perhaps we should have a chat with this organization!.
The NQR Site Mordialloc
Another of Pace’s architectural masterpieces is to be inflicted on the public with a three storey, 40 unit, ten shops,168 underground car parking spaces Aldi supermarket on the corner of Epsom Road and Nepean Highway. Traffic congestion will be horrific. No parking for the ten shops on the highway frontage.