Category Archives: community

Hume Council wants Upfield Bikepath Extension as part of Camp Road level crossing removal

Posted on August 18, 2017 by | 7 comments

Excerpt from Hume Council walking and Cycling Strategy Action Plan 2010-2015

The Upfield bike path, a shared use path that thousands of cyclists and pedestrians use every day, strangely doesn’t go all the way to Upfield. In fact it doesn’t exist, except as a poor dirt track in places beside the railway line, within Hume municipality. But Hume Council is now on board to make this path happen. Will the Labor State Government come to the party?

The bike path currently finishes at Box Forest Road in Fawkner.

Extending the path up to Barry Road and Upfield station during the Camp Road level crossing removal would make a great deal of sense, opening up to many Hume municipality residents and cyclists a safe route to Brunswick, Coburg and the Melbourne CBD.
Continue reading →

7 Comments

Posted in community, cycling

Tagged , , , , , ,

VicRoads housing sub-division application for Merri Creek site adjacent to toxic site

Posted on June 29, 2017 by | Leave a comment

So we have dioxin contaminated site at 100 and 102 McBryde st, Fawkner, and now VicRoads wants to subdivide 104B McBryde street just north of the contaminated site.

Perhaps 25 houses and a road to go in. The subdivision plan encroaches closer than 50 metres to Merri creek which means it fails to comply with Moreland’s open space strategy.

We need a full and open environmental audit of the contaminated site and surrounds before we do any sub-division and development. That’s simple precautionary principle.

The risks from living near a toxic site are not clear, but if not managed properly could have a high impact on population health. We have already seen cancer clusters on McBryde street and in Reservoir in the surrounding area to the NuFarm site in the past.

Therefore we need to use the precautionary principle and oppose this sub-division development until we know the long term remediation and management of the toxic site is in hand.
Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in community, contamination, Merri Creek, Moreland City Council

Tagged , , , , , ,

Toxic site angers Fawkner residents

Posted on May 13, 2017 by | 1 comment

Two properties in McBryde street Fawkner were the location of a NuFarm factory which manufactured herbicides, agent orange and other chemicals in the 1960s with dioxin a noted byproduct. The site has been called one of the top 10 most toxic sites in Australia.

Although residents forced the closure of the factory in the early 1970s, it was another 15 years before any site cleanup was done. The last time there was any official inspection was 1995. It is believed that the contaminated area is larger than the two properties where a clay cap keeps much of the contaminated soil contained.

This week the EPA Victoria have taken some soil samples to test for an array of toxic chemicals. What we really require is a thorough environmental audit of the entire site with community input to ensure full transparency on the testing regime. It is suspected that the area of contamination is much wider than the boundaries of the two properties being talked about, so testing should encompass this broader area.

One of the fears is that any development on either site risks penetration of the clay cap and exposure of contaminated soil to the air. This may pose a wind blown toxic danger to residents over a wide area.

The EPA says the clay cap is currently sound but plans shown in the permit application indicate “works for the proposed redevelopment are likely to penetrate the clay cap”. The question that needs to be asked: Are you okay with developers gambling with the health of residents and workers on a known toxic site? Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in community, contamination, events

Tagged , , , , , ,

Upgrade for Merri Creek Park at Campbellfield while connecting cycling paths remain missing

Posted on February 6, 2017 by | Leave a comment

Panorama of Merri Creek and Merri Gorge, Campbellfield

The State Government announced $1.7 million upgrade to develop visitor infrastructure, including 6km of new bike and walking paths, at Merri Creek Park in Campbellfield. But we are still to see any commitment to build important bicycle shared use paths in Campbellfield: the extension of Merri Creek Trail and Extension of the Upfield bike path to Barry Road at Upfield.

The Money for the Merri Creek Park facilities comes from the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) fund. The 6 km of new paths will improve some community access to the 650 hectare green space in Campbellfield, which hosts nationally significant native grasslands. It is a real pity there is no public commitment from state MPs to fund the missing links that would help connect the park and local residential suburbs.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in community, cycling, Merri Creek, news, photos

Tagged , , ,

Consultation on Camp Road Level Crossing Removal (implications for Upfield bike path)

Posted on January 25, 2017 by | 4 comments
Looking north up the railway line at Camp Rd Level Crossing

Loomking north up the railway line at Camp Rd Level Crossing

Today I went on a scouting trip along the Upfield railway line to Camp Road, the site of a level crossing removal to start in the later part of 2017 and be completed by 2019.

I have come to the conclusion:

The Upgrade of the Camp Road level crossing needs to include either a tunnel for cyclists as part of the railway in trench design, or pedestrian lights to allow cyclists to cross Camp Road in safety.

The consultation and community engagement is at The Meadows Greyhound Racing track.

  • Monday 6 February 2017, 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The Meadows, 80 Northcorp Boulevard, Broadmeadows.
  • Saturday 11 February 2017, 10:00am to 12 noon. The Meadows, 80 Northcorp Boulevard, Broadmeadows

Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in community, cycling, events, news, public transport

Tagged , , , , ,

Fawkner Festa 2016

Posted on October 26, 2016 by | Leave a comment

20161022-fawkner-festa-sign-img_2999

Are you ready to rumba with the Bongo Brothers? Or be mesmerised by the sweet voices of the Moomba Park Primary school choir or Fawkner Community House Choir? Or watch the incredible music of Ustad Khalil Gudaz, a Master sitar player performing traditional Afghani and Indian music. Maybe you just want to do some middle eastern hip hop, or try some circus skills.

Come along for an afternoon of inclusive performance and community entertainment at this year’s Fawkner Festa.

The Fawkner Festa 2016 will take place on Sunday 6 November 2016 at CB Smith Reserve from 12 – 4 pm.
Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in community, events

Tagged

Flax Lily & Blue-banded Bee Wild Pollinator Count

Posted on October 26, 2016 by | Leave a comment

20161026_flax-lily-bluebanded-bee-count

Ever wanted to be a citizen scientists? Here is your chance to help out in Fawkner.

Merri Creek Management Committee and Friends of Merri Creek invite you to participate in the Flax Lily & Blue-banded Bee Wild Pollinator Count.

What: Flax Lily & Blue-banded Bee Wild Pollinator Count
When: Sunday 13 November, 10am-12.30pm
Where: Meet in the Parklands at the east end of Jukes Rd Fawkner
(Melway 18 A2).

Visit the Lily and Blue Banded Bee project sites, place a Bee Hotel & count the wild pollinators!

Refreshments will be provided.

Phone Ray or Monica at MCMC 9380 8199. This project is funded by Victorian Government’s Threatened Species Grant and the many generous donors of a crowdfunding campaign!

Matted Flax-lily (Dianella amoena) at Bababi Djinanang native grassland Fawkner

Leave a comment

Posted in community, events, Friends of Merri Creek, Merri Creek

Tagged , ,

Fawkner candidates meeting for Wills2016 Federal Election

Posted on June 8, 2016 by | 1 comment
Fawkner candidates meeting for Wills2016 at Fawkner Community House on Major Rd

Fawkner candidates meeting for Wills2016 at Fawkner Community House on Major Rd

The second meet the candidates forum for the inner northern Melbourne electorate of Wills was organised by the Fawkner community house. The main contest is between Labor and the Greens, but 10 candidates are standing. An apology was received from the Liberal candidate.

John Englart from Sustainable Fawkner asked the first question.
Question: It is World Environment Day today. How many of you have visited the Bababi Djininang grasslands at the end of Jukes Road in Fawkner? How many of you realise we have an endangered species in that grasslands area?

Response: Only Samantha Ratnam and Zane Alcorn had indicated they had visited or passed Bababi Djininang, and no one was aware we have endangered species right here in Fawkner.

The Matted Flax-lily (Dianella amoena) is a nationally endangered species found along the embankment of Merri Creek. Further up Merri Creek (outside of Wills) the endangered Golden Sun Moth and Growling grass frog can also be found.

Read an account here including questions and candidate responses:
https://storify.com/takvera/wills2016-candidates-meeting-fawkner-ausvotes

The ten Candidates in the order listed on the Wills ballot paper:

Kyung Moo (Kevin) HONG (Liberal Party of Australia) Facebook
Ashley BLACKWELL (Drug Law Reform Party) Facebook, Drug Law Reform website
Tristram CHELLEW (Australian Sex Party) Facebook
Samantha RATNAM (The Greens) website | Facebook
Dougal GILLMAN (Renewable Energy Party) Renewable Energy Party Facebook
William FULGENZI (Socialist Equality Party) SEP Facebook
Zane ALCORN (Socialist Alliance) Facebook
Camille SYDOW (Animal Justice Party) Facebook
Francesco TIMPANO (Independent) Facebook
Peter KHALIL (Australian Labor Party) website | Facebook

When you vote I urge you to take into account the environment and climate policies of the candidates, as well as their social and economic policies.

Scorecards:

See also the ABC Promise Tracker: How does the Coalition’s record stack up as the nation heads to a new election? and

Abbott/Turnbull Government record on environment and climate action

Don’t forget the Federal election sausage sizzle map:
not too late for schools to do some sizzling fund raising at polling booths.

Fawkner candidates meeting for Wills2016: Zane Alcorn, Samantha Ratnam and Peter Khalil

Fawkner candidates meeting for Wills2016: Zane Alcorn, Samantha Ratnam and Peter Khalil

1 Comment

Posted in community, events, news

Tagged , , ,

On Mother’s Day, help Mother Earth with Habitat Heros in Fawkner

Posted on April 28, 2016 by | Leave a comment

Tree planting August 2014

Tree planting August 2014


Merri Creek Management Committee and Friends of Merri Creek have another tree planting in Fawkner on Mother’s Day, Sunday 8 May, 2016

Everyone is invited to help out at this event:

On Mother’s Day, help Mother Earth by planting to add to the habitat along Merri Creek.

There’s also skin art for children and you can learn about local Aboriginal culture. Later, enjoy a free barbecue with vegetarian and Halal options.

When: Sunday, May 8 at 10 AM – 12:30 PM
Where: East end of Jukes Road, Fawkner (Melways Map 18 A2)

In the past these plantings of trees and native grasses have been enormously successful. Come along and meet your neighbours. Help restore the habitat and ensure wildlife diversity along the Merri Creek.

Leave a comment

Posted in community, events, Merri Creek

Tagged , , , ,

Some late August Fawkner events

Posted on August 19, 2015 by | Leave a comment

It’s Craft Afternoon time again, this Saturday 22 August. Drop in any time between 12 and 3 and make some new crafty friends. Bring along something you are working on, an unfinished project, something you are stuck on, anything crafty! or make stars with us for the 1 Million Stars to End Violence project (we have lots of ribbon to share!)

Also this weekend, Merri Creek Management and Friends of Merri Creek are having a planting at the Creek near the Jukes Road end on Sunday 23 from 10.30 till 12. There will be a free BBQ (including Halal and vegetarian), walks, info about birds and plants. See attached flyer for more info.

And then on Sunday afternoon there is a celebration of the Tree of Faith project that artist Angela Stock has been doing with the community. It’s at the Fawkner Community House, 95 Major Road. Here is the info from her:

Just a reminder that we’re gathering to celebrate the completion of The Tree of Faith Project this Sunday 23 August. Please bring along some food to share and a cushion to sit on to watch the film (there will be chairs too).

So you can plan your afternoon, I’ll let you know that the festivities around the community art work will kick off from about 2.15pm including an appearance from the fabulous community choir “The Brunswick Rogues”.
The film screening of “Mary Meets Mohammad” will follow – running from 2.40pm – 4pm.

Leave a comment

Posted in community, events, Fawkner Community House, news