Amendment to the Burwood Brickworks Development Plan was debated and agreed by Council on 14 June. That amendment relates to the removal of widely preferred storm water treatment measures that would have benefitted the development via conversion of Melbourne Water’s Eley Road Retarding Basin to a wetlands.
Despite problem-solving negotiations over many years, there will be no wetlands – in the short term at least. While this is a hugely disappointing stance maintained by Melbourne Water, there are reasons why a wetlands cannot proceed and why further storm water quality treatment infrastructure onsite at the well advanced Brickworks development is not now possible. The already stressed Gardiners Creek (KooyongKoot) catchment ecosystem will undeniably be impacted.
What is in positive focus is renewed conversation and collaboration around a Master Plan for Gardiners Creek (about 30% of which is in Whitehorse). Whitehorse is at the right table of dialogue and action planning – with other Councils, statutory authorities, traditional owners, and local community representatives; all trying to better address the reality that the Creek is exposed to significant pollutants from many sources. This joint planning is an important step towards improving and revitalising the health of the KooyongKoot catchment.
I recently enjoyed the somewhat different Councillor experience of dressing up as a Cockatoo and reading for the 2022 National Simultaneous Storytime; with the same book read across Australia at the same time in so many libraries. Being able to engage with around 50 children at Nunawading Library was tremendous and a credit to library staff as we step back into lots of in-person events.
