Southern Peninsula Indigenous Flora & Fauna Assoc.
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Wetland infill begins at 85 Elizabeth Avenue, West Rosebud

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85 Elizabeth Ave, West Rosebud, Tootgarook Swamp
Clearing a wetland... Reed Swamp - an endangered vegetation type. This original level will have between 1 & 2 metres of fill on top
Copperhead Snake, dead,85 Elizabeth Ave, West Rosebud, Tootgarook, Swamp
Machine mangled Copperhead snake
dead Swamp Rat, Rattus lutreolus West Rosebud, Tootgaro
Dead native Swamp Rat, one of many
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Stage 1
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Stage 2

When process fails

On Tuesday the 14th of February, vegetation clearance and infill works commenced on the northernmost remnant portion of the Tootgarook Swamp

This land, is the subject of current and ongoing shire and Melbourne Water planning overlay changes and reassessments finally officially recognising the wetland nature of the property and the greater swamp as a whole

Now it's being filled in with 2000 truckloads of earth

Questions asked of but unanswered by shire 
as of 21/2/12

Why have works commenced when the works are subject to a referral (lodged 13/2/12), before Melbourne Water has responded to site hydrology as referral authority?

Why is the site being filled in the opposite direction as stated in the VCAT order?

Why has the public not been notified of the Traffic Management plan considering the fill will take of 2000 truck loads as mentioned in the VCAT order.

Has the plan certification been recertified as it expired in June 2011?

Doesn't the Cultural Heritage Act of 2006 apply to this block?

Why is there no security fencing for the works?

The lost council report into the rezoning of land applied to 85 Elizabeth Ave and other parcels of Swamp and was ordered to be done as part of the council decision on the application for a planning permit for 85. The fact that the land was still zoned residential when it went to VCAT weighed upon their decision. Had this report been done things may have been different.

The VCAT order orders a site management plan to contain details of security fencing and dust/noise/run off management but we have not seen any of these measures being undertaken. An estimated 2000 trucks of fill will attend the site but neighbours have not been notified nor has any traffic management plan been sighted. Have asked to see the site management plan but still waiting.

Why are they working the site Elizabeth Ave to Cootamundra Ave instead of the other way as ordered by VCAT?

What of the VCAT decision regarding section173 of the Planning Act which the owner was to enter into an agreement with council on but was not to be put on the Title ? Has this been renegotiated with the new owners? This agreement was to provide for

a) All works vested in Council(roads, footpaths, street reserves and drains)to be designed supervised and constructed in accordance with the current version of the Shires Quality Standards for Subdivisions.

b) Insurance covering public liability during the period of construction.

c) A 12month post-construction defects liability period for works by a bond.

d) Maintenance of the drainage facility for a 2 year period following completion.

All these issues remain unresolved and with the construction already begun who knows whether we will get the answers in time to make any difference.
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Truck filling in the old Chinamans Creek course and excavator removing vegetation on the site 21/2/12
Go to our newsletter page to read the latest (February) SPIFFA e-news

complete with good news on the Tootgarook Swamp, the sale of the 100 acre 185 Wooralla Drive, Mt Eliza and much more

Indigenous gardening workshop 

Join Shire Nursery Coordinator, Laura Crilly for an informative and interactive workshop about indigenous gardening. Topics covered will include an overview of the Peninsula’s diverse indigenous plant communities, how to determine which species are local to your area and the benefits of indigenous gardening. 

Laura will discuss your specific gardening questions as well as demonstrate pruning and planting techniques. The session will finish with a wander through the Shire’s Nursery, adjacent to the Eco Living Centre garden, which features a mix of native and food plants.

Date: Saturday 17 March 2012
Time: 10.00am - 11.30am
Cost: $10 per person

Location: Eco Living Display Centre,
The Briars, 450 Nepean Hwy,
Mount Martha

Bookings: Contact the Peninsula Visitor
Information Booking Service,
Phone 5987 3078
or 1800 804 009
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SPIFFA supports The Thin Green Line
See the website and the Facebook page

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Sean Willmore, a Park Ranger from Warringine Park in Victoria, Australia sold his car and remortgaged his house 3 times to make this film. In 2003 he met his ranger colleagues from across the globe at an International Park Rangers Congress at Wilson's Promontory National Park, near Melbourne. It was here that he developed his vision to document and bring to the wider community the real picture behind the postcards of international parks and reserves

This is a totally non-profit venture. All profits from the sale of his documentary and the extensive fund raising activity are returned to support Rangers on the front line, including the International Ranger Dependency Fund, which supports the families of committed rangers who have lost their lives, or those rangers who have been severely injured in the line of duty.
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