AN information evening with an inaugural fundraiser to stop a proposed 24-hour roadhouse development near Rutherglen drew a 160-strong crowd of community supporters on Saturday night.
Another 50 people had expressed interest but were unable to attend.
A total tally of $3222 was raised on the night for the fighting fund from sale of drinks, food and a raffle with an additional $500 that morning from concerned and prominent Rutherglen citizens.
Members from Friends of Lake Moodemere – an incorporated group set up to fight the proposal - addressed the crowd gathered at Lake Moodemere Estate outlining the background and efforts undertaken so far to prevent the service station and truck stop from being built on flood prone land near Sunday Creek.
The group raised many concerns about the development including contamination of the nearby waterway.
Latest Stories
The application for a planning permit by Outlook Property Services P/L (with TFB Wine Investments and BE Judd Holdings being owners of the land) is for the roadhouse to be built on the edge of the Lake Moodemere Conservation Reserve at the intersection of Federation Way and the Murray Valley Highway, Rutherglen on prime agricultural land.
The group ‘Friends of Lake Moodemere’ is raising funds to cover legal costs for a January compulsory hearing at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) set for January 16 next year with developers.
Friends of Lake Moodemere member Robyn Pfeiffer said if mediation failed a further hearing will take place from March 17 to 20.
The planning permit received by council in September last year had been advertised in May this year.
The applicant has now bypassed council taking the application to VCAT.
“We met with councillors on site prior to this last election to inform them of our concerns, to show them the site, the movement of water, and erosion caused from flooding," Ms Pfeiffer said.
“Then out of the blue came letters to all of us who had written objections that this matter was now being taken to VCAT and it was out of their hands and VCAT would make the decision.”
Ms Pfieffer said an opportunity existed for mediation with an alternative block of land on offer for the development further afield on the Murray Valley Highway without an environmental impact.
She said a community meeting had been organised for June 20 this year with an opportunity for the developers to talk to the community but that had been cancelled.
“We went ahead and held a community information on the night with more than 70 people attending,” she said.
At a council meeting, on Tuesday night director of planning and corporate services, Greg Pinkerton said council had been waiting for requested information about the planning permit application from the applicant.
Following council’s procedures with written questions, the mayor directed questions from Robyn Pfieffer to Mr Pinkerton.
Ms Pfieffer asked a number of questions including whether council would support the Friends of Lake Moodemere in opposing the proposed development, whether that support would be given to the January VCAT meeting and what steps would be taken to ensure Sunday Creek was not compromised by allowing the development within the Lake Moodemere and Sunday Creek catchment area going ahead.
Questions were also raised related to environmental accountability, whether the petrol station should be approved in this flood prone area, knowing that contaminated stormwater, including PFAs (long lasting chemicals), could irreversibly, damage these waterways extensively used by local irrigators endangered species, platypus tourists and recreation users.
Another question related to the negative impact on tourism by the development and local businesses supported by assets like the bike path and Lake Moodemere and how did the council plan to mitigate increased traffic, noise and light pollution from a 24/7 petrol station to ensure it does not negatively impact visitor experiences.
Mr Pinkerton said as the planning application will be decided by VCAT and not by council, questions about how various issues such as storm water and run off traffic will be dealt with by VCAT.
“Despite being a decision that's out of the hands of council, an important part of the VCAT process will be for this council to state a formal position in relation to the application, and then we will need to represent that position of Council at the VCAT hearing,” he said.
Mr Pinkerton said council will be presented with a report at the February meeting that assesses the planning application against the requirements of the planning scheme and the legislation, including the matters that were included in the questions.
"The decision that council makes at the February meeting is the one that we will then argue at VCAT," he said.
"Unfortunately, until the February decision is made, it's not appropriate to answer those questions about council's position on the various subjects.”
A new website www.savelakemoodemere.com.au has been created to raise awareness and gather support for the protection of Lake Moodemere including a how you can Help" section with links to a GoFundMe page, a petition, and a Facebook page.
