By Jed Lanyon
Eildon MP Cindy McLeish has been advocating alongside members of the community and Warburton Police to add more adequate safety measures along Mount Donna Buang Road and in the 10 Mile car park to put a stop to hooning.
Ms McLeish recently raised the matter again with the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change expressing that the current safety measures to date are failing and locals are fed up witnessing regular hooning.
The minister confirmed that “Parks Victoria, the Department of Transport and Victoria Police are collaborating on a redesign of the 10 Mile car park at Mount Donna Buang, which proposes the installation of physical barriers. Timing for the work has not yet been finalised, but it is expected they will be completed in 2020.
Ms McLeish said, “Barriers are a good start. But further initiatives need to be considered for the whole road and timeframes which they can be achieved.”
“The local community and Warburton Police have done a great job calling for safety improvements and speaking up for their community. I have attended meetings with VicRoads, Yarra Ranges Shire Council and Parks Victoria with community members as the issue has not been adequately addressed.
“We need to move quickly. Local businesses in Warburton are concerned for the safety of residents and tourists as people begin to return to the town due to the recent lift on some COVID-19 restrictions.”
Ms McLeish raised the issue in state parliament in June last year, highlighting that 10 to 20 cars are taking part in the dangerous activity regularly.
In March, Warburton Police sergeant Tom Wilkinson told Star Mail that it is an issue that can’t be approached by police services alone and that he welcomed the collaboration from Parks Victoria and the Department of Transport.
