Heliport OK – well sort of

By Kath Gannaway
A HELIPORT will be built at Maroondah Dam to improve fire management capacity and as an operational base for the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s planned burn programs.
Yarra Ranges Council at its 14 June meeting approved a planning permit by DSE for the construction of the heliport and removal of vegetation.
DSE spokesperson Nigel Brennan said the site within Yarra Ranges National Park site was chosen over other sites in the Upper Yarra and Healesville area because of its restricted access to the public, 24-hour security and flight path.
Addressing concerns raised by objectors about the need to remove vegetation, and noise, Mr Brennan said DSE would fully offset any vegetation loss and in terms of noise had designed a flight path for aircraft to come in over reservoir.
He said the level of use would depend on the severity of a fire season, but said 10 planned burning sites were predicted each year.
Angela Noel who lives nearby Maroondah Dam said while she had no problem with the use of helicopters for summer fire-fighting, she was concerned about possible use for VIP flights.
Cr Jeanette McRae moved an amended motion to approve the planning application but restricted the number of flights other than emergency flights to four annually and banning use of the helipad for commercial tourist flights.
It also set the hours of use, other than in the case of State Government emergency services to between 10am and 4pm weekdays, and 10am to 6pm on weekends.
“There were a number of objections but what was fairly consistent is that no-one within the community is denying the need for use by DSE for emergency purposes,” Cr McRae said.
“However, what is contested is use for VIP or other uses.”
She said she believed restricting the number of four agency flights to four a year was a good compromise in meeting community needs.