Couple fired up!

By Kath Gannaway
DIXONS CREEK beef producers, Lyn and Brian Mullens, are calling for a united front in the fight against the Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline.
They, along with neighbouring property owners, say they have been left out of the communication loop which has seen the Melba Highway put forward as a preferred option by other district stakeholders.
Melbourne Water has proposed a number of routes for the pipeline between Toolangi and Sugarloaf Reservoir including along Hunts Lane and Steels Creek Road, or along the Melba Highway.
Ms Mullens said preferences put forward to redirect the pipe through private land, farms and businesses along the Melba Highway are no more acceptable than the other options.
She has called on the project to be abandoned describing it as “a devastating proposal” which she said had proceeded in haste without due process or consultation.
Ms Mullens said the repercussions of having a 30 metre enforced easement on agricultural properties could be devastating.
“If it goes through vineyards they will not be able to plant over it, for people with stock grazing it’s a loss of grain, possibly windbreaks, there could be problems with accessing animals during calving, biosecurity problems with the carrying of seed, possibly phyloxera and faecal material from one property to another with all the construction vehicles coming on properties.
“There has been no consultation with us on any of these things,” she said.
At an informal meeting at their Melba Highway farm on Monday morning local residents met with anti-pipeline campaigner Jan Beer.
As a member of the Plug The Pipeline group, Ms Beer has been working with landowners in Eildon and Yea to put a stop to the pipeline project.
Many of the Dixons Creek landowners said they had only learnt of the project in the last six weeks and had had no formal notification before that.
Vineyard and Winery operator Graeme Miller said he was the only Dixons Creek representative invited to a recent meeting between the Shire of Yarra Ranges, the “Alliance Group” made up of Melbourne Water, Department of Sustainability and Environment and project management companies, and representatives of Yarra Glen community groups.
“I raised the point that there seemed to be no people present other than myself who appeared to have any threat of the pipeline going through their property,” Mr Miller said.
“They seemed to be concerned they would get a negative response but it’s obvious that the people who are going to be affected should have some say.
“But the time we get to have that say it will be too late.”
Mr Miller said it appeared to him there was a preference for going through private property because there were less environmental concerns.
Ms Beer urged all landowners along the Melba Highway to go to the Melbourne Water website and have a good look at the technical information.
“You need to know exactly what is proposed and what effect it will have on your properties,” she said.
There was further criticism of the communication process when Mr Miller advised that a number of community information meetings had been scheduled for November.
None of the group knew of the meetings, which do are not appear to be listed on the Melbourne Water pipeline information site fueling cynacism about the government’s commitment to involving the community in the process.
Information on the July meetings is however still available on the site.
It is believed the meetings are to be held in Toolangi and Kinglake on Saturday, 10 November, and in Yarra Glen on 17 November.
For information on Community Information Sessions contact David Hill, Melbourne Water manager communications and community on 9235 7290, or visit www.melbournewater.com.au/sugarloaf