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Tuesday, 15 February, 2022
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Sandown rezoning clears tax hurdle
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Grave concerns Community groups are outraged over a secret idea to build a cemetery memorial park on floodplains south of Dandenong Wetlands. Melbourne Water confirmed it has been âin talksâ with Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust about the site at 1564 Heatherton Road but with âno formal agreement in place ⌠at this stageâ. SMCT, which runs nine cemeteries including Springvale, Dandenong and Bunurong, has been searching for a further site in the south east. This was a âkey focusâ due to several of its existing cemeteries reaching âend-of-lifeâ, according to the trustâs recent annual report. Greater Dandenong councillors were recently briefed by SMCT on the plan, with reportedly scant details. The vast flood-prone plains that adjoin Dandenong Creek are little accessed by residents but crucial for flood mitigation and biodiversity, according to local groups. Greater Dandenong Environment Group secretary Judith Sise was âgobsmackedâ by the idea. Her group had long helped re-vegetate and monitor the site in question, Dandenong Wetlands and Tirhatuan Park as part of Melbourne Waterâs Living Links and Water Watch programs. âWe donât know anything about it. It makes a mockery of what weâve been doing there for 30 years as a group,â Ms Sise said. âItâs part of what weâve been trying to save. âFor Melbourne Water to contemplate this ⌠it should be the last bastion of protection. We canât believe it would have such poor values. âIt shows that money speaks louder than anything.â But for bike tracks along the boundary, the bird-watching âhot spotâ of 77 bird species â as well as native frogs, fish and lizards - is only accessible by a fire track. âIt was established as a wetlands, a natural area thatâs great for biodiversity,â Ms Sise said. âItâs the only little corridor in Dandenong
A track through Dandenong Wetlands, north of the proposed memorial park site. 267752 Picture: GARY SISSONS that links up to other areas to give Nature a chance to survive.â Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti said no formal application had been made to the council. The Dandenong floodplains were one of several sites being considered by SMCT, he said. âWe donât have the detail. At the moment itâs just an idea. âIâm a bit concerned about the loss of the wetlands and open spaces. âIâm not sure of the full scale of the application â whether it would be like the cemetery at Springvale which has so many facilities, cafes and restaurants. âIâll also hear the feedback from the community as well.â Other councillors said their impression was that SCMT preferred Dandenong because the land was âcheaperâ than other South East locations. The trust reportedly assured councillors that
it would protect wildlife such as the Myuna Wetlands flying-fox colony. A âflabbergastedâ Silvia Mastrogiovanni of Dandenong Community Association said it was another example of âdump it in Dandenongâ â citing the stateâs only toxic waste dump in Lyndhurst and permit approval for the stateâs first waste-to-energy âincineratorâ in Dandenong South. â(The State Government) just take us for granted. Weâre their dumping ground.â A fourth cemetery â to join Springvale, Dandenong and Bunurong - was not needed in Greater Dandenong, she said. âHow about taking care of the living first, for Godâs sake?â Ms Mastrogiovanni also questioned the risks of burials in flood plains. She noted that tombs in flood-prone US city New Orleans were often above ground. âIf thereâs a need for more cemetery lots, the flood plains are not the answer. âThe wetlands have been serving us well (as
a flood protection measure) â it it ainât broke, donât fix it.â Greens candidate for Bruce and former Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan said the wetlands were a flood protection âsafety valveâ for downstream Dandenong. He said the floodplain was set up in response to past floods in central Dandenong â one which sparked a Royal Commission. âThe land is zoned Urban Flood Zone for a reason - this is the safety valve for Dandenong residents and Dandenong businesses.â He labelled the plan as an âirresponsible and frankly unbelievable proposal in its sheer stupidity and lack of foresightâ. The cemetery would run counter to the State Governmentâs climate change adaption strategy, which promotes increased flood mitigation. âWhy would it be proposing to remove a measure that has worked well for decades and instead increase flood risks further here and further downstream? âThe State Government over the past 20 years in collaboration with councils has been re-vegetating this site, making it a sanctuary for both people and wildlife. âThey should continue doing this instead of putting forward hare-brained ideas for sites where you wouldnât build houses let alone below ground burial sites.â SCMT did not respond to Star Journalâs inquiries. It stated in its annual report that ânot only will the memorial park address burial capacity limitations within the region, it aspires to enhance passive and active recreation opportunities through carefully considered design. âIt is predicted that this provision of accessible parkland will add substantial community benefit, starting new conversations in the community and positioning SMCT as an industry thought leader. âSMCT has demonstrated experience in creating contemporary community memorial spaces with an overwhelmingly positive response to the Bunurong Memorial Park development in 2015.â
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