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15 JULY, 2025
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Clean-up in limbo By Oscar Parry An Environment Protection Authority (EPA) clean-up order issued to Moorabool council, which is estimated to cost council about $500,000, was heard in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) last week. The preliminary hearing against the EPA, started on Wednesday, July 9, and followed council being ordered by the EPA in June to clean up containers of industrial waste abandoned on a Crown road reserve. VCAT lists the location as the nature strip of 210 Lerderderg Park Road, Merrimu. According to council, the site in question is managed by it on behalf of the state government, and the cost of disposing the waste safely is estimated to be $500,000. Mayor Paul Tatchell said the EPA had been monitoring these container loads of harmful industrial waste since “at least late 2024” and questioned how they ended up on Crown land. “As a result of EPA inaction, they are now claiming the waste is now the responsibility of Moorabool ratepayers to remove and dispose of safety at a cost of half a million dollars … in our view, this
is patently unfair and is an unreasonable cost to ratepayers,“ he said. At the preliminary hearing, council asked for a stay on the EPA order that council clean up the site by July 25, and according to the council, a decision is expected on July 17. “The tribunal gave us a very fair hearing and asked many questions of both council and the EPA ... we have argued that the EPA ought exercise its powers under section 294 of the EPA Act to remove the trailers,” Cr Tatchell said. “In response, the EPA have said that if a stay is granted there is a possibility the EPA will do just that. We believe this would be an equitable outcome in all the circumstances.“ EPA Victoria south-west regional manager Martha-Rose Loughnane said EPA Victoria issued an environmental action notice to council on June 10. “Since March 2025, there has been extensive engagement between EPA and council regarding this issue,” Ms Loughnane said. “EPA is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the movement of the waste. “As the matter is now before the tribunal, EPA [is] unable to provide further comments.”
Eynesbury Environment Group member and bird walk leader Daryl Akers at Toolern Creek. (Damjan Janevski) 489352_06
Blissful bird walk in Melton A chance to see Melton’s lorikeets, ducks, and darters while enjoying the company of others – the Eynesbury Environment Group’s next guided bird walk will take attendees along Toolern Creek in Melton South this weekend. Toolern Creek forms a corridor for birds and other wildlife through Melton, and according to Eynesbury Environment Group member and bird walk leader Daryl Akers, there are a wide range of birds that attendees are likely to see, including rainbow lorikeets, black ducks, wood ducks, waterbirds, darters, cormorants and various colourful parrots.
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“Apart form seeing birds, of course, it’s basically just a chance to join [in] on a pleasant walk with pleasant scenery and good company,” Mr Akers said. “It’s a good social place to walk.” The walk will be along a paved footpath and attendees are encouraged to bring long pants, walking shoes, water, binoculars – which are also available to borrow – and a camera. It will begin at 9am and run for about an hour on Saturday, July 19, setting off from the beginning of the footpath at Tamar Drive, Melton South. Details: eynesbury.environment. group@gmail.com
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