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16 JUNE, 2026
Ducks in danger By Jack O’Shea-Ayres A Brookfield local has started a community petition calling for the installation of speed bumps on Black Dog Drive following concerns about speeding drivers and endangered wildlife. Roman Kondrat, a daily user of Black Dog Drive, said he started the petition after becoming sick of seeing dead birds on his daily commute. “Th is has been going on for at least several months from what I have seen,” Mr Kondrat said. “Personally I had to move two dead ducks and one swamphen off the road. Th is is not including others that I had found on the side of the road.” He believes the issue stems from drivers who speed along the bridge which extends above Arnolds Creek, where the birds’ habitats are situated.
Not everyone is an animal lover, but at the end of the day we have to share the road - Roman Kondrat
Above: Roman Kondrat is advocating for speed bumps along Black Dog Drive to slow down drivers for wildlife and ducks using the road to cross. 558105_03 Left: Arnolds Creek. (Pictures: Damjan Janevski) 558105_05
received reports on the issue, which led to the implementation of a range of safety measures. “Council has received previous reports on this matter and has undertaken
rreviews and assessments w which resulted in the iimplementation of a range o of safety measures in the aarea, including installation o of a roundabout at the iintersection of Black Dog D Drive and Campaspe Crescent, in installation of pedestrian r refuge islands and traffic Islands at various intersections, a speed reduction from 60km/h to 50km/h along Black Dog Drive, and line marking of parking lanes to narrow the road and slow motorists down,” the spokersperson said.
“Council is investigating the current report to determine if further measures are required.” Mr Kondrat’s petition has close to 100 signatures. He said instead of posting the petition online and expecting people to do the right thing, he preferred door-knocking and starting conversations with people around wildlife safety and the risk speeding poses to all road users. “People appreciate when you take the effort,” he said. “Not everyone is an animal lover, but at the end of the day we have to share the road.”
Helloworld Travel Bacchus Marsh
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“Seeing the way some drivers carelessly drive along that road, even in some cases when they can see the birds crossingg the road they would continue drivingg as if they weren’t there,” he said. d Mr Kondrat said he had contacted Melton council to notify it of hiss concerns and was told a traffic management officer would inspectt the area within four weeks, informingg him of the result. “I am waiting for a response,” he said. The issue has gotten so out of hand for Mr Kondrat that he has had to step in and help to remove wildlife from the road during peak-hour traffic, when risks are highest. “I just recently had to stop traffic to make sure ducks could pass safely across the road, and even then drivers were speeding past me,” he said. “Some good people stopped, and luckily the birds could cross safely.” A Melton spokesperson said council had