Protesters out in force over Griggs Creek proposed bridge

The Geelong Advertiser reports today (12 September 2011) that hundreds of protesters turned out on Sunday 11 September to protest the proposed bridge over Griggs Creek to link Bayshore Ave with the Jetty Road development

"... About 200 locals banded together in a show of solidarity  with many donning red  to protest a planned bridge at Griggs Creek which would link Bayshore Ave with the Jetty Rd housing development.

Drysdale-Clifton Springs Community Association secretary Patrick Hughes said the bridge would have a huge impact on the locals as heavy construction traffic streamed through to build houses at the 310-acre development..."

"People don't want the bridge, people don't need the bridge, and it's a total contradiction of council policy," Mr Hughes said... 

Safeway Drysdale healthy supermarket tour

On Wednesday September 14, a healthy supermarket tour will be held for 2 hours for people living with diabetes/prediabetes at the Safeway Supermarket in Drysdale.

A dietician will show you how to find suitable everyday foods which are healthy.

To book phone 1300 136 588 - Diabetes Australia

Cost is $15 or $10 for members.

Equathon on again - Sunday October 30

The Equathon is on not in Drysdale this time but in Lara at Elcho Park on Sunday 30 October 2011. The Equathon combines 3 disciplines in the one event - swimming, running and show jumping.

Teams and individual competitors are invited to compete.

Entries close Monday 24 October 2011

Details area available from Ernie Fontaine - Co-ordinator Equathons Victoria.

Contact: 5264 1730 or 0421 210178. Email: esprit1@bigpond.com

Jayco Herald Sun tour Cyclists coming to Drysdale Oct 14

The Bellarine Times (30 August 2011 issue page 7) reports that the Jayco Herald Sun Tour cyclists will be in Drysdale for the stage three finish of the road race on Friday October 14.

The Jayco tour course map is available.

The Tour route is:

Date		Stage		Location	Format
Wed 12 Oct		Stage 1		Whittlesea to Ballarat	Road Race
Thu 13 Oct		Stage 2		Ballarat to Geelong	Road Race
Fri 14 Oct		Stage 3		Geelong to Bellarine Peninsula	Road Race
Sat 15 Oct		Stage 4		Sorrento to Arthurs Seat	Road Race
Sun 16 Oct		Stage 5		Melbourne	Circuit Race

The Committee for Bellarine is organising activities around the day. Contact them for more information.

Drysdale in pink on Oct 7 to support breast cancer research

The Bellarine Times ( 30 August 2011 issue, p 5) reports that Drysdale residents will be wearing pink on October 7 to support fundraising for breast cancer research.

Fundraising hats and badges will be for sale.  All money raised will go towards supporting breast cancer research and programs.

For details contact Annette Campbell or Carol Healy at Bellarine Gift Haven on 5253 3388.

Clifton Springs Griggs Creek Bridge fight going to VCAT

Two local papers this week ran stories on the battle local Clifton Springs residents are having with the City of Greater Geelong over the proposed building of a bridge over Griggs Creek linking Bay Shore Ave with the Jetty Road housing development led by L. Bisnella Developments.

The Bellarine Independent reports in an article on August 26, 2011, by Kim Waters entitled "Go tell it to VCAT" that:

"Planning Minister Matthew Guy has shot down objections to a proposed bridge at Clifton Springs, according to a lead objector.

John Boland said Mr Guy suggested the 824 people who signed a petition against the bridge should take their fight to a Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal hearing in October"...

Mr Guy's letter recommended VCAT as the appropriate authority to consider the objections..."

The Echo on Thursday 25 August 2011 reported in an article entitled: "Springs bridge fears" by Martin Watters that:

"Dangerous traffic volumes, land-slip fears and lost Aboriginal artefacts are the reasons cited by hundreds of Clifton Springs residents voicing their disapproval of a planned bridge to estate land...

The protests accuse City Hall of approving the cheapest option in catering for heavy traffic, which residents say will pose a danger to school children and the elderly.

Under the City of Greater Geelong's master plan for the area, the development was originally planned to be serviced by a north-south road through the middle of the estate to cater for traffic during construction and when finished.

But residents became concerned when told that road would not be built for 15 years, if at all..."

A letter to the editor in the Echo on Thursday August 25, 2011 by Gary Dean from Clifton Springs states:

"The City of Greater Geelong is supporting an application to go before VCAT to construct a bridge over Griggs Creek at Bayshore Ave, Clifton Springs, against overwhelming opposition of 864 signatures on a petition, which is growing rapidly as more and more residents become aware of council's plan.

We oppose the bridge, not the new estate, due to a number of genuine concerns.

No north/south road from Portarlington Rd for up to 15 years.

COGG confirms that up to 3000 vehicles a day could use our residential streets should the bridge construction go ahead with the blessing of council....

The concerns of residents and ratepayers in the Clifton Springs/Drysdale communities seems to pale into insignificance when compared to the interests of developers in the eyes of this council...

We need to do everything in our power to stop this bridge."

DryClift Days August 25, 2011 also reports: "Interest grows in 'rogue bridge'":

"The City of Greater Geelong's (CoGG) decision to allow an 'unlimited load' bridge to be built from Bayshore Avenue into the northern end of the Jetty Road Urban Growth Area is attracting growing opposition and media interest.

Residents argue that an 'unlimited load' bridge would take a heavy toll on their way of life, on their safety and on their fragile natural environment and cultural heritage. A decision of this sort of significance would normally be subject to public scrutiny through the formal planning process, but local people heard about this 'rogue bridge' only once the council had decided to allow it. 864 residents have signed a petition to state Planning Minister Matthew Guy, calling on him to intervene in the issue..."

Another example of council pandering to the wants of real estate developers and not of their consituents. The VCAT hearing is listed for 26 October 2011.

Drysdale based Geelong Show Jumping Club profiled in the Bellarine Independent

The Geelong Show Jumping Club which is based at Lake Lorne Reserve in Drysdale was profiled in last Friday's Bellarine Independent.

The article entitled "Club Rides the Jumps", by John Van Klaveren, 19 August 2011 is available online - some sinippets:

"... president Tom Lupton said the sport had a healthy local junior section as well, fed by the many pony clubs around the region.

The club held its major event, the August Show last weekend at Geelong Showgrounds. The event is traditionally considered the start of the showjumping season, with state and national riders using it as a warm-up for high profile competitions at the Adelaide and Melbourne shows...

Tom said Geelong was one of the biggest horse areas in the state, second only to the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley region.

“We run a junior show every Australia Day weekend aimed at pony club level. The pony clubs are an important feeder and means we have a big junior following in our club.”...

Established in 1978, Geelong Showjumping Club is based at Drysdale’s Lake Lorne Reserve.

Tom said more information about the club was available by phoning him on Tom 0409 209 388 or visiting geelongshowjumping.com.au..."

Dam at the end of Ryan Court - no more

The dam created by the Geelong Council at the end of Ryan Court was a doozy. Who would have thought affected residents should be consulted prior to Council building it?
Background on this is available from:

• Who you gonna call? Dam busters! DryClift Days, August 1, 2011 - "One morning in early March 2011, residents of Ryan Court, Drysdale found contractors digging a large hole at the bottom of their sloping road, immediately outside the last house in the street. They were told that it was to be a 'Bio-retention Basin', which was intended to filter impurities from the storm water running down their street. This was the first that the residents had heard of this decision..."
• Busting 'urban dams' DryClift Days August 17, 2011 - "DCSCA members and friends in Ryan Court, Drysdale, have been assured by the City of Greater Geelong that it will fill-in a two feet deep unfenced hole that it excavated at the bottom of their road.... Council officers told the residents that the council had sent them a letter in 2010, telling them that the dam would be created. No-one received such a letter. Had they been asked, residents could have pointed out that young children live near the dam, which is in the middle of a well-used local shortcut across a creek..."
• 'Dam busters' win battle of Drysdale, by Kim Waters, Bellarine Independent, 19 August 2011. DRYSDALE residents have claimed victory in a six-month battle against an “urban dam” at the end of their court, according to a lead objector.
  Ryan Court resident Lesley Bennett started a “vigorous protest” after council gave the green light for the 18-square-metre “water retention basin” in March.
  Mrs Bennett said the dam, on open land at the end of Ryan Court, filled up after one day of heavy rain.

Central Walk Drysdale advertising privately owned land as part of their development

There have been quite a few objectors to the way the new Central Walk Drysdale subdivision has been marketed. Many private properties have been included in the plan without the agreement of the individual owners.

The Bellarine Independent reported in "Plan was City idea: developer" on Friday 19 August 2011 that

CITY Hall asked developers to include private properties in advertising for a new Drysdale residential estate, according to the company behind the project.

Urban Land Developments director Ross Closter said council endorsed a development plan that appeared in advertising for the estate.

Mr Closter said the City requested that he include the privately owned properties surrounding the development to show how the area “could be one integrated development site”.

The Independent revealed last week that residents surrounding the estate were “surprised” to see their properties for sale as part of the development.

Seems like all this Council wants to do is give real estate developers what they want at the expense of local residents. Must be only 15 months to the next election.....!

Planning Permits - Drysdale Clifton Springs July 2011

From the Geelong Council Monthly Decision Report - July 2011 - Geelong Council Agenda 23 August 2011.

369/2011 - 124 Clifton Springs Road, Drysdale VIC 3222 Two lot subdivision 6 July 2011 - Notice of Decision to Grant a Planning Permit Delegated Authority - 2 Objectors

144/2011 - 142-170 Whitcombes Road, Drysdale VIC 3222 Use and development of a caretakers house 8 July 2011 - Refusal to Grant a Planning Permit - Development Hearings Panel