Eltham Community Action Group | Community organisation

Eltham Community Action Group

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25.01.2022 Ratepayers will presumably be footing the bill for repairs to Chapel Lane that council has scheduled to take place tomorrow and Friday after 'increased heavy vehicle traffic' damaged the road. Meanwhile residents have been waiting for weeks for council to actually make a decision on enforcing the planning scheme to bring an end to the illegal dumping of fill. Check out this excellent video on what has been happening.

24.01.2022 Essential reading with council elections only weeks off! This beautiful publication was mailed to the whole shire a few weeks ago. If the postman missed you or you'd like to read it online follow this link. https://wedgetales.org.au///WedgeTales-Election-Primer.pdf

24.01.2022 Fitzsimons Lane Roundabout November 2019! Fitzsimons Lane Roundabout Petition attracts 3000 signatures.... No mega intersection for Eltham !!! Save our iconic gateway! November 2020! A consortium has been selected. The mega intersection Reference Design (as seen at MRPV Information Session at Eltham Library March 2020) is being used as the basis for 'refined plans', NOT the VIABLE ALTERNATIVE RETAINING A ROUNDABOUT (see image below) submitted to MRPV by ECAG. Plans are set to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Contracts will be signed early 2021. YOU HAVE BEEN IGNORED! Read on! https://elthamaction.org.au//fitzsimons-lane-eltham-end-r/

23.01.2022 Astounding Council Green Wedge Planning Decision ..150 seat restaurant in a Rural Conservation Zone ...liquor licence for 365 days of the year, 8am to 10pm Sundays and 12 noon to 10pm all other days .. on land with an Environmental Significant Overlay.... No way! The 29 residents objecting must have thought so. But Nillumbik councillors approved it last night 4 votes to 3, merely amending the hours of operation - the restaurant will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays. A decision hardly in keeping with the intent of Green Wedge protections. This Bannons Lane Yarrambat proposal is first and foremost for a restaurant. An unknown number of olive and citrus trees will be planted in coming years. In the Green Wedge restaurants are allowed 'in conjunction with' agriculture so for example a vineyard may apply for a small cafe/restaurant to accompany cellar door sales. You would imagine the vines would have to already be producing fruit before a cafe would be permitted! The planning scheme states 'there must be an essential association between the two uses'. As Cr Brooker said, "there is no essential association between the use of the land as an olive/lemon grove and the operation of a restaurant. This restaurant can operate perfectly well without the olives and lemons." The 4 Nillumbik Councillors who passed this decision have ignored the planning scheme - what hope do we have to preserve the Green Wedge when decisions like this are made?

23.01.2022 Nillumbik Councillors 2020-2024! The tide has turned! Congratulations to the new councillors! And congratulations to Eltham residents for choosing local community candidates for ALL three Eltham wards!... Edendale..Natalie Duffy Swipers Gully.Frances Eyre Wingrove...Geoff Paine Blue Lake Richard Stockman Bunjil..Karen Egan Ellis..Peter Perkins Sugarloaf.Ben Ramcharan We are optimistic about the next four years in Nillumbik. THANKS - John Dumaresq Edendale had two excellent community minded candidates this election but unfortunately only one could be elected. Many thanks, John, for your unwavering commitment to and support of the Eltham community and environment during the past four years. Your support for the issues and values that ECAG has fought for has been much appreciated. Being a minority voice where the majority had a strong and not always transparent agenda was an unenviable position to be in but you consistently put forward the community’s views, voting against pro-development agenda items such as the sale of the former shire office site, and ‘calling in’ planning applications that threatened our valued treed neighbourhood character. Your calm and measured contributions to council meetings and insistence in always voting on the merits of each issue rather than down partisan lines have been most appreciated. The results of your work on trails including the Diamond Creek Trail, various sporting facilities, and the new Adventure Playground will be enjoyed into the future. Many thanks and all the best. We hope you keep involved. THANKS Grant Brooker Grant received 30% of first preferences in Blue Lake Ward but eventually lost to Richard Stockman. As councillor he was a hardworking, independent thinker and one of the minority ‘voice’ on council for the past four years. We may not have always agreed with you, Grant, but nevertheless always appreciated your unique and valuable input. It will be sadly missed. Thank you and best wishes.

22.01.2022 Council elections are not far away - if you're not on our mailing list you can read our latest updates at https://mailchi.mp/8a259bf35bf5/hope-for-new-eltham-council

21.01.2022 Community info Zoom session at 4pm today on the design of Greensborough & Montmorency stations. You need to register to attend https://engage.vic.gov.au//greensborough-and-montmorency-s

20.01.2022 My attempt to share what's going on around the place about now

20.01.2022 Whether it's: the failed federal candidate, also unsuccessful at state preselection (who has only just moved into Nillumbik) standing in Wingrove; the failed state election candidate (who doesn't live in Edendale) standing in Edendale; or the former political adviser (who isn't on the voter's roll in Swipers Gully) standing in Swipers Gully; we are concerned about the ever increasing appearance of politics in local government and how those who may aspire to become an ...MP might see being a councillor merely as stepping stone to achieve their main aim. We believe that those who make the best councillors are independent, local candidates who actually live in, know and are part of the community which they hope to represent. We maintain a good council should consist of individuals who consider becoming a councillor an end goal in itself rather than a springboard to a state or federal political career. ECAG's first choice of candidates in each of the three Eltham wards are independent, have no political aspirations, have lived for years in the wards in which they are standing and genuinely want to represent and advocate for the residents of their own specific local area. We hope you'll consider voting for them. Edendale John Dumaresq John Dumaresq for Edendale Ward - Nillumbik Council Swipers Gully: Frances Eyre Frances Eyre for Swipers Gully Wingrove: Geoff Paine Geoff Paine for Wingrove Authorised by the Eltham Community Action Group, PO Box 4 Eltham 3095

18.01.2022 WINGROVE CANDIDATES 2020 Sigrid McCarthy Wayne Alexander Brad Senese... Adrian Dinsdale Sharon Bonga Juanita Kottek Isabel Nalato Peter Djordjevic Wayne Kinrade Charlie Stutchbury Helen Coleman Peter Galtry Lou Dixon Geoff Paine Florie Mustafa Alex Grimes David Mulholland Chris Gregory Eighteen candidates! The record for this election! How will we choose? Apart from a google search and their web and facebook pages do you know any other relevant information? We'd all be keen to hear.

17.01.2022 https://source.asce.org/modern-roundabouts-boost-traffic-/

17.01.2022 Congratulations to the many members of the Eltham community who over the past few days have contacted councillors to express concerns with the Eltham Structure Plan. Despite Cr Clarke being adamant that there had been ample time to whip the Structure Plan into shape, he still felt the need to introduce a significant last-minute change to the plan, removing the proposed height increases to the west of Main Road. This will prevent all of Main Road in the town centre becoming a... canyon with 5-storey buildings either side. The eleventh-hour amendment also put paid to the Mayor Egan's repeated claims that in the Structure Plan "There are no higher stories (sic) anticipated at all." Without your individual contributions it is likely the four councillors would have passed the Plan with the increased heights so well done everybody! We can and will do everything we can to protect our wonderful neighbourhood!

17.01.2022 Provisional line up for Nillumbik Shire Council for the next 4 years.

15.01.2022 Nillumbik is in desperate need of a new council. Elections are looming and your vote is needed! Need to enrol or update your current address? Do so by August 28th. Enrol or check your enrolment at https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/... Under our current council: 17 local reserves, Old Shire Office Site and War Memorial Complex for sale, aborted Housing Strategy, predevelopment Eltham Activity Centre Structure Plan, Green Wedge Management Plan fiasco, invaluable local knowledge and experience loss due to massive staff turnover Your donation will help ECAG inform our community about ...issues relevant to their vote ...candidates we believe will oppose inappropriate development, protect our neighbourhood character, genuinely consult with residents, act with integrity and transparency. You can help us by making a direct EFT to Eltham Community Action Group BSB 633 000 Acct # 141 735 845 Friends of Nillumbik BSB 633 000 Acct # 174 306 522 or via Go Fund Me at gf.me/u/yqmjnk

15.01.2022 Not sure what message the lorikeets in the branches above were trying to give when they saw their home being redecorated today but they were certainly vocal. Maybe the same ones 'caught' here dining in the trees at the park roadside carpark.

15.01.2022 With only a few weeks left for this council, you might be forgiven for thinking that they wouldn’t be able to spend any more of ratepayers’ money on external consultants. However, rumour has it that councillors from the group of four have accused a fellow councillor of misconduct and have instigated a dispute resolution process and the engagement of an external lawyer. Watch this space for future developments...

12.01.2022 Guess what!!!! Tonight's FN meeting! Two subdivisions: 8 Bird St and 26 Warringah Crescent.... BOTH REFUSED! UNANIMOUSLY! Well done and thanks, Councillor Dumaresq, for calling them in. Officers recommended approving them. Eight or so residents spoke against each. John Dumaresq put an alternative motion ie to refuse. The refusal was passed unanimously. Yeah! A strong statement for our environment and neighbourhood character.

11.01.2022 Nillumbik Shire Council must not have read its own 99 page publication on the importance of planting locally indigenous plants before it came up with a Landscape Plan for Eltham Lower Park. How do these Sydney Basin lilies along with many other non-indigenous plants lined up in rows, laying of introduced turf and consideration of a watering system fit with how you'd like to see the Park? Click on the picture to see the full conversation!

11.01.2022 A Friendly Reminder! Have you posted your vote yet? Roughly 60% of ballot papers have arrived at the Nillumbik Electoral Office. What do you want for Eltham and Nillumbik over the next four years? It will be largely determined by whoever you elect so have your say now. Authorised by C Quinlan PO Box 4 Eltham 3095

10.01.2022 If you're a resident in Wingrove, when your ballot pack arrives in the coming weeks, you'll notice that Geoff Paine's candidate statement is missing. An unfortunate glitch means it did not make it into the VEC material, so, as Geoff's aims align with ECAG's in protecting what is special about Eltham, we'd like to share his candidate statement with you here https://mcusercontent.com//909be725-5d5a-49d6-a4/PAINE.pdf You can also find out more about Geoff at https://www.facebook.com/GeoffForWingrove

10.01.2022 Does anyone live near cnr Howgate & Pitt - a large mature gum tree possibly on Council land is being taken down now 1.40 pm Tuesday - can anyone get photos and find out what's the reason?

09.01.2022 Certain Nillumbik councillors lurch from bad to worse.

08.01.2022 SWIPERS GULLY CANDIDATES 2020 John Fecondo Frances Eyre Simone Cusack... John Melocco Henry Haszler Biljana Gerali Nerida Kirov Zac Lombardo Michelle Peterson Jerry Mustafa Mick Woroniuk Google ot check them out on Facebook. If you know any relevant information please share.

07.01.2022 Trees outside designated Bushfire Prone areas can no longer be removed under the guise of bushfire mitigation. A permit will be required. After lobbying the government for years, ECAG is delighted with this news, announced by the Minister for Planning yesterday. Read more at https://elthamaction.org.au//trees-not-in-designated-bush/

07.01.2022 Provisional results for one of the Eltham wards - we expect the VEC to officially declare the results tomorrow.

06.01.2022 ECAG, other community groups and locals have long argued that the Eltham War Memorial Buildings are special. We are delighted that they have been chosen, along with the Shrine of Remembrance and the War Cabinet Room, as one of 18 sites of significance that represent the transformative impact the Second World War had on Victoria. We trust that the Heritage Council of Victoria will acknowledge their significance by including the Eltham War Memorial Buildings on the Heritage Register at a hearing next February. https://www.wwiiathome.com.au/

05.01.2022 Hi Everyone - be positive - answer the survey 'Our People, Our Place, Our Future' .Council is asking for YOUR/OUR vision for Nillumbik. The survey is on Participate Nillumbik thru the Council website or search for it. You can also take part Thursday 11 with an on-line consultation 10-12, or in person, this Saturday 13 at St Andrews Market or the Eltham Farmers Market this Sunday 14, 9-2pm

05.01.2022 With people in our community going through so much personally at the moment, with job uncertainty, home school tantrums our mental health is already stretched b...eyond limits. I am sorry to bring up more bad news, but 2 years ago a community of people from this page came together and acted and made real difference we stopped the sale of 14 community reserves. Right now further out in ‘Our Green Wedge Shire’ a little place between Nutfield and Doreen there are hundreds of truck loads of dirt and rubble being dumped on Green Wedge land everyday, residents once quiet roads are being severely degraded. If you would like to know more I would encourage you to join their page ‘Chapel Lane Community’. They can’t put up signs or hold a rally right now because we are all trying to do our bit for a health crisis. The local council elections are coming up in about 2 months time, I really encourage everyone to do your homework and look into candidates history, look at your current Councillor have they had your best interests at heart. What was their position on: -Selling community reserves -Privatisation of Edendale Farm -Selling land on Main Road including Kindergarten and Senior Citz halls. -Making changes to the Green Wedge Management Plan -And now this dumping soil from all around in the Green Wedge. What I am most grateful for during this health crisis is we live in a beautiful community, we can easily go for nice walks within 5km’s and be in glorious nature to make us feel good, and we have a community of people who are supportive and kind. Stay well everyone

05.01.2022 Bruce Ranken has resigned from Council immediately and Peter Clarke has announced he is not standing for re-election today. So there will be a change in names but will there be a change in philosophy?

04.01.2022 Provisional results for the final Eltham ward.

04.01.2022 Eltham North this afternoon.

03.01.2022 Help me please! A reminder only days left to have your say! Deadline: Sunday 28 March by 11.59pm. https://www.participate.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/our-future I wan...t to know what you love & loathe about Nillumbik. I want to know what you want for our future. Please have your say by completing Nillumbik Shire Council's "Our People, Our Place, Our Future" survey so we can spend our rate money in the way most people want. This is the big kahuna of community engagement & will form the data to design Council's 10 year Vision & the Council Plan for the next 4 years. So now is the time to formally say what you want. Get your kids, your neighbours & your clubs to fill out a survey too! Be quick to click the link below: Deadline is Sunday 28 March 2021, 11.59pm https://www.participate.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/our-future Today, Council has just over 400 surveys completed & it would be great to get 1000 voices to have their say. I hope you will include your voice as your voice counts & needs to be heard.

02.01.2022 EDENDALE CANDIDATES 2020 Stuart Sinclair Colin Hall Michael O’Shannassy... Jason McClintock Cr John Dumaresq Natalie Duffy Meralyn Klein Keith Sewell-Staples David Sweeney Wassim Daghash Do you know any of the candidates or anything about any of them? If you do, or you find relevant information by googling or checking Facebook, please share.

02.01.2022 Another planning permit application for 14-16 Taylor St !! (Application No. 837/2020/03P) Not EIGHT dwellings this time around but TWELVE !!... TWELVE dwellings of two, three and four bedrooms Two and three storeys plus basement car park How does this proposal sit with the rest of the dwellings in Taylor St? How does it respect and add to the landscape character of the area? Does it provide a diversity in housing in built form that is ‘compact and modest in scale’ as required by policy? View the plans at: https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au//Planning-permits-adverti Object online at https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au//Objecting-to-a-planning- Or by emailing [email protected] Application No 837/2020/03P If possible contact Council by March 19th or as soon after that as possible.

01.01.2022 Final week of Council Consultation events on Our People, Our Place, Our Future. On-line Tuesday 16 - 2-4pm, in person Friday 10th Wattle Place 2-5pm, Saturday 20th Eltham Town Square 9am -3pm, Sunday 21 Diamond Creek Activity Centre 10-4pm and then Saturday 27th Diamond Creek Playspace and around, 10-4pm