Friends of Banyule is dedicated to the
protection of the Banyule Flats, Warringal Parklands, Yarra Flats,
Bolin Bolin Billabong and other significant green wedge areas in
our community now and for future generations.
No Freeway through Banyule
What is our campaign 'No to the North-East Link
freeway' about?
Following the announcement by the State Government in December
2008 to build a freeway/tollway connecting from the Western Ring
Road to the Eastern Freeway, representatives from the community
formed Friends of Banyule. Friends of Banyule is
a not-for-profit community organisation dedicated to the protection
of the natural spaces in our community that are
threatened by the proposed freeway/tunnel/viaduct. A map of
the proposed freeway/tunnel/viaduct that was published in the
Victorian Transport Plan is on the following link
Is Friends of Banyule affiliated with other
groups?
Friends of Banyule have formed a coalition with other
groups such as Warringal Conservation Society, Protectors of Public Lands and the Coalition of
Transport Action Groups. We have come together to
campaign to protect such places that include Banyule Flats,
Warringal Parklands, Yarra Flats and Bolin Bolin Billabong. These
spaces comprise a major north-south wildlife corridor in
Banyule and surrounding areas.
Why are we campaigning against the
freeway/tunnel/viaduct?
- The freeway/tunnel/viaduct will do nothing to reduce Greenhouse
Gas Emissions and Global Warming
- We need to support a modal shift by helping
to improve our local public transport network and thereby
reducing dependance on private car use
- Building more roads will not solve congestion problems in
local areas (as evidenced by studies done around the world and
closer to home, reports available on the recently completed East
Link freeway/tunnel)
- The freeway/tunnel/viaduct and its construction will cause loss
of amenities to existing parkland. Twelve (12) storey, 30 metre
exhaust vents will need to be built every 800m to 1km
- The freeway/tunnel/viaduct will serve largely as a freight
connection which does little for resolving congestion on local
roads.
- The freeway/tunnel/viaduct is likely to divide our
community and result in local residents having more difficulty in
accessing public services and amenities such as schools, shops and
transport
- With a price tag currently estimated at $6 billion dollars in
2006, there are cheaper and more sustainable transport solutions
for our area
Why protect Banyule & Yarra Flats, Warringal Parklands
and Bolin Bolin Billabong?
Our local parklands hold significant environmental, cultural,
historical and artistic significance (eg. the Heidelberg School of
painters).
|
|
In an age of shrinking backyards and an ever-increasing
urbanised metropolis such as Melbourne, these natural spaces are
much more than sanctuaries for our native wildlife and remnant
flora - they are places for individuals, families and groups to
play, have festivals, relax and sometimes to simply enjoy the
wildlife and flora that exist in these spaces. These places have
important cultural and social significance, and they need our
protection. Climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and noise
pollution further strengthen the argument that building more
freeways is not the right direction to take.
Our aim is to give our natural spaces a voice, and to lobby State,
Federal and Local governments to protect them for wildlife, for our
community and for future generations, and to propose sustainable
transport options rather than freeways.
|
|
Back to top
Proposed Freeway Route
The route has been based on the GHD Report & discussions with
the 'Linking Melbourne Authority' (formerly South Eastern
Integrated Transport Authority (S.E.I.T.A.)). The
entire GHD Report is available in PDF
format. The GHD Report file size = 13.81MB &
references to the proposed North Link (North-East
Link) freeway/tunnel/viaduct are available from the index
pages. A map of the proposed freeway/tunnel/viaduct also
appears on the VicRoads website at
However, this route is by no means conclusive as there has been
no firm committment of the exact location of the route from
VicRoads, the Linking Melbourne Authority, Victorian Department
of Transport, nor our politicians.
This means that there are a number of available options for the
route of proposed freeway/tunnel/viaduct. Land/house
acquisitions within a wide band of land to either side of
the large 'red dots' is therefore not out of the
question. Friends of Banyule will continue to
seek clarification of the route from the relevant authorities
however, we are well aware that one of their strategies would
be to not disclose the exact route, nor to propose
alternatives too early in their project, as this gives the
community less time to mount any protest.
Click on the following link for a printable copy of our
map. [based on the GHD Report commissioned by
the Victorian State Government]
Click on the following link for a fact sheet from the Victorian Government
Transport Plan which references the North East Link
Click on the following link for a copy of the Victorian Government Transport Plan map of the
proposed North-East link published
[ MAP 2. Alternative Map of the Freeway
Route - passing through Rivergum Walk, Heidelberg
.....map to be inserted here ]
Back to top
|
|
For the freeway/tunnel/viaduct to proceed, changes
to our landscape may include:
- Acquisition of Watsonia Barracks land
- Installation of sound walls along Greensborough Road from the
Western Ring Road to Lower Plenty Road
- Possible interference with land at Heide Museum of Modern Art
at the tunnel exit points at Manningham Road
- Likely loss of current parkland and damage to the same caused
by 'staging areas' for tunnel construction at the entry and exit
points of the tunnel
- Interchanges that will have to built at each end to allow entry
and exit points from the tunnel/freeway
- Land acquisitions and sound walls along Bulleen Road
- Fly overs along above ground sections of freeway (Greensborough
Road and Bulleen Road)
|
|
Back to top
What else can I do?
Contact your State, Federal and Local Government
representatives and let them know YOU object to the North-East
Link freeway.
What do our State Politicians think about the
proposed
Freeway/Tunnel/Viaduct?
LABOUR
Anthony Carbines - pre-selected Labour
Candidate for Ivanhoe
|
Anthony Carbines
|
I do not support an above ground freeway through
Banyule. Action is required to improve our suburbs and stop trucks
using local roads. We have to make it easier for residents to get
between home, work, school and leisure.
The State Government proposes a tunnel between Lower
Plenty Road and the Eastern Freeway - the North East Link. A tunnel
would safeguard the Banyule Flats and the Yarra River from any
freeway development.
We need community consultation to assess the tunnel
plan. Expansion of public transport remains my priority.
The Smart Bus is a welcome new service. Extra bus
and train services plus the expansion of the bike path network
between Banyule and the city are key projects for Banyule
residents.
|
GREENS
Paul Kennedy - Greens Candidate for
Ivanhoe
|
Paul Kennedy
|
I don't support a surface freeway as it will divide our
community and destroy our precious parklands. I view the tunnel
proposal with skepticism; the huge price will result in the State
government compromising to cut costs, with the end result being a
surface freeway. In any case more roads simply add to congestion
which makes no sense as we work to address Climate Change.
The existing congestion on our roads needs a real solution. This
solution is the Greens transport plan. It includes the
expansion of public transport for commuters and investment in the
freight rail network to remove trucks from the roads.
I am a regular user of the Banyule Flats and Warringal Parklands
and I appreciate the Friends of Banyule for campaigning to protect
the area. Melbourne's 'most liveable' status depends on parks and
open spaces like these.
|
|
LIBERAL
Liberal Candidate not yet
pre-selected
What do our Councillors think about the proposed
Freeway/Tunnel/Viaduct?
We have asked Banyule Councillors to provide their views on the
proposed North-East Link for publishing here on our website.
Here is the email letter that has been sent to all
Councillors :
Dear Councillor .....
We have set up a space on our website for
elected representatives such as yourself, to
provide you with an
opportunity to inform our members, supporters
and the general public in relation
to your views concerning the North-East Link
freeway project which
the Victorian State government
proposes to construct through the City of
Banyule.
In particular, could you please
advise:
- whether you favour or oppose this
proposal
- what if any other measures do you believe
should be implemented to provide a sustainable transport
solution
Please provide us with your thoughts in
120 words and reply by March 22,
2010 to info@friendsofbanyule.org
We would like to sincerely thank the
following Councillors for their views on the questions posed
by Friends of Banyule
- Mayor, Cr. Wayne Phillips, Cr. Anthony
Carbines and Cr. Tom Melican.
Banyule City Council
Mayor:
|
Cr Wayne Phillips - Beale Ward
Mobile: 0408 999 189
wayne.phillips@banyule.vic.gov.au
|
Thank you for the offer. Your group would be
aware of Council position which has not changed. I have nothing
further I can add at this stage as it is a State issue. I suggest
you contact all local State members of parliament for
the latest position.
Regards Wayne Phillips
|
|
Councillors :
|
Cr Anthony Carbines - Olympia Ward
Mobile: 0408 523 472
anthony.carbines@banyule.vic.gov.au
|
I do not support an above ground freeway through
Banyule. Action is required to improve our suburbs and stop trucks
using local roads. We have to make it easier for residents to get
between home, work, school and leisure.
The State Government proposes a tunnel between Lower
Plenty Road and the Eastern Freeway - the North East Link. A tunnel
would safeguard the Banyule Flats and the Yarra River from any
freeway development.
We need community consultation to assess the tunnel
plan. Expansion of public transport remains my priority.
The Smart Bus is a welcome new service. Extra bus
and train services plus the expansion of the bike path network
between Banyule and the city are key projects for Banyule
residents.
|
|
|
Cr Tom
Melican - Ibbott Ward
Mobile: 0413 043 015
tom.melican@banyule.vic.gov.au
|
It is clear that something needs to be done to
protect the amenity of residents on Rosanna Road and Greensborough
Road, however the experience to date has shown that building more
roads has only encouraged more vehicle usage and has not resolved
traffic congestion.
The Northern Ringroad heading west is already
congested and there is an existing significant bottleneck at
the city end of the Eastern Freeway.
A link joining these freeways will attract
more vehicles and add to this congestion.
The link is expected to cost between $6B to
$10B, it will divide Banyule in half and have significant
environmental and social impacts. There needs to be a full cost
benefit analysis to determine if this proposed
link will resolve traffic congestion and if it will help to build a
sustainable transport system. A thorough investigation is
needed to decide if a similar amounts of money being
spent on rail freight capacity and public transport
improvements would provide a better social, environmental
and mobility outcomes now and into the
future.
|
|
Councillor information for Banyule City Council is
also available on their website. Click on this link
Manningham City Council
Councillors: are listed on the following link
http://www.manningham.vic.gov.au/council/councillors_and_wards.html?s=457635905
Members Of Parliament
Back to top
Electoral Statistics - Swing required to change district
in 2010
Become a member of Friends of
Banyule
Join Friends of Banyule - our membership fees are kept
low at $15.00 per annum and you will receive our Newsletters,
updates and information about our ongoing 'No to the North-East
Link freeway' campaign and have voting rights for our
Association.
Join by post
Print, complete and send your completed Membership
form with a cheque or money order to:
Friends of Banyule
PO Box 577
Heidelberg VIC 3084
Printable Membership form (PDF, 34Kb)
If you would like us to post you a copy of the Membership form,
please email us or phone Sharon on 0413 166
826. Leave a message if unattended.
Join by internet
Step 1
Send your $15.00 annual membership fee via Electronic Funds
Transfer (EFT) to Friends of Banyule Inc.
Bank : Bendigo Bank
Branch : Fountain Court, Bendigo
BSB : 633 108
Account no : 1359 89424
Step 2
Download your printable Membership form (PDF,
34Kb) then email your signed copy back to Friends of
Banyule.
Your membership fee will help to support our ongoing campaign
costs such as printing of flyers, participation in community events
and website hosting.
Back to top
Renew your Membership
For those members who joined Friends of Banyule
towards the end of 2008 or early 2009, your Membership for 2010 is
now due and you will have received notification by either email or
post on how to renew. Details are also below for your information
:
1. Renew Online by emailing
us a copy of your 2010 Membership Renewal Form & transferring
your $15.00 membership fee via EFT (Electronic Funds
Transfer) to our bank account :
Account Name : Friends of Banyule Inc.
Bank : Bendigo Bank
BSB : 633 108
Account No : 1359 89424
or
2. Renew by Post by sending your cheque or
postal order to Friends of Banyule Inc. & posting
to : PO Box 577, Heidelberg 3084 together with a copy
of your 2010 Membership Renewal Form
Back to top
Friends of
Banyule FAQ
What is our Campaign 'NO' to the North-East Link
Freeway/Tunnel/Viaduct about?
Q : Is Friends of Banyule affiliated with
other groups?
A : Friends of Banyule have formed a
coalition with other groups such as Warringal Conservation Society,
Protectors of Public Lands and the Coalition of Transport Action
Groups.
Q : What are of Friends of Banyule
working with these groups, endeavouring to achieve and what are its
main aims?
A : We have come together as a coalition to
campaign to protect significant conservation areas in our
municipality including Banyule Flats, Warringal parklands, Yarra
Flats and Bolin Bolin Billabong and to oppose construction of a
freeway/tunnel through these green open spaces which make up
a major North-South wildlife corridor & recreation resource in
Banyule and surrounds.
Q : Why are we campaigning against the
tunnel?
A : The freeway and tunnel will do
nothing to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Global Warming
and will in fact add to it.
- We need to support modal shift and improvement our local public
transport network to reduce dependence on private car
usage.
- Building more freeways will not solve congestion in local areas
(i.e. East Link). Additional traffic generated will be
funneled into locations elsewhere causing further
congestion and pollution on our road networks and in
local areas
- The tunnel and its construction will cause loss of amenity to
existing parkland. 12 storey (30m) Exhaust vents will need to be
built every 800m to 1km. Much of the length of the proposed
link will be above ground as tunneling in this location would be
prohibitively expensive and geologically difficult as it requires
tunneling under the Yarra
- The freeway will serve largely as a freight connection with few
access/egress points along its route, which does little for
resolving congestion on local roads
- The freeway is likely to divide our community and result in
local residents having difficulty in accessing public services and
amenities such as schools, shops and transport (eg; Eastern
Freeway/Burnley Tunnel)
- With a price tag currently estimated at 6 Billion Dollars there
are cheaper and sustainable alternative transport solutions for our
area i.e.; light rail connection from Clifton Hill to Doncaster
along Eastern Freeway reserve, linking up with Bulleen Rd, improved
bus/rail connections to facilitate better access to transport
options
- Transport management options should include limiting heavy
vehicle usage eg. access times/maximum speeds/lane restrictions,
etc, on arterial roads, such as Rosanna Road & Greensbrough
Roads
Q: For the freeway/tunnel to proceed, what
changes to our landscape might this include?
A: From the various meetings and examination
of government reports and documents we believe this may include the
following:
- Acquisition of land at Watsonia Barracks along Greensbrough
Road and potential construction of above ground freeway along this
section
- Potential impact on land at Heide Museum of Modern Art at the
tunnel exit points at Manningham Road
- Likely loss of significant parts of current parkland and damage
to the same caused by 'staging areas' for tunnel construction at
the entry and exit points of the tunnel
- Interchanges including over and underpasses that will have to
built at each end to allow entry and exit points from the
tunnel/freeway
- Potential compulsory Land acquisitions of residential
properties, likely to be announced late in the process making it
difficult for residents to adequately respond, with the government
equivocating on how, when and precisely where, these will
occur
- ikely construction of fly-overs along above ground sections of
freeway (Greensborough Road and Bulleen Road) and high
and visibly intrusive sound walls along Bulleen Road, as well as
potentially, along the green open space reserve from Lower Plenty
Rd to Warringal Park.
A copy of the FAQ is also available here in PDF format.
Back to top
Merchandise
We have designed a set of three (3) beautiful
greeting cards featuring images from Banyule Flats and the
Warringal Parklands. Your donation will be gratefully
received for the cards and all funds raised will go towards our
ongoing campaign against the North-East Link freeway.
Example of one of our cards. To order please click
here. 
Back to top
Visitor Books
Are you a regular walker? Do you enjoy talking to the local
community? Would you like to help document the importance of our
local Parklands?
- then ask us for a Visitors Book!
The Visitor Book enables everyone who visits
our area to record and express why they love their local
Banyule parklands and you can be the custodian of a Friends of
Banyule Visitors Book, to collect comments and signatures.
Back to top
Activities and Achievements
Friends of Banyule was founded in July 2008
and incorporated as an Association in September 2008. A copy
of the following Activities & Achievements for
2008-2009 is also available for download here
- Our first public meeting was on 18 December 2008, one
week after the release of the Victorian Transport Plan. The
Victorial Transport Plan announced that the North East Link Freeway
was to be built between the end of the Western Ring Road and the
Eastern Freeway Our Steering Committee was formed to put into
action a strategy to oppose the North East Link freeway and protect
Banyule's unique conservation assets.
At this meeting we declared our Mission Statement that we
"would fight and oppose the planned North-East Link freeway until
the project was abandoned"
- Since February 2009 the Steering Committee has met
monthly at these premises
- Over the past 10 months Friends of
Banyule Steering Committee members attended a number of
Council Meetings to :
- Provide a submission to ask the Banyule City Council to
pass a motion declaring that the Council opposes the planned
freeway
- Provide a submission of support in relation to Banyule
Flats Heritage Listing
- Ask Banyule Council to renew a motion passed in August
2008 that Council is opposed to the freeway in light of the Major
Transport Facilitations Act
- Since February 2009 we have published Newsletters via
email
- On 18 February 2009, members of the Steering
Committee attended a Public Meeting about the North-East Link
freeway
- In line with our objective to protect and preserve our
unique public assets in Banyule, we participated in the Banyule
Heritage Review in March 2009
- On 29 March 2009 Friends of Banyule attended
the Banyule Festival together with Warringal Conservation Society,
to inform the wider community about the proposed route of the
freeway and cheaper and more sustainable transport
solutions
- We also produced an aerial map showing the proposed route
of the freeway for discussion with residents and provision of
information
- In April 2009 a submission was made to the Banyule
Community Plan on behalf of Friends of Banyule and
Warringal Conservation Society
- On a number of occasions Friends of Banyule featured on
local Community Radio Stations 3CR and 3AW with information about
our campaign and calls for our community to protest against the
planned freeway
- On 3 April 2009 Friends of Banyule, Warringal
Conservation Society and Protectors of Public Lands met with Greg
Barber MLC to discuss the proposed Freeway and our campaign
strategy
- Meetings with Department of Defence personel early in the
year resulted in the provision of detailed records of environmental
practices at Simpson Barracks on 23rd April 2009
- On 1 May 2009 Friends of Banyule joined with
Protectors of Public Lands and Warringal Conservation Society in an
alliance to meet with S.E.I.T.A., the South Eastern Integrated
Transport Authority (S.I.E.T.A.), to find out more about the
planned route for the freeway
- On 6 May 2009, Friends of Banyule attended a
Consultation Meeting in relation to the Sills Bend Master Plan. The
meeting was convened by Jeff Parks, City of Banyule. Discussion
centred around an analysis prepared by Hansen Partners to assist
Council in preparing a Master Plan for the Sills Bend area.
Groups represented : Friends of Banyule, Warringal
Conservation Society, Heidelberg Historical Society, Parks
Victoria, Melbourne Water and Heidelberg Football Club. |
All groups agreed the area needs to remain as is a quiet
reflective place and key issues discussed included: 1994 Warringal
Parklands Landscape Plan recommendations, area access,
environmental impacts, festival organization, tree management,
heritage and recreation issues
- On 16 June 2009 Friends of Banyule organised a
Protest Meeting at the Bellfield Community Centre against the
planned Freeway
- In July Friends of Banyule sent an Open Letter
in relation to the campaign against the North-East Link freeway to
over 120 community oroups, schools, organisations and clubs
- asking for their support
- In August 2009 we met with Cr Anthony Carbines who had
been pre-selected to stand in the seat of Ivanhoe (Labour) for a
general discussion
- In October 2009, a submission was prepared on behalf of
Friends of Banyule in relation to the Inquiry into the impact of
the State Government's decision to change the Urban Growth
Boundary.
- This submission was presented in person to the
Parlimentary Committee on October 20.
- We have been working on the upgrade of our website which
is now more 'interactive'. Please visit our new Transport
Forum feedback page at /public-transport.aspx
and let us know what you think
- Last week we were advised by Banyule City Council that we
had been successful in the application for the 2009 Community
Development Grant to facilitate a virtual tour of Banyule Flats on
our website. The grant is to the value of $2000 and will enable us
to showcase the unique historical, cultural and environmental
community assets of this natural landscape in the City of
Banyule
In brief, the strategy for opposing the North-East Link
freeway through Banyule for the end of 2009 and into 2010 will
focus on :
- Increasing pressure on all political fronts to have this
project abandoned
- Proposal of better and lower-cost transport
solutions
- Lobbying for improvements to congestion for main arterial
roads eg. Rosanna Road now, not waiting till
2017
- Ongoing public awareness campaign
Back to top