By Taylah Eastwell
Knox City Council’s plans to construct a new wetland in a popular Ferntree Gully Park has residents barking mad, with many locals claiming the park as their off-lead dog park and much-loved outdoor recreational space.
The proposed wetland construction, made possible through a grant from Melbourne Water, has been deemed necessary to treat and filter stormwater run-off from surrounding urban areas before it enters Blind Creek Tributary.
The planned works include a new water quality and habitat wetland, seating areas, new path links and new plants and shrubs to improve plant diversity and habitat for wildlife at the reserve. It is hoped the wetland will also provide a safe breeding area for native fish, turtles, frogs and birdlife.
Nearby resident Cassandra Simpson described Koolunga Reserve as “a bit of a hidden gem” for surrounding residents.
“Lots of people are very cranky they are going to take away our big grass area and turn it into a wetland,” Ms Simpson.
“It has been settled for 50 years, it doesn’t make any sense to treat the stormwater. Not all of it can get into this new wetland their proposing anyway, so it just doesn’t make any sense,” she said.
Ms Simpson said she fears the development will take away the grassy area enjoyed by dogs, kids and families for physical activity.
They’re taking the only area where you can actually kick a footy and run after the kids all year round,” she said.
“The wetland is the cheapest, nastiest option that takes up all of the large paddock. It is the big grassed area that they are talking about. There is a bit down there that is already boggy, but they are putting it on the good grassy area,” she said.
Knox City Council held community meetings on Wednesday 10 March and Friday 19 March, run by a facilitator, with both attracting a large turn-out from residents.
“They said they will be starting on it by the end of the financial year, and it’s the first we had heard of it,” Ms Simpson said.
Residents raised concerns at last Friday’s consultation over a number of factors, the most common of which being the “lack of consultation”.
Ms Simpson said the consultation process had been “so poor” that her and her partner Bill created pamphlets and placed them in neighbouring letterboxes to inform residents.
“I’ve had people ringing me up saying ‘what are you talking about?’, they just had no idea about this,” she said.
“It’s just not acceptable. There are lots of different uses for the park and different ways they could address the stormwater. They say they have consulted the community but the way they are talking, this is not negotiable,” she said.
Boronia resident Jenni Hauwert-Swistak said the park is used by pug-owners every Sunday, who meet at the park every at 10am for a pug club catch-up.
“I used to walk my dog here after school drop off everyday. The other area is basically a wetland in winter every year anyway, that’s what annoyed me when I heard they were going to put it on the only dry part,” Ms Hauwert-Swistak said.
Knox City Council’s Domestic Animal Management Plan 2017-2021, at Attachment C, says dogs must be kept on leads in public places, including conservation bushland areas. Koolunga Reserve is included as a conservation bushland area, except for the grass areas, according to the document. Ms Simpson said the grassed area is the only off-lead dog space in her area.
Boronia Road resident Shirley Chandler said the parcel of land at the reserve was sold to the council, around the 1960’s, by her father-in-law, “on the premise that it would be kept as parkland”.
“Sir Gilbert Chandler sold it as parkland to the council. That’s my gripe. It’s a bit sad really to see it altered, it brings so much pleasure to so many people,” Mrs Chandler said.
Knox City Council Director of Infrastructure, Grant Thorne said “we know this reserve is popular with local dog owners and we’re exploring options to ensure open space areas within the reserve continue to be available for dog walkers”.
