Posted by paintpony…
I am unsure how to create a new post in the Environment forum, but I would very much like to create a new topic regarding Doncaster’s Eastern Golf Club relocating to 215 Victoria Road, Yering which is situated on the beautiful Yarra River.
At present Eastern Golf Club have taken out an option to purchase some 600 plus acres in Yering. The land, 215 Victoria Road in Yering, has the Yarra River running through the property. The subject site is NOT on mains water.
At present there are two massive golf clubs (Heritage & Yering Meadows) with plans approved for a third club (Chirnside Golf Club) also being located in Victoria Road. Should Eastern Golf Club also relocate into this area it will be the fourth golf club within a 5km radius.
The major issue with Eastern Golf relocating to 215 Victoria Road, Yering is that they will have to be draining massive amounts of water from the Yarra River in order to upkeep potentially 100’s of acres of greens.
Water is such a precious resource, and our Yarra River is so beautiful and essential to the environment in which we live.
I used to live in Warrandyte and know how important the river is to the local community, so I wanted the local community to be aware of the proposal for a fourth golf club in the Yering area that will be potentially draining precious water resources from the Yarra.
We should all get together on this matter and let our voices be heard! The last thing the Yarra river needs is more water being taken from it to support a fourth golf club in the area – and especially a golf club of the size that Eastern Golf are proposing to create.
We must ALL object to this proposal!
Paint Pony needs to get his or her facts correct before stirring up an environmental hornets nest about the possible Eastern Golf Club relocation. Before any development occurs the Golf Club would be required to undertake an extensive environmental impact appraisal which would be presented to State Government- Department of Sustainabilty, Local Government and Melbourne Water and given the nature of the site the maintenance of the Yarra River’s environmental status would be absolutely paramount.
The Golf club has been very open in its declaration that it will do all it can to maintain the River and it’s environs in the state that the current owners have kept it i.e the maintenance of a a large nature reserve adjoining the Yering Gorge and the continution of the planting in line with the Healthy Rivers and Ribbons of Green programs which has already involved the revegetation of the Yarra Bank with over 4000 indigenous plants. It is a pity more landowners have not followed these environmental credentials.
If Paint Pony had been a little more thorough with his/her research then it would have been established that the proposed Golf courses which are so demonized have no intention of taking ANY water from the Yarra but are instead intending to make use of the Melbourne Water “Class B” recycled water that is produced in Lilydale and will be made available for various sporting grounds, vineyards and commercial nurseries in the Yarra Valley. This seems to be a great use of previously wasted water and will have no detrimental affects on the environmental flow or water quality of the Yarra River. In addition the extensive native plantings associated with the proposed Golf course will only enhance and maintain the “broad acre” environmental nature of the area so important to the maintenance of a “green wedge” and a healthy Yarra River ecosystem which supports abundant native flora and fauna.
We all want a healthy and sustainable Yarra River but going off half cocked without presenting the full environmental picture only serves to fuel unnecessary and ill informed hysteria. I suggest that Paint Pony and others do their research throughly before stirring the pot!
Dear Weedge,
Sorry to take the wind out of your sails but you are the person that is illformed in this matter. The majority of the subject site (215 Victoria Rd, Yering) is in a flood indundation zone which makes it a catchment area for the Yarra River. The current flood indundation zone will be converted into a golf course which will be maintained by pestisides and herbisides which will flow directly into the Yarra River during times of high water levels. What you also fail to acknowledge is that there are a number of threatened species located at the site including, but not resitricted to, the Growling Grass Frog. Futhermore, the site contains the location of the very first Euorpean settlement in the Yarra Valley and many artifacts related to that settlement can be found at the property. The site is of significant ecological, flora, fauna and historical significance. Who is the one that needs to get their facts right?????
FYI Weedge also found the following comments in Wikipedia regarding the reasons why Eatern will relocate:
“Retain Eastern At Doncaster (READ) group attempted to present the alternative to relocation which would keep The Eastern Golf Club in its location at Doncaster. Neighbourhood gatherings to show support to the members were held, Local Government and expert consultation was made and support gained especially from Manningham City Council, MP Mary Wooldridge and Councillors. Provision for water was explored and planned for – water was the significant resource needed to build a sustainable future for the club.”,
So if not the need for water resources why else would Eastern consider relocation?
FYI Hertiage Golf Club (not more than 5km away from Eastern’s proposed relocation) is currently in receivership so what makes Eastern think that they would be any more successful with their club even if it did relocate to Yering????????????????????????????
I am one of the READ group (Retain Eastern At Doncaster) and I want to support your concern and valid comments.
Your comments highlight the deception “if not the need for water resources why else would Eastern consider relocation?”
There was an alarmist presentation put to the EGC (Eastern Golf Club) members of a lack of water being available to service the Doncaster course. According to our water consultant this was not possible especially as a state of the art watering system had been installed. The lack of water was a fabrication and I suspect it was given credence by over watering the course at night to empty the dams (difficult to do that now with the recent rainfall!).
The Yarra will not benefit from another golf course and could possibly suffer an environmental catastrophe.
I suspect that Weedge may be one of the relocation organizers. It is good to see that so far the community is solid and can see the need to protect their environment and not fall for the smoke and mirrors that people like Weedge offer. Stay vigilant and enjoy your land!
Are you opposed to the Eastern Golf Club developing another course in the Yarra Valley ? - take action: contact Friends of the EarthAnthony Amis on 0425 841 564 or Felicity Millner on 0427 766 855 or your Councillors.
“Friends of the Earth Spokesperson Anthony Amis said “It is incredible that Yarra Ranges Shire Council, Melbourne Water, Greg Norman Course Design & numerous consultants would have contemplated access to a site through 5 metres of potential floodwater. Why was it up to community groups to highlight this glaring omission?” Mr Amis said”. (read the relocation article http://manningham-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/greenies-fight-eastern-golf-club-move/)
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/827
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) will soon consider EGC’s resubmission on the environmental impact of their development (there are fears the new golf course could pollute the drinking water in Sugarloaf Reservoiramong other things).
Yarra Ranges Council planning services executive officer Jacqui Hansen said the objectors’ concerns also included the course’s impact on the Yarra River and its high water use.