SIGNS of the times are popping up around the southern peninsula as the anti-tip campaign gains momentum.
Peninsula Preservation Group – the lead objector to the plan to put a rubbish tip, or landfill, in the old Pioneer quarry at Dromana – has distributed more than 300 anti-tip signs to members and supporters as well as bumper stickers.
The signs have been appearing on freeway bridges, in people’s front yards and on fences, beside roads and, cheekily, next to Hillview Quarries’ entrance on Boundary Rd in Dromana (pictured).
Hillview Quarries and tip proponent Peninsula Waste Management are owned by the R E Ross Trust.
Peninsula Preservation Group president Jacinta Banks said the group now had almost 12,000 signatures on an internet petition opposing the tip as well as 7000 signatures on paper petitions, which have been circulating since Australia Day.
The campaign took off in early June when the group held its first public meeting at Dromana Hall, soon after Peninsula Waste Management submitted applications for the tip to the Environment Protection Authority and Mornington Peninsula Shire, both of which need to approve the plan for it to go ahead.
More than 500 people packed the hall to hear about the tip as well as how they could object.
Ms Banks said the EPA had received more than 850 submissions.
The environmental watchdog would be holding a public conference to hear objectors later this month or in early August, she said.
A venue has not been fixed but given the number of objectors, the most likely venue is Peninsula Community Theatre, which holds about 500 people.
In other developments, one of the trustees of Ross Trust, Ian Vaughan, met members of PWM’s community reference group on Tuesday afternoon.
An independent facilitator hired by the EPA, Bruce Turner, met members of Peninsula Preservation Group and other objectors at the Dromana Hotel on Tuesday night. Mr Turner worked for the shire as a facilitator on green wedge management plans and on the controversial Mornington harbour marina proposal.
Ms Banks said Peninsula Preservation Group was recruiting members and seeking donations in expectation of legal action over the tip proposal.
n Peninsula Preservation Group’s website: savearthursseat.com
Its petition is at: www.communityrun.org/petitions/save-arthurs-seat
- Peninsula Waste Management’s website: peninsulawaste.com.au
- There is information on the shire website: www.mornpen.vic.gov.au
