Close Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
  • Home New
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Sunday, July 6
Facebook X (Twitter)
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Home New
Breaking News
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»Outrage over ‘clearing for fire’ at Crib Point
News

Outrage over ‘clearing for fire’ at Crib Point

By Stephen TaylorMarch 10, 2020Updated:July 16, 2024No Comments3 Mins Read
Answers demanded: Members of a community group are outraged at the clearing of bushland near the Crib Point jetty.
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
Answers demanded: Members of a community group are outraged at the clearing of bushland near the Crib Point jetty.

THE Save Westernport group has described as “appalling” the clearing of several hectares of native bushland at the proposed site of the AGL floating storage and regasification unit at Crib Point jetty.

Contractors hired by the Port of Hastings Development Authority used a bulldozer and backhoe for the works, Tuesday 18 February.

“Our followers and supporters are deeply concerned that this valuable and protected vegetation appears to have been cleared without notice and without necessary permits,” Save Westernport secretary Julia Stockigt said.

“Such clearing on the border of the internationally significant Ramsar wetlands is appalling.”

Save Westernport members complained to Mornington Peninsula Shire, the Department of Environment, Lands, Water and Planning, as well as Nepean MP Chris Brayne about the clearing which they say was unauthorised.

“The extensive area of vegetation cleared appears to align precisely with the area marked out in AGL’s plans for their proposed Mercaptan injection plant,” Ms Stockigt said.

“During our initial phone calls to the port authority we were told this was carried out to protect the area from bushfire – but it’s a very strange time of year for bushfire prevention.

“All clearing was limited to an area on the northern side of the jetty which is furthest away from the pipeline and accompanying infrastructure.

“If, as the port authority claims, the vegetation was cleared to protect the area around the Crib Point jetty from fire, it seems unusual that other areas of vegetation adjoining the jetty have been left uncleared.”

The Port of Hastings Development Authority’s Michael Dillon in response to the Western Port group’s complaints admitted the “extent of the clearing has exceeded our expectations and we are investigating the matter further”.

“If we had known the extent of clearing beforehand we would have informed the community consultation committee in advance,” he said.

Mr Dillon said the authority “reluctantly has to remove vegetation on our site from time to time to manage bushfire risks, but we always ensure this is done with the advice of professional arborists who advise us on what is required to balance our safety requirements, protect the local environment and to ensure the works are compliant”.

Mr Dillon said a “qualified arborist [had] undertaken these works in accordance with the relevant standards just as we have done in the past”.

Ms Stockigt said the port authority would need land clearing permits under Clause 52.17 (Native Vegetation) of the Mornington Peninsula Planning Scheme or under DWELP’s Guidelines for removal of native vegetation.

“They said they would contact us with the relevant permits but that was over 10 days ago and we have heard nothing,” she said.

“The area was the known habitat of echidnas and threatened bird species yet no assessment of that wildlife appears to have taken place.

She said it appeared the “qualified arborists” referred to by the authority had used “backhoes and bulldozers to carry out their work”.

First published in the Western Port Times – 11 March 2020

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Advocates celebrate abuse law change

July 3, 2025

Railway station scam

July 1, 2025

Flinders result unaffected by poll blunder – AEC

July 1, 2025

Grand Hotel’s tower revamp signals new chapter for icon

June 26, 2025
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Peninsula Essence Magazine – Click to Read
Peninsula Kids Magazine – Click to Read
Letters to the Editor
Property of the Week

14 Bass Street, McCrae

June 3, 2025
Council Watch

Shire secures $3.9m to tackle road safety

June 16, 2025

Kinder flyer flag snub prompts councillors to take over

June 10, 2025
100 Years Ago This Week

Baxter – On The ‘Wallaby’ with a walking group

July 1, 2025
Interview

Firefighter shows skills from sea to snow

February 5, 2024
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Home New
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook X (Twitter)
© 2025 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.