Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Healesville freeway reserve

This petition of residents in Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Assembly that the Healesville Freeway Reservation (HFR) land between the Eastlink Freeway, Vermont, and Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, may not be required for a future road. Should a decision be made that any section of the HFR is no longer required for a road, the community want an assurance from the house that the section will be surrendered to the Crown, the land retained as Open Space and rehabilitated as a corridor of local flora for native fauna to travel through it. Without a caveat to prevent the HFR land being sold to developers for housing or other purposes, by Dept of Transport / VicRoads, the HFR land would be lost as a significant contribution to Open Space (which is already officially reported to be low per capita in the area). Any sale would negatively impact the nearby communities in terms of lifestyle, and loss of potential health benefits. Also, any sale would negatively impact the reserve’s current ecology, with several sections of endangered remnant vegetation and wildlife habitat along the reserve.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Assembly of Victoria urge the Government to:

1. Place a caveat on the HFR so that if any section becomes no longer required for a road, that that section is to be handed over to the Crown and retained as Open Space.

2. Protect the possibility that HFR could become Open Space with vegetation and wildlife habitat. If this land is lost, it is lost forever.

By Mr HODGETT (Croydon) (205 signatures).