Development at Monarto South
The proposal for a paintball skirmish development on four allotments on the corner of Ferries McDonald Road and the SE Freeway has been considered and passed by the Murray Bridge Development Assessment Panel. The panel read nine submissions from the community opposing the development and heard from EHMPCG and two adjoining residents at their hearing. The EHMPCG submission can be read on our Newsletters page.
The NRM Board supported the EHMPCG opposition to the development in a letter to the DAP. The basis for refusal was predicated on the failure of the proposal to meet the requirements of the Murray Bridge Better Development Plan, for Tourism, Natural Resources, Primary Production, Light Industry and Orderly Development.
The Minister for the Environment, Paul Caica has recently renewed Monarto Heritage Agreements protecting the vegetation on the allotments.
The planning staff of the Rural City of Murray Bridge also recommended that the development be refused on eleven points in the MBBDP. Their recommendation can be read in the attached PDF which is no longer available on council's web site.
The decision is to be challenged by an adjoining landholder in the ERD Court with the assistance of the Environmental Defenders Office.
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Keyneton Wind Farm
Pacific Hydro has plans to build a 42 turbine wind farm along the Murray Plains side of the Mt Lofty Ranges approximately three kilometres to the east of Keyneton and approximately eight kilometres east of Eden Valley.
Extensive consultation with nearby residents has taken place and three drop in sessions have been held where PH staff have answered the community's questions and provided visual and technical information on the plans.
Pacific Hydro has also arranged two bus trips for interested parties to their Clements Gap facility in the mid-north of the state so that people can experience the farms first hand.
Opposition to the proposal is being organised by a small group of local community members worried about health and amenity of the development.
If the plan proceeds the community will benefit from a $100,000 per year community fund set up by Pacific Hydro.
EHMPCG supports the development as one part of many necessary steps to reduce the carbon footprint of the country.
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Motorcycles on Roadside Reserves
Since 2006 EHMPCG has been working to raise awareness of the damage caused to roadside reserves by off road motorcycles.
Cycle tracks throughout this area have been in existence for over 40 years however the numbers of bikes has dramatically increased in recent times. Issues revolve around unregistered bikes being used in public, bikes with modifications that make them illegal for use in public areas, damage to vegetation, erosion, spread of branched broomrape, fire hazard, danger to residents and issues of amenity.
Mid Murray Council has spent a great deal of money on erecting signs that have been largely ignored and many have been damaged by disgruntled riders. SAPOL have given notice to riders and will target them in coming weeks.
Riders are reminded that technically they are permitted to use only the made road surface and may be subject to fines in excess of $1000 if found to be damaging native vegetation on roadside reserves.
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Sealing Ferries McDonald Road
Rural City of Murray Bridge has received $1.4m from the State Government to seal Ferries McDonald Road from Kangaroo Road to the Princes Highway. The road runs through Ferries McDonald Conservation Park and along one boundary of Monarto Conservation Park. The area between the parks is heavily vegetated. At the recommendation of the SA Road Transport Association the road is to become a b-double route for the movement of grapes from the Langhorne Creek wine growing region and for the movement of materials to the newly established Pete’s soils facility on the corner of Kangaroo Road and Chauncey’s Line.
The park areas are home to the only population of mallee fowl west of the River Murray as well as a number of threatened plant species.
Because of the conservation status of the mallee fowl and its protection under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the federal Department for Environment Water Heritage and the Arts has to be convinced that the design of the road will not threaten the protected wildlife. Local community members have banded together to protect the mallee fowl and other fauna from the threat of increased traffic along the road.
In July 2011 it was revealed that the cost of sealing the roadway to a standard that satisfied national standards as well as the EPBC Act had been raised to over $4m. Plans for the road now involve a 10m wide carriageway (up from 9m) and levelling through sandhills to meet that standard and will involve the loss of a greater area of vegetation. Work on the roadway is due to begin soon.
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