Welcome to this summer edition of the Beaconsfield Banner. The Banner is available on our BPA website https://www. beaconsfield.org.au and printed copies are available at businesses in the town including the Beaconsfield Post Office and Beaconsfield Pharmacy.
Our Annual General Meeting was held in October with the annual financial statements and election of office bearers for 2023-4. The President’s Annual Report was presented, highlighted by the following items.
The most significant local issue we are dealing with in the past year is the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) and, in particular, the Level Crossing at Station Street, Beaconsfield. This Project identified the potential losses of the heritage Bunya Bunya tree as well as the heritage Railway House built circa 1888 located at 20 Beaconsfield Avenue.
After community representations, the LXRP revised plans whereby the heritage significant parts of the Railway House and the Bunya Bunya tree will be saved. The LXRP has maintained their preferred option for a route diagonally south from Goff Street, Beaconsfield Avenue and Station Street intersection through the Railway House property (to be compulsorily acquired) with an overpass bridge across the railway line and Kenilworth Avenue and then joining a new roundabout at Kenilworth Avenue. A recent look at the worksite for the LXRP Station Street, Beaconsfield Project amazed me with the size of the building site with all the equipment, portable rooms for the workers, fencing, the noise affecting the neighbours and the loss of most of the railway station’s carpark. It will certainly change Beaconsfield and be disruptive with construction taking two or more years. BPA arranged two Public Meetings with LXRP staff and I also attended a site meeting along with approx. 50 others to voice our concerns about the Project. The community action is being led by Fran Healy, a nearby resident, and she has involved Joe Toscano of Radio 3CR.
The Beaconsfield Anzac Memorial Service was held last April. A crowd of approximately 120 people attended at the Cenotaph to pay their respects to the service men and women. Prior to the service, there was a march from the Fire Station along Woods Street. The Memorial Address featured the McNaughton Bros. Thanks to everyone who participated in the service and those attending, especially returned servicemen and relatives of servicemen and servicewomen.
The landscape in Beaconsfield is changing. The development of land at Princes Hwy after the old Princes Hwy merge before Tivendale road for fast food outlets, service station and other stores continues and is still not completed. The Pink Hill hotel has opened. These new businesses will provide Beaconsfield with more retail outlets and a multi-function hotel. They will also provide employment opportunities for locals.
The proposed refurbishment of the Beaconsfield Reservoir has been widely discussed in the past year and the future accessibility of the Beaconsfield Nature Conservation Reserve is not certain. The Beaconsfield Reservoir was constructed in 1918 to mostly provide a reliable water supply to the Mornington Peninsula. Water was fed from the Tarago Channel via an Aqueduct to Beaconsfield Reservoir. The water supply was disconnected in the early 1990’s. Melbourne Water did a letterbox drop in April/ May and issued a Report on the Beaconsfield Dam Safety Upgrade Project. Melbourne Water have confirmed their position that the Partial Upgrade Option remains their preference and have started the Project by commencing the water level reduction to be carried out over a 3 year period. This Partial Upgrade Option was supported by our Association in all our submissions including to Melbourne Water and Cardinia Shire Council. It is noted that this Report only deals with dam safety. Public access issues will be separately addressed by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Further discussions and meetings have been held in the past year on the capital works proposed for the Beaconsfield War Memorial and Bonette Reserve. Draft Concept Plans and Landscape Plans have been displayed and an onsite Session held. There has also been an onsite Session held at Jim Parkes Reserve for Redevelopment Plans. These projects will beautify the Beaconsfield township.
In the past year, we sadly noted the passing of Gerald Treasure and David Brewster, both long time Beaconsfield Residents. Both contributed greatly to the community with Gerald a Life Member of Beaconsfield Football Club and David a Life Member of Beaconsfield CFA.
Our guest speaker for the recent AGM was Stephen Garth from the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater. He provided an informative talk about the endangered Helmeted Honeyeaters and also the work being done to protect them and ensure their increase in numbers at Yellingbow in Victoria. He spoke also of future plans to have a colony of birds returned to the Beaconsfield area near Cardinia Creek. We thank Stephen for his really interesting talk and thank you to everyone who came along to the meeting. We hope to keep everyone updated with the progress of the Helmeted Honeyeater.
The Beaconsfield Community is looking forward to Carols by the Creek on Sunday 17 December at Bob Burgess Reserve. This is being organised by Beaconsfield Baptist Church and BPA and will be a wonderful community event. We look forward to seeing everyone then.
We thank everyone for their support in 2023 and wish you a lovely Christmas with family and friends and best wishes for 2024.
Graeme Taylor
President
Beaconsfield Progress Assoc. Inc.
