Information about the Westerfield heritage woodlandsThere is a page about the Westerfield woodlands here. And make sure you check out the key documents in the blue box on the right of this news page.
Contribute to this websiteThis website is open to contributions from everyone concerned with what is going on. If you have news that you would like to post, would like to contribute to any of the other pages, believe that anything presented on this website is inaccurate or could be improved then contact Craig at mail@craigallen.net.au. Voice your opposition by sending emails:Some key points to make in your email are listed here
Key documentsThe Peninsula Link Flora and Fauna (mis)management plan The Heritage Victoria permit appeal determination for the Westerfield heritage bushland Interview with Dr Roger Jones by Jim Kerin in which he describes the Frankston-Langwarrin habitat corridor and the bypass impacts Expert witness statement by Nick McCaffrey and Malcolm Legg about the Westerfield bushland (1.1Mb) PeninsulaLink Environmental Effects Statement (EES) Department of Sustainability & Environment (0.8Mb) Addendum to the effects statement including further information about the irreplaceability if the Westerfield bush (94Kb)
EES Fauna & fauna maps
EES Fauna & fauna of significance occurance maps
Frankston bypass and Penisula Link freeway campaign news and discussion
Well done to all the brave people who fought so hard for so long to preserve these precious places and the flora and fauna they harboured. This website will remain online for now as a testimate to the bastardry of the Victorian government and it's cronies. For information about the campaign contact.
You can read the original article at the Mornington Mail here (required you to sign up for a free membership). Well over a century ago, long before ‘‘ sustainability’’ and ‘‘ climate change’’ became key words, governments and prominent citizens with vision put aside various tracts of land around this state for parks and gardens to... JOHN Hooker (Letters, 4/10) states that ''the population levels of Frankston and the Peninsula warrant the need for this road (Peninsula Link)''. The bulldozing of a flora and fauna biodiversity heritage area to make way for the freeway is all part of the Melbourne @5 million plan. Our population growth is not ''projected'' but... JOHN Hooker and other proponents of Peninsula Link resort to the same hackneyed fall-back - it's been in the Melway for 40 years - as though Victoria must remain mindlessly beholden to planning decisions taken under that renowned environmentalist Henry Bolte. Unfortunately, spruikers for the road have little else to use as... Wildflower walk this Friday
If you would like to see the flowers that are blooming in the remaining Westerfield bush, Joyce and Simon invite you come at 6:30 pm on Friday before the "bush wake" at 7:30 pm to take a walk to enjoy their beauty. Gillian Collins, 0414-309-960 Minister Pallas claim (letter 2/10) that the heritage listed Westerfield land in Frankston was available for clearing in June is confusing and misleading. Heritage Victoria’s final decision regarding the Westerfield property was handed down on the 28th of July. It was based on an appeal that found the initial approval of March the... A photo essay of Westerfield’s last days
Visit Rod Binnington's excellent, and oh so sad, photo essay of last days the Westerfield heritage woodlands here. At the VCAT Directions hearing yesterday, the Frankston North Community Group, Inc., Pines Protectors, was represented by Felicity Millner of the Environment Defenders Office, and Barristers Julie Davis and Stephen Grant. Julie Davis presented the argument. And I was there. The LMA, Southern Way, and AbiGroup had a total of 19... Westerfield get-togetherWHO? Anyone who supported the Possum Picket or who wishes to join our community. Family and friends are welcome. WHAT? An event to share our grief at the losses we have experienced at Westerfield, share food in community (vegan dishes welcome) and plan for future action. Please bring food to share, a plate and cutlery, and your own liquid refreshments. This event plans to be waste-free. WHERE? Westerfield, Robinson's Road, Frankston South. The side paddock will be open, so plenty of parking in the house entrance. The driveway will be flagged (MEL 103 A11). WHEN? Friday, October 8th, 7:30 pm, rain or shine. We will start with a respectful gathering in the remaining bush to share our thoughts, then share food and companionship. A plan for moving forward in community will be discussed. Gillian Collins, Melanie Attard, Joyce and Simon Welsh Bagged - probably doomed
AbiGroup workers bag a possumIf the traumatised (probably injured) creature survived it will have been dumped into the adjacent scrap of remaining bushland. Now that over half the high quality habitat on the Westerfield property is destroyed, the carrying capacity for fauna like sugar gliders, ringtail and brushtail possums, birds, lizards etc is greatly reduced. So any fauna that does survive the machines is highly susceptible to death by starvation or exposure. It is currently the breading season, and due to trauma alone young are highly likely to be abandoned.This will have happened to thousands of creatures along the path of destruction this year. Letter to the editor in the Age - No more softly, softly
No more softly, softly THE Brumby government will not tolerate any interference with Peninsula Link freeway plans, even if it means the compulsory acquisition and destruction of pristine, privately owned, heritage-listed bushland complete with endangered species of fauna and flora. This was carried out before a VCAT hearing pertaining to the historic site. I was witness to the extraordinary events at the Westerfield site on Tuesday, when 100 or more police, including mounted police, arrived on the site equipped in riot gear, ready to defend construction workers against a tiny group of peaceful protesters, many of whom were in their 60s or over. It appears that since former chief commissioner Christine Nixon retired, the era of softly softly ''community policing'' is over. We are well and truly back in the strong-arm-of-the-law era of the Kennett government. Rod Binnington, Brighton Letter to editor in The Age - Dark day as state shows its might
TO SAY Tuesday was a sad day for democracy and for the environment is an understatement. But it is hard to adequately express the significance of the freeway protesters' defeat at Westerfield, near Frankston (''Police arrest freeway protesters'', The Age, 29/9). That 100 police are brought in to subdue protesters sends a message that no matter what people do to protect what they value, the state will bring in stronger forces to overpower them. At that point there is nothing further that citizens can do to protect their environment and the only reasonable reaction is despair. A disengaged populace without hope fits best into the Brumby government's ''plan''. Jill Quirk, Malvern East Letter to editor in The Age - Bullying shifts south-east
JOHN Brumby, not satisfied with bullying Footscray residents affected by the $4.3 billion new rail line, from Southern Cross through Footscray to Little River, now bullies southern pensioners and retirees. Mr Brumby's message to residents in the west that the new rail line will go ahead regardless of the findings of any study on its impact on residents and the environment reeks of the bully-boy tactics well practised by his government. Charging in to break up the Westerfield picket line, manned by locals in their senior years, is the latest new low for this government. Once again, Brumby's mantra - regardless of residents and the environment - wins the day, but perhaps not the next state election. Darlene Reilly, Sunshine Letter to the Editor in the Age - No trust for Pallas
ROADS Minister Tim Pallas should resign. Last week he assured the protesters that the bulldozing would not go ahead until the VCAT ruling was handed down. On Tuesday, Mr Pallas suddenly switched. It is shameful when a minister of the state cannot be trusted. These incredible protesters have picketed this area all through the cold winter. They deserve medals; instead they are arrested. Mary Drost, convener, Planning Backlash, Camberwell 
I did not go to the site this morning. We heard late in the day that the same number of police were going to be present - it's too silly to think about, really, but your tax dollar was so wasted yesterday that I couldn't stand to see it wasted again today. What I have been doing is thinking about what an amazing journey we have... |
Well, it's all ended very sadly. The Langwaren-Frankston wildlife corridore has been bulldozed and is now a construction site. And the road builders went out of their way to maximise the destruction.