D uring the seven-day public hear-ing the three-member Advisory

Committee heard the Level Crossing Removal Authority's (LXRA) proposal for the Government's chosen trench (rail under road) solution for Edith-vale and Bonbeach level crossings. The LXRA's project description made reference to the Environmental Ef-fects Statement (EES) and reports from their experts on ecology, hydro-geology, groundwater contamina-tion, acid sulphate soils, noise and air pollution, construction and urban de-sign. Some of these experts made presentations in support of the LXRA’s proposal.

An EES was required for this infra-structure project because of its close

proximity (1.2 km) and potential risk to the Edithvale Wetlands with its national environmental significance and interna-tionally recognised Ramsar status.

FESWI's primary concern is the crossing plan for Edithvale Road. The hearing covered issues around maintenance of critical components of habitat in the wetlands ie ground water levels, water quality and biodiversity required for wa-ter birds frequenting this area to thrive, particularly migratory species and the threatened Australasian Bittern.

The first day's program included a bus tour to inspect sites of concern to the Inquiry. This included the crossing sites, threatened coastal vegetation on the

Friends of Edithvale – Seaford Wetlands Inc.

Number 158

ESS Public Hearing 1

Puzzles for a Winter’s

Day

3

Working in the

Wetlands

4

Subscription Renewal 5

Inside this issue:

Wetland Warbler Clamorous Reed-Warbler

ESS PUBLIC HEARING

FRIENDS OF EDITHVALE -

SEAFORD WETLANDS INC.

Assoc No. A0017388A

ABN - 95 886 101 621

P O BOX 2031,

EDITHVALE VIC 3196

www.edithvale-seaford-

wetlands.org

https://

www.facebook.com/

edithvaleseafordwetlands/

President Kate Spillane

9773 0224 (AH)

Vice President Robin Clarey

9786 2213

Secretary Margaret Hunter

9587 0786

Treasurer Sue Telfer

97724194

Committee

Rex Chugg

Inez van Polanen

Charles Saffroy

Trevor Shewan

Seaford W’Bees

Rex Chugg

9766 6056

Education Centre Roster

Kate Spillane

9773 0224 (AH)

Bird Hide Roster

Robin Clarey

9786 2213

Guided Tours Marg Hunter

9587 0786

Newsletter Robin Clarey

9786 2213

Warbler CollatorCheryl Meier

97724484

Website

Matthew Mitchell

Membership Database

Inez van Polanen Petel

9774 2664

T he seven-day Public Hearing into the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) concern-

ing the railway trench option at Edithvale Road railway crossing to which FESWI

made submissions has finished (4th

- 15th

June). Sue attended every day of the hearing and

was heavily instrumental in securing the wonderful services of Scott Seymour (who spent

many hours researching and preparing FESWI’s submission) and of Sean Dooley (who ar-

rived back from overseas just in time to present on our behalf).

Other FESWI members attended on various days

FESWI sincerely thanks Sue, Scott and Sean for representing us so brilliantly. We have paid

$550.00 to Environmental Justice Australia for its advice; donated $500.00 to Birdlife on

Sean’s behalf; and made Scott (who refused any payment) a life member of FESWI. Thanks

also go to Margaret who did a great job co-ordinating information and communications

among the committee members.

Written submissions and audio recordings can be found on the

https://engage.vic.gov.au/edithvale-and-bonbeach-level-crossing-removals website.

FESWI’s submission can be found under Tabled Documents. The following is Sue’s report.

REPORT Sue Telfer

YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS NOW DUE

You can pay via the internet or by post. See Page 5

No payment needed if you have paid within the past 3 months.

Continued on Page 2

Page 2 Newsletter Title

REPORT CONTINUED

Bonbeach foreshore and a stop off at both Mel-bourne Water's Education Centre and our bird hide.

Back at the venue (Patterson River Golf Club) the Inquiry continued with submissions from the City of Kingston Kingston Residents Association, Port Phillip Conservation Council, Mordialloc Beaumaris Conser-vation League, Chelsea-Bonbeach Station group, community groups and individuals all voicing con-cern for the environment, particularly threats to the wetlands and Bonbeach Coastal Banksia woodland, and the loss of 2.2 ha of vegetation on the rail corri-dor. Other issues covered were urban design ele-ments including parking, landscaping and vegeta-tion around the stations and rail, cycling and walk-ing paths and pedestrian overpasses should the pro-posed project go ahead. The No Sky Rail group and some individuals had various concerns and pro-posals regarding these.

FESWI's submission challenged the LXRA's proposal. We said that any plan that poses even a minor risk to the wetlands was unacceptable to us.

Our presentation drew attention to risks posed by the project. Scott Seymour on our behalf ar-gued that modelling cannot always be relied upon, plans presented were largely conceptual and not detailed and there was still uncertainty as to the methods that could be employed for mitigation of the water mounding problem identified in the EES report. Nor was there any proposal for an adequate regime of monitoring and identification of defined trigger points to set in motion action plans to reme-dy unintended and adverse effects into the future.

Scott, who has a thorough knowledge of the wet-lands system, explained its sensitivity to any change in hydrology. He posed some searching questions regarding the detail of the engineering solutions and mitigation plan, the important issue of who would take responsibility for open, ongoing and transparent reporting of hydrology testing and anal-ysis and of any subsequent remedial measures that alarming data analysis would trigger.

Sean Dooley followed with a wonderful, passionate description of our amazing wetlands and their sig-nificance as sanctuary, not just the for birdlife but for all of us to experience and enjoy. This was met with spontaneous applause.

One of the key outcomes of the EES process is to recommend a set of Environmental Performance Requirements (EPRs) in the event that the project meets government approval. Importantly, these de-fine the environmental outcomes that must be achieved by authorities and contractors during de-sign, construction and ongoing operation of the project.

An environmental management framework is meant to provide oversight of achievement of the EPRs. During the hearing and in response to sub-missions, LXRA and Kingston Council submitted revi-sions to some of the EPRs. FESWI's submission in-cluded comment on these important safeguards.

The Advisory Committee has 30 days to write a re-port with recommendations to the Minister of Plan-ning. A final decision isn't expected until at least late October as it requires federal assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conserva-tion Act (EPBC Act).

Sean and Scott presenting FESWI’s submission

Be like the elephant who never forgets— don’t forget

to renew your subscription.

WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE YOU!

Page 3 Number 158

1 2 3

4 5 6 7

8 9

10 11

12

13

14

1. Chestnutty

2. Footy bush bird

4. Loved in Egypt

9. Reedy noise

3. Doesn’t need scuba

5. A bit endangered

6. ————- Lake

7. Not off the rails

12. Gallinule

13. facially pale

14. Small & migratory

Clues Across

Clues Down

8. Gold or green?

10. Silly old ————

11. Cock tailed

B I T T E R N W H R

F A T C R A K E T E

I N T O O G R I V L

N E H R O O M E M B

C R L A N S T A S R

H W I A C K G B T A

I R W D E P A T I W

W S I B I T E E N T

M E B E R G E N T T

Find the crossword answers in the seekaword.

The remaining letters give a bird riddle.

Each number from 1 to 8 represents a

different letter. Solve the clues and insert the

letters in the appropriate squares to discover

the missing letter and a wetland bird.

MULTIPUZZLE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Clues

15328 gives amphibian eggs

357 gives a primate

438 gives another primate

HIDDEN BIRD

———————————————————————————–———————————

R R M

A C O

T N O

Using the 9 letters in the grid (spells a bird), how many words of 4 letters or

more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may be

used only once. ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- —————————————-

——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- —————————————

——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ————————————–-

——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- —————————————-

——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- —————————————-

——————————- ——————————- ——————————- ——————————- —————————————

15—not bad

20—good

30—amazing

All solutions Page 4

Page 4 Number 158 T E A L M A G P I E

R

I B I S E C

F I W A R B L E R

I T A E A

N T N C W K

C T M O O R H E N

H E R O N O E

N S T I N T

B I T T E R N H R

F C R A K E E

I N O R L

N E H R O O M M B

C R L N T A S R

H W A G T A

W E P I W

S I B I T N

E B E R G T

Words

Acorn actor arco cant canto

cantor carom carrot cart car-

toon carton coat coma con-

tra coon coot corm cormo-

rant corn corana cran cram

craton croat croon croton

macro macron marc orca

racon racoon taco toco tro-

car tronc

Hidden Bird

Missing letter— H

Bird—swamphen

Bird Riddle

What to give a sick

bird? A tweetment.

Puzzle Answers

WORKING IN THE WETLANDS

O n May 1st four students from Woodleigh spent an

afternoon at Seaford Wetlands recently spreading

mulch. See right

And on May 30th

FESWI hosted 18 Cornish College stu-

dents who did planting, mulch spreading and weeding

in Seaford south. See below

Both groups worked really hard and FESWI thanks

them for their help.

Working bees at Seaford on the first Sunday of June

and July saw eight volunteers and five volunteers re-

spectively plant 240 under-storey plants in Seaford

south.

Where’s Waldo?

Z

Z

Z

Page 5 Number 158 Page 5 Number 146

Post

Email

Friends of

Edithvale-Seaford

Wetlands Inc.

Assoc No. A0017388 ABN - 95 886 101 621

Name:__________________________________________

Address:________________________________________

_____________________________Post Code_________

Email:__________________________________________

Phone: __________________________

New member Renewing membership

Annual Subscription

15.00 Individual

$20.00 Family

$10.00 Concession

$30.00 Corporate

$ Donation

Can You Help Us?

Bird Watching Plants Nature Study Education

Tree Planting Other Hide Duty Publicity

Details (Other)

Your Wetland Interests?

Please send your payment, together with this account, to our Treasurer at: PO Box 2031 EDITHVALE 3196

Or pay to BSB 06 3118 ,Account Number 1005 9942 - write name & subscription and fill out on-line form if new member

or renewing membership. www.edithvale-seaford-wetlands.org

Newsletter?

6 6

Production of this newsletter funded through

Friends of

Edithvale – Seaford

Wetlands Inc.

If undeliverable please return to:

PO Box 2031

EDITHVALE 3196

PRINTED BY THE OFFICE OF

MARK DREYFUS, MHR FOR ISAACS

Corporate Members

Longbeach RSL

Tania Ireton

Viridans Pty Ltd

Patterson River Golf Club

Edithvale Family And Children's

Centre

Peninsula Pedallers,

Sonya Kilkenny

Ray White, Chelsea

NOTE

In late August or early September FESWI will hold a spring celebration at the hide to

mark the anniversary of its re-opening; and its latest renovations (thanks to Mark

Dreyfus MP); and the return of the migratory birds; and ………

Keep an eye on the next Warbler, the facebook page and our website.