Ed Chatwin's Blog

Clearly there are just NOT enough footpaths in Ranges Ward.
It isn’t rocket science to realise that a footpath can be used by all people, whereby roads are used by car owners – the difference in the two is obvious! I cannot comprehend why far more attention is given to making roads, and footpaths get a luke warm response.
Furthermore, I cannot understand why township committees have to bid for funding for footpaths, which should be a rite fo passage!
Other things that need attention, and are sadly lacking in Ranges Ward are:- signage for dog owners to pick up their dog’s poop, butt bins in far more locations for those dreadful smokers, no signage regarding smoke free Sundays – and by the way, when can we expect Ranges Ward to be smoke free in June & July in line with the Shire of Yarra Ranges Open Air Burning Off Policy? Any signage regarding any Local Law is created by township committees; pity that they aren’t created by the very Council who is supposed to be looking after these matters – a single article in the local papers just doesn’t cut it!
The lack of attention to the very problem that affects us all – climate change – which affects every species, the water we drink, the air we breathe and the soil we get our food from, frustrates me immensely .
Lastly, Ranges Ward should have an ongoing weekly Green Waste collection during the prescribed fire season, not some ad hoc once only green collection from a knee jerk reaction to a bad fire season.

Hello again Ed,
I’d like respectfully to know what you think about the combined effects of Climate Change, Peak Oil and now the Recession on small communities like Gembrook. It seems to me that we shall very soon have to find ways to ‘power down’ to a low carbon way of life/economy; and that Recession may make this more difficult in some ways; perhaps more urgent in others.

I feel very strongly about the need for footpaths and also bike paths in Ranges Ward. Many areas of our towns and in between towns could be easily travelled on foot or by bike, if appropriate paths were provided. Sometimes people argue that footpaths and bike paths (and public transport), are under-used where they are provided, so the justification for providing more and better paths is not there. This a very shortsighted view. People will not use things that are not well designed and which do not work for them – if the paths are not well connected to the places we want to travel to, or if they are not well maintained, or if they go too far out of the way. Where such facilities area thoughtfully and well designed they will increasingly be used. It might not happen over night, but it will happen. As someone who is very conscious of trying to keep my transport costs to a minimum, my health in tip top condition, and my impact on climate change as close to zero as I can, I try to choose walking and cycling, but in Cockatoo where I live, most roads near my house have no footpaths nor even a safe place to walk, like a good wide shoulder. I feel like I’m taking my life into my hands on some of these roads, yet there aren’t any viable alternatives if I want to walk.
It’s great to be able to cycle to Emerald through Wright’s Forest when I can – that’s a start. But why is there no safe cycle/walking path between Cockatoo and Gembrook – not that I can find anyway? Wouldn’t it make absolute sense to provide one? What a massive lost opportunity, for Puffing Billy, and for our local economy, not being able to market a trip on puffing billy combined with a bit of a bushwalk/cycle outing!

I’ve lived here 18 months now, and am continually astounded at how there seems to be a lack of recognition of the great opportunities that might exist for making our beautiful towns more connected and liveable, and more sustainable, both environmentally and economically, simply by making them easier to get around without a car.

Dear Ed

One of my key issues at present is the lack of footpaths in the area of Cockatoo. The 250+ schoolchildren walking to school in Cockatoo have to walk ON THE ROAD. Im not yelling but feel the need to highlight this fact. Children are sharing the road with vehicles!!! As the majority of our roads have no usable verge or naturestrip, the most they can hope for is a wide shoulder to walk on however most of our roads are abutted by steep embankments and there is no shoulder. This is at its worst in the area off Devon Ave. The situation here is very serious as the road has now been sealed but with no provision of a footpath???? Cars now move along this road at a much faster pace, visilbility at the intersection of Ivy St/Devon Ave is at a minimum due to large trees growing right up against road and there are many children walking on it twice a day to get to and from school. This must be rectified ASAP before the unthinkable happens!!!! What will it take and how much money will be spent in other areas of the shire before we get decent footpaths for our children to walk on.

Thank you
regards
Julie Skipsey

Way to go Julie!
You are absolutely right – there is a significant lack of footpaths in Cockatoo, as well as the rest of Ranges Ward!
School children deserve to have the safety of footpaths for them to travel to and from school, rather than having to be driven by mum or dad.
The Walking School Bus Program would have far more interest and patronage if the infrastructure was there to support it.
I do hope you get a reasonable response from both the Mayor and CEO, and that would be a fair expectation; unfortuately I expect it will be more spin focussing on the ‘growth corridor’.
All the best to you, and should you receive a positive response from the mayor and/or CEO, it would be good to share it with others at this blog.

Interesting selection of locations within the Emerald area. Emerald Monbulk Road to Mary Street may look good on a map but will be difficult to construct and will still be on shoulder (outer curve) of a main road. Hardly a conducive place to walk. Perhaps the link could be achieved from Emerald Monbulk to Alexander Street and then that road used for access. If the path is constructed to Mary Street then there is likely to be a “push” to extend it through to Lawsons Road. This would be a shame when there is a usefull path along Old Gembrook Road.

The works at Pinnocks and Laurel are interesting. Would it not have been better to encourage use of the existing walking path from Laurel Lane to Walnut Ave (with a bit of crushed rock please)rather than trying to create a new path.

There are a large number of well worn footpads that would become good footpaths with a little TLC. Not all paths should become concrete footpaths, gravel is far cheaper and can be more in keeping with rural nature of areas.

The sooner a footpath is constructed all the way along Belgrave-Gembrook Rd from Emerald Secondary College to Emerald-Monbulk Rd the better for all that use that well worn track, particulalry the students from the College; quibbling about bypassing it through Alexander St is going to delay the work done by those who have compiled this list.
Let’s get these footpaths constructed and stop throwing up red herrings that will delay any work being started.