Asbestos remains in Brimbank Park two years after it was found.
Despite a public push to have the hazardous material removed, a section of the park remains fenced off.
Parks Victoria western district manager Melbourne Craig Bray said the park was safe.
“Asbestos material has been removed from main visitor access points, allowing for safe access to the key sections of park,” he said.
“Parks Victoria, in conjunction with the EPA, VicRoads and the City of Brimbank, is now working on a plan to treat the remainder of the affected area, to which public access has been closed.
“Until then, fencing will remain in place and air monitoring at the site will continue.”
The asbestos was discovered in April 2016 and despite Parks Victoria saying it would work to have the clean-up occur as safely
and as quickly as possible, the material remains.
The section of park between Green Gully Road and Kulin Wetlands was closed after the discovery of asbestos on both sides of the pedestrian trail near Taylors Creek.
It is believed the asbestos is located in an area with indigenous artefacts which is making its removal difficult.
Taylors Lakes resident Neil Hunichen, who regularly cycles through the park, said the time taken to remove the hazardous material was unacceptable.
“This has been going on for years now. Why are we spending money maintaining temporary fencing and not just removing or covering the asbestos?”
He said having parts of the park fenced off had also created huge accessibility issues.
