Tara Murray
A Brimbank resident has started an online petition calling for changes to the Melbourne Airport Rail plans amid concerns the current proposal will impact the heritage-listed HV McKay Memorial Gardens.
Cat McDonald started the petition which is address to Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan calling for changes to be to the rail plan made near the gardens.
The proposed route has the Sunbury and Bendigo tain lines moved within the rail corridor to make space for the new rail tracks and elevated over Anderson Road, and a new pedestrian bridge.
In addition, a jet fuel pipeline will be relocated from the gardens to the other side of the rail corridor, avoiding the need to build a large concrete retaining wall next to the gardens.
An embankment will instead be constructed next to the gardens.
Ms McDonald said she felt the community needed to know what was going on at the gardens, which were built in 1909 for the local workers.
“Contrary to all previous information provided to the public, Melbourne Airport Rail proposes to slice off a section of the garden along its entire length, removing a famous existing garden bed and remaining heritage items, construct a batter embankment, removing the most historically significant relationship between the gardens and the harvester factory site,” the petition stated.
Ms McDonald said up until December, she and other residents had believed the rail line would be built on the outer edge of the rail corridor, away from the gardens and they wanted to maintain some visual connection between the gardens and the harvester site.
She said part of the area that would be lost is heritage-listed. The Melbourne Airport Rail project is working closely with Heritage Victoria to obtain the necessary permit approvals.
“[The Department of Transport] don’t seem to care, they don’t give a damn about Sunshine,” she said. “They’ve known about the gardens since they started. They knew that they had to go past them.
“I hope the local community gets behind this.”
A Rail Projects Victoria spokesperson said the organisation was proud of its community engagement and has worked with the Friends of HV McKay Gardens and Brimbank council on further improvements to the gardens.
“The project team is excited to share these details with the Sunshine and Albion community soon,” the spokesperson said.
“We recognise a few in the area are opposed to the project and do not represent either the Sunshine and Albion community, nor the Friends of HVMcKay Gardens organisation.”
