Is a track on the inland side of Bunurong Coast Road feasible? Image: Google Earth
By Nicholas Low
AT LAST month’s public consultation in Inverloch for the Yallock-Bulluk walking and cycling trail, it appeared that Parks Victoria had already decided that a section of the trail between Cape Paterson and Inverloch had been ruled out.
This annoyed many residents of Cape Paterson and Inverloch who believed they were being consulted about options for this section of the trail.
I advocate an off-road section of bike-walking path following the line of the road but on the inland side, mostly using small slices of land now in private ownership.
AT LAST month’s public consultation in Inverloch for the Yallock-Bulluk walking and cycling trail, it appeared that Parks Victoria had already decided that a section of the trail between Cape Paterson and Inverloch had been ruled out.
This annoyed many residents of Cape Paterson and Inverloch who believed they were being consulted about options for this section of the trail.
I advocate an off-road section of bike-walking path following the line of the road but on the inland side, mostly using small slices of land now in private ownership.
| While I applaud the concept of the Yallock-Bulluk trail in principle, and congratulate Parks Victoria for pursuing it, the reasons for including a section between Cape Paterson and Inverloch are self-evidently compelling. Such a path would add great value to the trail and serve the needs of two rapidly growing townships: Cape Paterson and Inverloch. |  Coastal track a planning poser April 22, 2021 - Creating a walking/cycling trail from San Remo to Inverloch was never going to be easy. |
I do not want to pursue these reasons in detail here. However, as a planner, I would propose a feasibility study which should include:
This is a standard planning process which should have been undertaken prior to consultation with local residents. Indeed, the criteria included in a cost-benefit analysis should be transparent and available to residents and potential users. Perhaps Parks Victoria has already undertaken such a process but, if they have information about it, it was not given out.
Of course, the cost/benefit ratio may not in the end support the necessary investment. If that is the case, the proposal should not be carried further. That may not satisfy all residents, but the discussion would have been properly conducted.
I would suggest that if Parks Victoria is unwilling to do the necessary planning, Bass Coast Council should undertake it themselves.
Nicholas Low M.Sc. is Professorial Fellow in Urban and Environmental Planning, at the University of Melbourne, formerly Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, UK).
- Survey: a cadastral survey of land ownerships, a topographical survey of the land levels, an environmental survey of the remnant bush on the landward side of the road.
- Route options: from these surveys it should be possible to conceive a possible route.
- Ownership issues: investigation of feasible agreements with land owners for the use of small slices of their land. These options might include outright compulsory purchase, donation by owners in exchange for some minor alleviation of taxation (rates), creation of an easement, and leasing of land. There may be other options. No doubt if this were a new road for motor vehicles, compulsory purchase would be the first and only option.
- Consultation: face to face with land owners along the route. Consultation with residents.
- An assessment of costs and benefits of the proposal/proposed options.
- Decision
This is a standard planning process which should have been undertaken prior to consultation with local residents. Indeed, the criteria included in a cost-benefit analysis should be transparent and available to residents and potential users. Perhaps Parks Victoria has already undertaken such a process but, if they have information about it, it was not given out.
Of course, the cost/benefit ratio may not in the end support the necessary investment. If that is the case, the proposal should not be carried further. That may not satisfy all residents, but the discussion would have been properly conducted.
I would suggest that if Parks Victoria is unwilling to do the necessary planning, Bass Coast Council should undertake it themselves.
Nicholas Low M.Sc. is Professorial Fellow in Urban and Environmental Planning, at the University of Melbourne, formerly Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, UK).