Comments on: An Avenue to Dishonour

By: Geoff Threlfall

Geoff Threlfall — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:53:28 +0000

Also in relation to the health of the trees I direct you to Heritage Victoria’s comments made in their report. The majority of trees are in a stable and healthy condition. The few that are in ill health would be expected to be replaced gradually over a period of time.

By: Geoff Threlfall

Geoff Threlfall — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:12:08 +0000

Just to let you know that the Avenue of Honour had a reprieve when Heritage Victoria knocked back the application for a roundabout. However the Shire and VicRoads appealed and now the Victorian Planning Minister will make a final decision. VicRoads submitted a revised plan with a smaller roundabout which will cost the removal of 5 93 years old trees and replacement with 5 cloned saplings. I notice no one from the pro roundabout group states that this whole idea is being driven by the trucking lobby so that a local coal mine can be re-opened. Also that their quoted figures of truck movements are grossly exagerated. They claimed at one time that 700 trucks a day travelled through Bacchus Marsh ( 1 every 2.05 minutes for a 24 hour period),so their credibility was shot ages ago.

By: 4thgenmarshgirl

4thgenmarshgirl — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:08:40 +0000

This has been a very divisive issue locally, with death threats etc. being hurled at those who support the roun dabout. My family was subjected to this. My family has an uncle commemorated in the Ave, and his tree has already been replaced under the Council Cloning Program, this means that his tree will stand for another 90 years. A large number of the trees in the Ave are in a sorry state. This road will actually remove 300 trucks per day from the Ave and remove the biggest threat facing the long term health of the trees which is root compaction caused by heavy vehicular traffic. The opponents of the roundabout cannot see this and are really condemning the entire Ave to a slow death. Our community will also have the opportunity to plant a second Avenue along the new extension that will remember those locals who fought in all wars after WW1. This is a wonderful thing in itself. This is really a debate over if it is worthwhile to remove and replace a small number of trees to protect the rest. Geoff is also mistaken 90% of local folk support the works and the protesters are regarded as a noisy misinformed minority, most of whom do not come from here and know little about the true state of the Ave.

By: Geoff Threlfall

Geoff Threlfall — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 01:53:33 +0000

Concillor Pat will not be a councillor after the next municipal elections, that’s a given, neither will his colleagues. He screams the public were consulted, but fails to state that council made their decision in 2008 and the fact of the roundabout only came to light in November 2009. See the Save the Bacchus Marsh Avenue Facebook site for the real facts. Even recent comments by the by-pass spokesman in a local paper admits there are other alternatives but would blow out the cost from $20 million to $30 million, so they took the CHEAPEST option. What price Heritage and History, so much for respecting those who paid the supreme sacrifice for our FREEDOM.

By: Withheld

Withheld — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 07:21:24 +0000

I know of local people that actually agree with Pat but find it intimidating to speak about it as we get verbally attacked. I don’t think that anyone wants to see the avenue destroyed and I don’t see moving plaques as being disrespectful. I’ve withheld my name as this topic is as touchy as announcing that I’m an athiest, I agree with gay marriage & that I sympathise with asylum seekers.

By: maureen henry

maureen henry — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:10:04 +0000

please leave these beautiful strong trees alone as a reminder of those young men who died for us all. It is coming up to 100 years since the planting and a celebration of this would be far more fitting than destruction of some trees. We have already destroyed much of our early planning but this is a sentimental memory.

By: jag

jag — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:57:52 +0000

Is Pat a representative of the people? If so, why is he so angry and pushing one side- isnt he supposed to support all the BM community? It is such a disgrace that this avenue will be finished for good with a roundabout in the middle of it!!! How could anyone even consider this? There are alternatives, trucks could be diverted at the top of town near Hallets Way- but are there other plans not being revealed? Is subdivision of farming land going to happen around Avenue?? Why are RSL not being active, is there some pay off here, new hall maybe?? What else can one think when this most vandalised action is to take place, glad that there is a group now to fight this- we will support you all the way. The fight is on- 4000 facebook supporters cant be wrong!!!! Oh yes, Stan, who are you fighting for? Soldiers memory or buildings? How bizarre?

By: Caity Raschke

Caity Raschke — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:22:54 +0000

Sorry to come back to you. It’s interesting that a quote from the RSL talked about the importance of road safety, implying that that justifies this dishonour.

I wonder how the RSL members would feel if the trees representing their best mates or brothers or cousins were the ones to be removed for road works. Our CBD park, in Newcastle, is the subject of ‘redesign’ plans (as if anyone can afford that) and one of the things that has been discussed is amalgamating the three war memorials that are in the park. One is a central cenotaph, one is a Vietnam memorial at the western end and one is a beautiful but neglected grove at the eastern end.

I sincerely hope that the RSL don’t bow to council’s or architects’ designs which seem to me to diminish their significance.

By: Caity Raschke

Caity Raschke — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:32:22 +0000

What a sad and shameful thing for your council to be doing.
It reminds me of a street in South West Rocks on the Mid North Coast of NSW called Memorial Avenue; after the First World War, a pine was planted for each man from the town who died in the war. In the 70s, the Electricity Commission as it was then called felled some of the trees to do infrastructure work.There were still gaps where these trees were not replaced when I was last there about seven or so years ago.
How sad but unsurprising that an elected councillor should take an offensive tone with you and how dismissive is she of the National Trust.
Good luck.

By: Jodie

Jodie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:51:01 +0000

Hi Pat,

1. It seems to me the local RSL have not represented the general feelings of the community in this matter.

2. Once a round-a-bout in placed in the middle of the Avenue of Honour, it will no longer be an avenue as such. One of the significant features of the Avenue of Honour is its length… this will be lost if a round-a-bout is placed in the middle, and it will no longer be of such international significance. As Adam suggests, what is the use of listing the Avenue once it has already been ruined. Will you even be able to list it once it has the round-a-bout… altering it so significantly would certainly weaken the case for registration.

3. If the Avenue is no longer suitable as a main road, then it shouldn’t be included at all in the re-alignment plans. Why would half of the Avenue be safe as a main carriageway (i.e. the part from Woolpack Road into the centre of Bacchus Marsh) and not the other half? My view is that it would be more suitable to cut the Avenue off from the freeway altogether… there are already two other on/off ramps in Bacchus Marsh, and I’m sure another connection point could be found if needed (especially as most of Bacchus Marsh’s development is toward the West rather than the East).