Curtailment of voluntary community work

I am a proud member of both the Fish Creek and Foster communities, and of the greater South Gippsland community.

It is a privilege to live in our area, and I believe that we should all do what we can to maintain and advance our community and its facilities.

When we go to other areas, I take great interest in the standard of maintenance of their community facilities as I see that as a good indicator of the locals’ pride in and love for their towns.

Councils everywhere are stretched for resources and need help wherever it is available. I believe that our council, and the outside staff, do a great job - but their resources are limited.

As such, I have been happy to assist where I am able to. Amongst other things, this has involved doing grounds maintenance work around Fish Creek community areas in the period leading up to important town visitation times like Easter, the Tea Cosy Festival, etc, and also maintaining a small wayside stop area alongside the Rail Trail around 2km on the Foster side of Fish Creek.

This is an ideal spot for older people walking from Fish Creek to stop and rest before the return walk to Fish Creek.

I have just received an email from the council requesting me to stop the maintenance work that I do around Fish Creek and on the Rail Trail. This email was as follows

“Dear Lloyd. I am writing to request that you stop mowing areas on the Great Southern Rail Trail east of Fish Creek and also within Fish Creek, including around the BBQ shelter and Tennis Courts.

“Concerns have been raised about the impact the mowing has had on Indigenous native vegetation on the Great Southern Rail Trail. Council is legally required to protect areas of Indigenous native vegetation, including on the Great Southern Rail Trail. The Rail Trail acts as a significant wildlife corridor in the broader South Gippsland landscape and it is essential that the native plants and animals that are present on the Trail are protected.

“There are also public safety and liability issues associated with the mowing on Council-owned or managed land. Council staff and contractors are covered by public liability insurance and have appropriate training and work safety plans in place to protect themselves and the community while working. People without the appropriate training, insurance and work safety plans are not permitted to work on council owned or managed land.”

Of course, I must and will comply with this direction from the council.

However, I am puzzled by the fact that the council itself does mow and maintain another wayside stop area alongside the Rail Trail, of equivalent or greater size, just a further 2km along towards Foster past Lowrys Road.

I do feel that good maintenance of the small number of Rail Trail wayside stop areas is important to overall outcomes and enjoyment of the trail, and can be done in balance with and without compromising protection of Indigenous native vegetation, plants and animals.

The council are actively seeking to promote visitation to use the Rail Trail and have just released their draft ‘Great Southern Rail Trail Visitor Experience and Marketing Plan 2022-2031’, and I believe as part of this the amenity of the wayside stops is important to the many walkers and others who will use the trail.

As indicated, I believe the council staff do a great job with the resources they have available, and the work I have been doing was aimed to assist both the community and the council which serves it.

I wanted to convey the reasons that I am now unfortunately not able to continue the work outlined. However, my pride in our great community is undiminished, and the ways that people can work to advance their community remain infinite.

Lloyd McKenzie.