City to appeal rail gates decision – City of Ballarat council meeting briefs

THE City of Ballarat will appeal a Heritage Victoria permit which allows for mechanical boom gates to remain at Lydiard Street’s level crossing.

A majority of councillors supported the appeal at last week’s ordinary council meeting, which is expected to cost around $60,000 and may not result in the heritage interlocking gates being reinstated if the appeal is successful.

The heritage gates, which are replicas of those first installed in the late 1800s, were damaged in 2020 when a V/Line train’s brakes failed.

The heritage aspect of the gates is the mechanism, and they are the largest surviving interlocking mechanical swing gates in Victoria.

Director of development and growth Natalie Robinson said she believed there are technical errors in the permit which can be challenged, and that the City of Ballarat is the only organisation in the position to do to.

However, she said what happens following the appeal cannot be guaranteed even if it is successful.

“All along the Minister for Planning has the jurisdiction over the heritage council so if elements of the appeal were successful, I would have a guess given the project is a state project that the Minister would request that this matter be determined to VCAT,” she said.

“In essence, like most VCAT cases, everything comes off the table and everything is on the table.”

Crs Samnatha McIntosh, Des Hudson, Ted Lapkin, Tess Morgan and Jim Rinaldi supported the appeal.

Cr McIntosh said it was important to support the appeal because of the historical significance of the gates and the precinct.

“These railway gates, as we’ve heard, have significant heritage interest at a state level and are the largest surviving interlocking installation in Victoria,” she said.

“It’s so important that we understand the financial and economic benefits of such very, very important infrastructure.”

Cr Lapkin said he was supportive on the basis there would be regular check ins with councillors and the appeal could be withdrawn if need be.

“This will be proceeding on a segmented, stage by stage manner and we will be receiving reports as to the various costs as we proceed,” he said.

Crs Tracey Hargreaves, Ben Taylor, Jay Morrison and Damon Saunders did not support the appeal, with Cr Saunders saying it is too costly and has no guarantees.

“This may cost us $60,000, they are not the original gates, they are replicas, the heritage aspect is the mechanism rather than the gates… there’s no guarantee that we get the result that the passionate people from Save Our Station and Heritage Watch want.”

Cr Taylor said he believes it is likely the gates will never be reinstated, even if the appeal is successful.

 

Delegates to travel to Yangzhou

The City of Ballarat will send a delegation of one or two councillors and a council officer to Yangzhou, China to renew the friendship agreement between Ballarat and the city.

The trip is expected to cost $11,000, including economy flights and four-star accommodation for the delegation.

The alternative motion was introduced my Cr Hudson who said the agreement was important to attracting future opportunities, despite the officer recommendation being to renew the friendship agreement without sending a delegation.

“The ability for us to create lasting legacy and lasting relationships, to attract future opportunities, is always going to be difficult to measure,” he said.

“What we’ve heard tonight is the opportunities there, the seeds have been sown, more so by lots of community members that are investing a significant amount of time and energy.

“To those that are opposed to the motion, I would just ask that leadership and being elected as a representative for the City of Ballarat, is about governing for everyone and it is about having your eyes open that we are a multicultural community.”

Three submissions were made by community members in support of sending a delegation, including Chinese Cultural Association Ballarat president Michelle Phillips, vice-president Charles Zhang, and secretary Yilin Liu.

Ms Phillips said not sending a delegation would damage Ballarat’s reputation and that there are economic and cultural benefits to having a strong relationship with Yangzhou.

“Our reputation is enviable throughout Victoria and indeed internationally, but trust and respect is easier to damage irreparably than it is to build,” she said.

“As with all friendships, you get out what you put in, the agreement as recommended cannot be assigned from a distance.

“Would you hold your Christmas dinner over zoom?”

Mr Zhang said economic benefits of the agreement for Ballarat include tourism and student exchange programs.

Cr Hudson’s alternative motion was supported by Crs McIntosh, Morgan, Morrison, Rinaldi, Taylor and Hargreaves.

“If we are going to do this, then we do it properly and we do send representatives from our council over,” Cr Hargreaves said.

Crs Saunders and Lapkin did not support the trip which is funded by ratepayers.

“I stood on a platform of no overseas trips,” Cr Lapkin said.

 

Contracts awarded

All councillors supported awarding three contracts for the provision of the Gillies Road reconstruction, kerbside glass bins and kerbside organics processing.

The Gillies Road reconstruction contract has a total combined budget of more than $5 million, with $2 million being funded by the Federal Government and the rest by the City of Ballarat.

It includes the area from Addington Road to Glendonald Road and has been awarded to Fulton Hogan.

The contract for the supply and rollout of approximately 51,000 mobile garbage bins for glass collection has a budget of $2.3 million and was awarded to Mastec Australia.

Introduction of monthly glass collection is expected to be introduced in November and under State Government legislation, all Local Government Areas are required to transition to a separate glass service.

A three-year contract has been awarded to Green Care Mulching to process kerbside organics with the option of two, one-year extensions.

The service is expected to be implemented this year and FOGO materials will be converted into a sustainable end use product.

The green waste processing budget for this financial year is $1.1 million.

 

Public holiday decided

The public holiday for the Ballarat municipal district from 2025 to 2029 will remain as Melbourne Cup Day.

Non-metropolitan councils can substitute the Melbourne Cup public holiday another day or two half days, however all councillors supported keeping the public holiday on cup day.

“Four years ago, the decision was made to just kind of align with the state,” Cr Taylor said.

“Aligning with the state provides that level of stability, it also provides much better services for business and understanding for business.”

 

Youth services plan noted

The year two youth services plan report has been noted by councillors.

The report includes work undertaken to implement the youth strategy 2022 to 2026 such as progress towards establishing a youth hub and Live4Life teen mental health first aid sessions.