New MP calls for lake lighting halt

IN one of his first moves in the Ballarat area since being elected in November last year, new Liberal upper house MP for Western Victoria, Joe McCracken, has called for the Lake Wendouree lighting project to be halted.

Throwing his support behind the Get Our Lake Wendouree Lighting Right group, Mr McCracken met with members late last week to discuss the plan.

He said the project, which involves the installation of 225 light poles along the Steve Moneghetti Track and onto Victoria Park, breaches the City of Ballarat’s tree protection policy.

Despite construction having started in October at a cost of more than $3 million, Mr McCracken said the project could still be stopped.

“Lake Wendouree is the heart of Ballarat,” he said. “You can see already line markings are in the ground ready to stab the heart of Ballarat.

“We’re not saying we’re against a lighting solution around Lake Wendouree, but we’ve got one chance to do it. Let’s get it right.

“I think there’s an undercurrent of resentment in the community about this. It appears there’s been a consultation process that didn’t truly reach out to everyone with a stake in this.

A statement in December from the municipality said the project’s development “will take into account tree protection zones.”

Despite Mr McCracken’s stance on the project, he supported a similar initiative in 2019 that installed lighting along the foreshore of Lake Colac.

He said they are two different projects.

“The lighting at Lake Colac was not adjacent to a road, such as Lake Wendouree. No previous lighting existed. There is street lighting all around Lake Wendouree. It’s a very different precinct,” he said.

“Lake Wendouree is surrounded completely by an urban area. Lake Colac only has a very small portion bordering populated areas, and an even smaller area impacted by lighting.

“Lake Colac is much bigger than Lake Wendouree, and the proportional impact is minimal in Colac, basically around 200 metres of lighting in Colac compared to six kilometres in Ballarat.”

Mr McCracken also said “proper consultation was completed” for the Lake Colac project.

Installing lighting around Lake Wendourre was an election commitment of both major parties in 2018 and Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison, reiterated to support the lights saying the project passed all the required checks.

“The Lake Lighting project has undergone a rigorous process, receiving all the required planning and heritage approvals,” she said.

“The lighting will enhance safety at Lake Wendouree and will provide great benefit to the community.

“The lighting will allow more users to exercise safely and utilise our lake before dawn and after dark.

“I am proud to support the Lake Lighting project, which the Andrews Labor Government is investing in.

“It is important to remember that Lake Lighting received support and a funding commitment from Liberal Party leader Matt Guy and local Liberal candidates in 2018.

“I look forward to the project being completed by the City of Ballarat and even more people being able to get active around the Steve Moneghetti Track.”