Clean up imminent for Drysdale depot

BELLARINE Railway managers say they will alter the design of a fence and complete remediation works at their Drysdale depot in response to community concerns about presentation of the site.

Workers will remove barbed wire above the fence beside the Bellarine Rail Trial, plant native vegetation, and remove waste and overgrown grass to soften the look of the construction site for the ongoing Bellarine Railway upgrade.

A petition circulated on social media in the past fortnight called for the removal of the industrial-style fence for a barrier that was “more in keeping with the area”, and said land behind the new depot had become a “dumping ground” during the past two years.

The call attracted dozens of signatures and comments in support in recent days.

Geelong Steam Preservation Society board director Andrew Lamb said project managers had engaged with concerned residents and were working towards a compromise.

“We need to keep it safe, it is a working area and we can’t just have people wandering in and wandering out,” he said.

“But we need to listen to what the residents are saying, and understand that it has to look the part as well.

“We’ve got a fair bit going on there at the moment with stage one and stage two [of the upgrade]. Very soon hopefully we’ll have everything done and dusted with the construction.”

Mr Lamb said COVID challenges and “unseasonable weather” in recent weeks had increased pressure on volunteers and slowed down progress.

He also indicated that the project involved complicated planning requirements, due to factors such as heritage significance, it spanning two council areas and involving a multi-million-dollar state government contribution.

Mr Lamb expected work at the site to be officially wrapped up by Christmas.

“We’re working through the last of our compliances now. We’re working towards the end of November, maybe the start of December, but certainly it will be finished at some stage this year.”

Neighbours frustrated with the current situation have indicated they’re encouraged by recent assurances to remediate the site within weeks.

Government authorities and Bellarine Railway marked the end of the stage one Bellarine Railway project in September, which involved the construction of a new train depot at Drysdale and associated rail infrastructure

The depot would allow tourist trains to start at both ends of the historic railway line that connects to Queenscliff, such as the The Q Train and Blue Train services.

Stage two of the upgrade includes improvement of 16.5 kilometres of track between Drysdale and Queenscliff.