![\"\"](\"https:\/\/themooraboolnews.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Gordon-plan-JAN19-300x210.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBy Helen Tatchell<\/p>\n
\u201cI can confirm there
\nwill only be
\nthree trees removed,
\n none of them in
\nthe main street, and
\n22 trees will be planted.\u201d
\n– Derek Madden (CEO MSC)<\/p>\n
A small branch of Gordon residents has caused a frenzy amongst locals as they took to social media saying 21-trees in the main street were to get axed by Moorabool Council.
\nThey say they\u2019ve been misled by council after uncovering \u2018plans\u2019, from November 2017, on council\u2019s website that show a proposed three-staged main street upgrade that includes red crosses on 21-trees for removal. Council denies they have misled the community.
\nThe group went to great lengths to protest the alleged action by tying yellow ribbons around the main street trees, only to have confirmed by Moorabool Mayor Paul Tatchell at a community meeting last Thursday evening in the public hall, only three trees were on the chopping block, and they were in Russell street, off the main street that is the old Western Highway.
\n\u201cLooking for something that isn’t there can only lead to frustration,\u201d Cr Tatchell said.
\n\u201cThe organiser’s made a lot of noise, made a lot of media and made a lot of allegations; the only thing not made was common sense.
\n\u201cPeople do funny things, but we don’t always laugh,” he said.
\nSo, was it all just a media stunt, after the group was seen on 9 News Western Victoria and in the Ballarat Courier?
\n\u201cThe concern for the trees and the yellow ribbon campaign was just to gather awareness of what is happening,\u201d Alicia Gordon said on a facebook post.
\nScott Graham admitted to the Moorabool News via facebook \u201cthe tree issue is the issue to get us talking.\u201d
\nOne Gordon local said he believed the meeting was all about chopping down the trees.
\n\u201cI along with others were conned that it was all about the removal of the trees. The meeting was so negative I had to leave,\u201d he said.
\nThe 50-60 people who attended the meeting in good faith of \u2018saving the trees\u2019, soon heard the meeting was about \u201clack of community engagement and consultation\u201d. This was in reference to Stage 1 $350,000 budgeted streetscape works to begin in the area and included a further 22-trees to be planted. This also caused an uproar as the group wanted to be consulted further on the types of trees and did not want crepe myrtles.
\nLocal indigenous resident Barry Gilson said he has lived in Gordon all his life and his family for maybe 100,000 years and spoke about the trees.
\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with these trees, maybe a couple of them, but the flowering gums nothing wrong at all.
\n\u201c$350,000 is a lot of money. I reckon I could buy a $30 chainsaw and cut all those trees down,\u201d he told the laughing crowd.
\n\u201cI\u2019m a taxpayer and a ratepayer and they won\u2019t be cutting my trees down, there is nothing wrong with them.\u201d
\nMr Gilson said Moorabool in Wadawurrung meant \u2018monster\u2019 so \u201cMoorabool shire is the monster shire,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t want to be another Ballan or Bacchus Marsh,\u201d was a common catch cry.
\n\u201cI\u2019m an archaeologist and any works over 500-metres requires a heritage study. How far is it from the pub to the hall?\u201d one lady asked.
\nThe group again had been misinformed.
\nThe Stage 1 streetscape works are to improve the landscape and safety in the Main street in the vicinity of Russell and Lyndhurst street intersections.
\nThe works, due to start mid-February include drainage improvements, new bins to replace existing, improved parking, relocated bus stops, a new traffic island at Russell street intersection and better pedestrian connectivity, including a path to the primary school.
\nWhatever the plans, the current plan from numerous community consultation meetings with Ward Councillor Pat Toohey over the last two years, indicates the works to be implemented are \u201cwhat the community wants, not what council wants.\u201d
\nThe proposal was brought to council and approved to be included in the budget.
\n\u201cAs a councillor for the community of Gordon I have taken on broader and wider opinions from the community of their needs. We have a lot of young families, a wide sector of youth and aged in Gordon who all have needs we need to address, including improved infrastructure for any intersections, which is one where these works will be undertaken, which is in the vicinity of the hall, the post office and the Gordon Bleu area.
\n\u201cWe will be making sure we put forward a quality outcome for the community of Gordon, based on the feedback we\u2019ve had, to deliver what is needed for a growing community and deliver it in a manner that respects the ambience and beauty that is the hamlet of Gordon.\u201d
\nCr Toohey said these outcomes are nothing to do with what council wants.
\n\u201cThis is over a decade of continued consultation with the community of Gordon, to put forward their aspirations for the future, to put forward how they wanted Gordon to look going forward, and to make sure we intermingle the improvements with preserving the beauty of Gordon as it currently is.
\n\u201cOver the past couple of years, we have been able to bring forward the plan and discuss with the community the ability to deliver an outcome which takes on board the input of the needs of the wider community of Gordon. It is not just about the loudest voice or the squeaky wheel, it is about giving a quality outcome for the needs of the people at Gordon. I\u2019m very confident the community will see the works and then have further opportunity to participate in future improvements through the township,\u201d he said.
\nCr Toohey responded to community members at the meeting voicing their concern that he is not contactable and does not return phone calls or emails.
\n\u201cOut of all this I have only had three phone calls and four emails which tells me the overwhelming response from the Gordon community is extremely positive, saying \u201cgood on you and get on with the job.\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Helen Tatchell \u201cI can confirm there will only be three trees removed, none of them in the main street, and 22 trees will be planted.\u201d – Derek Madden (CEO MSC) A small branch of Gordon residents has caused a frenzy amongst locals as they took to social media saying 21-trees in the main street […]<\/p>\n