Our community campaign just succeeded in stopping a new quarry at Arthurs Seat! Now we need to ensure that the Ross Trust and Victorian Government do the right thing for the community, environment and local wildlife by following the advice of a new expert report that calls for a nature sanctuary for the area.
To make this a reality, all of us need to click here to email the expert report to key decision makers today.
“We will no longer seek to re-establish a fully operational quarry for the site.”--Jeremy Kirkwood, Chair, The Ross Trust
It’s finally happened!
93 acres of our last remnant bushland have been saved from a destructive new quarry at Arthurs Seat. This is amazing news for our environment and the native animals that call Arthurs Seat / Wonga home!
It’s also amazing news for the community, especially current and future generations of local children that attend childcare and school less than 1 km from the proposed quarry site. They can now breathe a lot easier, free from the fear of damaging air pollution.
There is just one more task for us. As the Ross Trust acknowledged, there needs to be a rehabilitation plan for the existing quarry site.
Jeff Floyd is the founding CEO and former Chair of Parks Victoria. He just released a report called ‘A Vision for the Arthurs Seat Parklands’ that recommends the establishment of a nature sanctuary.
Political leaders are used to people bringing them problems, but we have an opportunity to put an expert solution right into their hands. It will mean even more if it comes from hundreds of people writing in, calling on them to act on it.
Mr Floyd’s report proposes the following for Arthurs Seat:
+ A continuous habitat and wildlife corridor across the escarpment, incorporating the Arthurs Seat State Park and land owned by the Ross Trust.
+ The Roy Everard Ross Nature Sanctuary to protect endangered wildlife and showcase conservation best practice.
+ The Roy Everard Ross Environment Centre, including a Traditional Owner cultural history space, eco-accommodation, walking & nature therapy trails into the surrounding State Park, and environmental and cultural education programs for the community.
The Ross Trust acknowledged Mr Floyd’s report in their recent announcement, so it’s already having an impact. Now it’s up to us to get it into the hands of key decision makers at the Ross Trust and Victorian Parliament, along with our firm backing.
Click here to send this expert proposal to key decision makers today.
Thank you to everyone who helped put an end to a destructive quarry at Arthurs Seat – from the doctors and environmental and philanthropic leaders who put their names to open letters, to the people who signed petitions, raised money, spoke out in the media, contacted politicians or who worked tirelessly in the background.
This community campaign was about using the truth to shine a light on a deeply misguided plan. It was about doing what is right to protect what is most precious. We will continue to ensure that Arthurs Seat / Wonga is protected. The next step is to send Mr Floyd’s expert report to decision makers.
Thank you.