500 signatures reached
To: Daniel Andrews, Ben Carroll, Lizzie Blandthorn
Save Moreland's magnificent River Red Gums
UPDATE: Devastatingly, the Victorian Government began chopping these River Red Gums on Friday June 10th, two days after this petition launched. Tree #26 (left of photo, above) was destroyed, but tree #15 was still standing.
* Please continue to share this petition to raise awareness about the appalling lack of process, and the lack of respect shown toward genuine community consultation. And there is still hope for tree #15!
Alter the car park expansion plan at Merlynston Station and leave these two magnificent old trees standing on Bain Avenue – so they can continue to shade us, soak up storm water and provide valuable urban habitat and refuge for birds, possums and other creatures in our low-canopy neighbourhood.
Listen to the community of Coburg North (and Moreland City Council) and leave our last significant Merlynston Station precinct trees standing.
Stop using your Level Crossing Removal Project to rip out rare, large trees to build unwanted car parks in residential zones!
Why is this important?
Every single tree assessed as highly significant in December 2021 by government-appointed arborists has been destroyed to make way for a giant car park at Merlynston, just 10km north of the city.
These are now the only significant indigenous trees that remain standing within cooee of Merlynston Station on the Upfield Line after the Victorian Government appointed its Level Crossing Removal Project to double the size of the car park.
The government is using the special powers of the LXRP to steamroll the local community and council's wishes to keep these trees.
The community consultation report for the Merlynston Car Park project, obtained by residents through Freedom of Information, showed that retaining existing trees was their top priority and cited in 53 per cent of submissions to the LXRP.
This unwanted car park expansion has been jointly funded by the former Scott Morrison government.
In December, arborists prepared a report for the Victorian Government describing these two stunning, large trees east of Merlynston Station as highly significant and said the car park project should take all available measures to protect their roots.
This was the plan, until recently. On May 31st, four months after the car park project began, the Victorian Government suddenly letterboxed residents of Bain Avenue and told them the street's two River Red Gums would be coming down within weeks .
Enough is enough!
Enough sham consultation with community!
Enough destruction of Moreland’s significant canopy and habitat trees!
Enough new car parks!
Listen to us! Change your plan and spare these valuable trees!
How it will be delivered
Share this petition to everyone who cares about significant trees in Victoria and Melbourne's urban environments, which needn't be sacrificed but too often are.
As a clever person said on Gardening Australia recently, "You don't stop caring for country where the concrete begins".