Up the creek

By Danny Buttler
THE source of a Pakenham creek may have been smothered under tonnes of soil from a housing development.
Local residents claim a spring that feeds Whiskey Creek near the the Cardinia Lakes housing estate has been smothered by fill from construction works.
Cardinia Shire Council said it believes the soil will be “removed shortly”, but Gloria O’Connor from the Cardinia Ratepayers and Residents Association said she had heard similar assurances before.
“That’s what they said last time I drew it to their attention,” she said.
“The developer said it was not their responsibility, it was the responsibilty of the contractor.”
The area is question is beneath high tension powerlines that cannot be built under.
Ms O’Connor believes she had located the source of the Whiskey Creek tributary and has watched in dismay as it was buried underground.
“It’s on the border of the development, it’s under the powerlines. I imagine it will be just open space because they can’t build under the powerlines,” she said.
“I found a little patch of vegetation and trees and I thought that must be where Whiskey Creek begins, so I was worried that someone might bulldoze it one day.”
Council spokesman Paul Dunlop said it was acting to fix the problem.
“Cardinia Shire Council is aware of concerns expressed by a resident regarding stockpiled fill placed by a contractor working on the Cardinia Lakes Estate (within the powerline transmission easement adjacent to Mullane Road) in the vicinity of the upper reaches of the Whiskey Creek tributary,” he said.
“Council has been in regular contact with the developer who has indicated that the stockpiled fill will be removed shortly.”
The developer of Cardinia Lakes, Peet Limited, admitted the dumped soil is an “eyesore”.
“Peet is not happy that this stockpile fill remains as an eyesore for local residents,” Peet Limited managing director Brendan Gore said in a statement sent to The Gazette.
“Peet has been unsuccessful to date in having the contractor responsible address the matter, so we will now be exploring other options and consulting with council to achieve an immediate solution.”
While Peet said it would be “taking responsibilitry for resolving the matter” it was unable to tell The Gazette if the developer was ultimately responsible for ensuring the soil was removed.
Ms O’Connor said she feared the issue would never be dealt with.
“It will just drag on,” she said.
“Someone from council will get onto them and tell them to do something, but if no-one follows up it will be still be there in six months’ time.”