Station victory has Cardinia pumped

By Melissa Grant
CARDINIA residents are pumped that the State Government will relocate a booster pump station away from the centre of the small township and its primary school.
They had been pressuring Spring Street to move the piece of infrastructure required for the desalination plant, after discovering in October that it was to be built on Ballarto Road, about 500 metres away from Cardinia Primary School.
The State Government has now relocated the booster pump station to a site on the corner of Pound and McCormacks roads in Cardinia.
In an unusual twist, the station will now be built just one kilometre away from the home of Catherine Manning, the woman who spearheaded the campaign to have it relocated.
But Mrs Manning couldn’t be happier.
“I think it’s a great thing for the community,” she said.
“It’s actually closer to my place, but that was always an option and it has to go somewhere.
“It’s still a much better location than being in middle of township.”
Mrs Manning was pleased the State Government had listened to the concerns of residents and the school community, after Planning Minister Justin Madden initially ruled against relocating the booster pump station.
“When you know that your points are valid and you have a good argument you just have to keep going,” she said.
“It goes to show that persistence pays off.”
Cardinia Primary School principal Allan Armstrong said the result was good for the school and the community in general.
He was concerned that the previously proposed location would result in increased traffic near the school, putting children’s safety at risk.
“It was a good outcome all around,” Mr Armstrong said.
Horse trainer Udyta Clarke, who lives next door to the previous proposed location, is also breathing a huge sigh of relief, knowing that her horse agistment business is no longer under threat.
“I’m over the moon,” she said.
Phil Ellery, Ms Clarke’s neighbour, said the relocation of the booster pump station was the right move in terms of the township’s future.
“Nobody would be able to do anything if a pump station was there,” he said.
Eastern Victoria MP Johan Scheffer said he had shared the community’s concern about the original location of the booster pump station.
“Credit is due to a number of members of the local community including Catherine Manning, Allan Armstrong, and Udyta Clarke for the work they have done with me to find a solution to this problem and to the DSE project team for working with us to resolve this issue,” Mr Scheffer said.
The State Government has held discussions with the landowner of the new site and the two short-listed bidders. It is now seeking appropriate planning and environmental approvals.
Members of the Cardinia township gathered on Sunday to officially celebrate their victory.