By Corey Everitt
Locals may soon be responsible for giving new life to cleared plant-life, as the Level Crossing Removal project soon gets underway at Beaconsfield Station, many of plants and trees will be cleared, prompting a local MP to request they be given to the community.
Member for the South Eastern Metropolitan Region, Michael Galea addressed parliament on Tuesday 15 August, asking for the possibility of removed vegetation from an upcoming level crossing removal project at Station Street to be repurposed.
Directing the question to Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, Mr Galea revealed that around 75,000 plants and shrubs, as well as 80 trees will be planted at the site by the time of completion.
However, existing trees and plants have to be removed and Mr Galea asked the Minister to consider giving what is removed to the community.
‘It is unfortunate but necessary that the project requires a small amount of tree and shrub removal within the project area in order to deliver the new road bridge over the rail line and remove the level crossing,” Mr Galea said in Parliament.
“The action that I seek is that the minister look at options for the repurposing of removed vegetation for the use of local environment and community organisations.”
Mr Galea also spoke of the Bunya Bunya Pine Tree at the site, which will not be removed, but is an example of the value native trees have for local and indigenous communities.
State Government projects have given removed vegetation to the community before.
The Level Crossing Removal Authority removed trees for a project in Cranbourne last year, where they gave Red Gum logs to Yarra Valley group ‘Treasuring our Trees’, a not-for-profit who repurpose fallen trees to be made into various items to be given to the community.
The current project aims to remove the level crossing at Station Street in Beaconsfield by building a road bridge between Beaconsfield Avenue and Kenilworth Avenue.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2025.
