May2015_LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
About 15 years ago, a local land developer acquired a property (the Lee family farm) at Armstrong Creek, bounded by Lee’s Crossing Road, Armstrong Creek Road and the North Pine River. Part of the conditions laid down by the then Pine Rivers Shire Council was that the developer had to agree to ‘partially fund’ infrastructure in the form of a replacement causeway below Creek Lane on Armstrong Creek Road.
The development and all the properties up Woodward Road have only two access roads to their land – one along Lee’s Crossing Road over Lee’s Crossing and the other down Armstrong Creek Road over the causeway near Creek Lane. When the rains hit the Dayboro area, both Lee’s Crossing and the causeway flood fairly easily so it was decided that raising the height of the causeway on Armstrong Creek Road would be the cheaper alternative to ‘weather-proof’ access to these properties. It is understood that the developer parted with quite a sizeable amount of funds as his share of the cost of reconstruction of the causeway, and to install drainage pipes under Armstrong Creek Road, towards Watson Road, where floodwaters also cut off access.
To date, this reconstruction has not been undertaken and property owners in this area regularly have to traverse a flooded causeway to travel to and from work, etc. It has long been an Emergency Services edict that “IF IT IS FLOODED, FORGET IT”. That’s well and good but, if you only have two roads to travel and they both are flood-prone, what alternative do you have?
The present Division 11 councillor has told me on quite a few occasions that this road is not the only one that is flood-prone in his division – quite true, but this one has had funds paid towards its reconstruction by a private developer, and over 15 years ago. I think it’s high time this current council made good with the funds and do what they should’ve done 15 years ago.
If they are required in this area, Emergency Services have no alternative but to ford this flooded causeway which also endangers their lives. I must impress that the present incumbent in Division 11 was not the councillor at the time, but he has been approached to fix this problem on a few occasions. Councillors may change, but council is still council.
I would also like to point out that the land developer did not supply any of the above information – it was gleaned from locals in the know.
Glenn Bell, Dayboro.
