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27 APRIL, 2022
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Trees of life for koalas
(Louisa Jones) 251400
Koala’s have a reputation for being lazy animals who spend their days sleeping and snacking on eucalyptus leaves. Koala expert Janine Duffy thinks people would be surprised to learn otherwise. “They’re so agile, no one thinks this, they think they’re like sloths,” Janine said. “They’re incredibly strong and fast moving.” Janine is the president of the Koala Clancy Foundation, an independent charity that advocates for protection of wild koalas. In the last five years, the foundation has dedicated countless hours to planting trees in Little River, as the lack of vegetation in the area makes it difficult for koalas who use trees as a way to travel between the You Yangs and Brisbane Ranges. “I’ve seen koalas crossing the open paddocks, and in the scattered trees near the Little River, looking for better habitat,” Janine said. “In 2017 Koala Clancy Foundation set a target to plant koala trees along the entire length of the Little River, from just north of Little River township to Staughton Vale in the Brisbane Ranges.” Volunteers have since planted 24,362 trees along the Little River, with another 10,800 expected this year. Fatima Halloum
Janine Duffy and other volunteers are planting koala habitat along Little River.
Dohertys Road upgrade By Fatima Halloum Residents say it’s notorious for flooding and “ridiculously dangerous” but Wyndham council has confirmed Dohertys Road is finally set for an upgrade. The road, particularly between Tarneit and Derrimut Road, has received significant criticism from community members. Wyndham resident of 20 years, Peter Savic, said he actively avoids the road and is “really surprised” there hasn’t been a fatality there. “It used to be my preferred route but it’s
gotten too busy now and it’s too dangerous,” Mr Savic said. “It’s an 80-kilometre stretch of road with multiple dips and potholes and it floods, it’s absolutely shameful that they’ve neglected it like they have.” Mr Savic said all the road needs is “a little bit of rain” for it to flood. “Because we get regular rain events, the dam either side of the road is already holding a lot of water, it’s maybe 10 or 15 centimeters below the road,” Mr Savic said.
“If it was out in the back blocks of Victoria somewhere you’d go ‘OK understandable’, but it’s on the fringe of a major urban area, it’s just ridiculous.” Wyndham council acting director Peter McKinnon said council is undertaking pre-design studies for the road. “This project includes developing a concept plan for a realigned Dohertys Road and bridge over Dry Creek (between Sapling Boulevard and Rosso Drive), to remove the flooding issues associated with the low creek
crossings,” Mr McKinnon said. Councillor Josh Gilligan says residents are “quite rightly” outraged and council has prioritised the project “We’ve heard them and that’s why we’re getting on with making sure that the designs are done, and then getting on with construction,” he said. “It’s quite a technical, complex design because if you think about it, bridges are not something that councils ordinarily do. It’s a really specialised space.”
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