Candidates urged to back Peninsula Trail

Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au

THE Mornington Community Safelink Group is calling on Dunkley by-election candidates to commit to financing a safe connection between Frankston and Mornington.

Convenor Graeme Rocke said that with more people walking and riding, the “critical missing link” of the Peninsula Trail which fell partly in the Dunkley electorate, would provide a connection to the peninsula for all residents of Dunkley and Melbourne’s southeast.

Eight candidates are the contesting the Saturday 2 March by-election being held to fill the vacancy created by the death last December of Labor’s Peta Murphy (Eight line up for Dunkley, The News 13/2/24).

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council recently released for public comment a draft of its strategic plan for the Peninsula Trail which identifies this section as being of its highest priority.

The Peninsula Trail is council’s plan for a set of connected walking and riding paths that proponents hope will become one of Australia’s destinations for active travel and transport.

Rocke said the Mornington Community Safelink Group supported the council plan.

“At the last federal election the coalition recognised the value of this shared path and committed $5 million dollars to it, if re-elected. We are now calling on both parties to recognise the priority the community places on this local project, and make a commitment,” he said.

“The Safelink is consistent with the state government’s draft Frankston to Mornington Parklands Plan and, if developed in conjunction with both the existing steam railway and the potential of the area to create a green natural corridor, could become one of the peninsula’s major year round community assets.”

The CEO of the Committee for Frankston & Mornington Peninsula, Josh Sinclair, said the project had strong community and local government support.

“It’s a no brainer. This project would help connect the peninsula’s trail of networks, creating a worldwide cycling and walking network attracting visitors from across Australia,” he said.

“Having better connected and healthy communities is a core pillar of local government and the committee, and this project should be a priority for the incoming federal member for Dunkley.”

For details of the project go to mornpen.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Advocacy/Peninsula-Trail

To comment go to shape.mornpen.vic.gov.au/a-strategic-plan-for-peninsula-trails