Ratepayers on Yarrawonga Industrial Estate have paid rates for a long time – some totalling up to four decades – without necessary improvements to infrastructure being undertaken.
But that may all change starting in 2023 because shire staff and councillors heard first hand from about 20 disgruntled landowners and business operators about their serious concerns, including safety issues, last Thursday.
Considerable planning work has been undertaken in recent months by senior council staff to address drainage, lighting and streetscape concerns by businesses and people visiting the many businesses. That, however, has been curtailed since October due to the consistent wet weather and devastating consequences to council infrastructure.
The wet weather has only heightened the concerns on Yarrawonga’s industrial estate which because of inaction, has seen a totally unsatisfactory drainage situation again, let alone other issues.
“We need to be represented,” landowner and businessman John Bastin said last Thursday, December 8 at an hour-long meeting well directed by State National Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy in The Smoko Shed on the industrial estate.
“We feel unloved. We’ve been crying out for something to be done for a long time. There’s nothing in the budget.”
Mr Bastin lashed out at the shire’s councillors saying that collectively, landowners have paid millions of dollars in rates over the decades for nothing in reply.
“Council doesn’t care. Yarrawonga’s been poorly represented by our councillors. Nothing’s happened in 38 years.”
Landowner since day one, Peter Birthisel backed Mr Bastin’s comments.
Comment was made about an earlier recent survey undertaken by council which some landowners, said, they never received. As a result, there was little feedback to council.
From the landowners’ point of view, the first step this time by council will be a letter to all landowners – which will be this week - to ensure all are on council’s website with all addresses.
“The letter will go to all landowners next week to ensure everyone is on our website,” council’s infrastructure liaison officer Lyn Cooper said last Thursday.
“There will be conversations in January. Information sessions regarding a special charge scheme and works are to be conducted.
“Once these discussions are complete, council will send out a survey to see if there is interest in completing the works as part of a cost sharing arrangement under a special charge scheme.
“If 50 per cent plus one or more vote ‘yes’ for a scheme then we will complete the detailed design and source funding for the works.”
A 10-page Fact Sheet relating to Acacia-Melaleuca-South Road Special Charge Scheme was presented to the approximate 20 landowners/business operators at the end of the meeting, for their consideration.
The estimated $3 million upgrade would include installation of underground drainage, kerb and channel, vehicle crossing laybacks and full road reconstruction to match the new kerb. The road would be reconstructed using industrial pavement and widened to allow vehicle parking on both sides of each road.
Driveways would be replaced on a like-for-like basis. Funding for any upgrades to concrete vehicle crossings would be the responsibility of the property owner. The upgrade would also include footpaths if the majority of property owners agree to it.
Costing scenarios and options were tabled in the Fact Sheet. “Council takes into account a number of factors to determine a fair apportionment of the cost of works amongst benefitting property owners, for example: per lot benefit, per area benefit and per frontage benefit amongst other factors,” Ms Cooper said.
She said there are 58 benefitting property owners in the industrial estate and council favours its stated option 2 of three options – 50% cost per lot and 50% by area size. Half of the cost would be shared equally amongst each lot and the other half divided depending on the area size of the lot, believing the option is the fairest measure of the benefit each property receives. Share ranges from $9,454 to $39,354. Paying options over a 10-year period are also contained in the Fact Sheet.
“Each business will benefit equally from being in a nice industrial estate that encourages people to go there,” the Fact Sheet states. “Each will benefit from being more easily accessible via road or foot and by having parking both on the street and in their lot.
“However, it seems reasonable to assume that larger properties attract a proportionately higher number of vehicles and foot traffic using the footpath. The larger lots also contribute more water to the drainage system than smaller properties, thereby gaining a greater benefit from the upgrade.”
Special charge scheme necessary
Council’s director infrastructure services Josh Lewis explained that drainage is a problem throughout Moira Shire and whilst no work other than routine maintenance has been carried out over the decades on Yarrawonga’s Industrial Estate, he strongly encouraged landowners to contribute to a special charge, particularly in view of the state-capped rates of about 2%.
“If you chip in a bit, there’s more council interest,” Mr Lewis said. “We’ve got designs done. It’s ready to go.”
In chairing the meeting, Mr McCurdy called firstly on landowners to voice their concerns, some of which have been mentioned earlier in this story and in Yarrawonga Chronicle articles over the last 20 years.
Mr Birthisel also pointed out last Thursday the huge change in variety of businesses on the industrial estate, including a dance studio, gymnasium and a church, and the growth in businesses. As a result, a substantial increase in patronage including many children is now evident and landowners’s concerns have substantially increased, including safety issues with numerous more vehicles and people, which were expressed by representatives of these businesses.
Mr Birthisel said industrial estates in Cobram, and Mulwala in the Federation Council area, are far superior than Yarrawonga’s.
“Tradies set up in Mulwala because it’s better,” he said.
“We need improvements and more industrial land.”
The Smoko Shed’s Felicity Irvine mentioned the poor lighting which resulted in a car going into a ditch and having to be pulled out, as well as many near misses involving vehicles. A “dark town” was a term used by landowners.
Yarrawonga’s disused old saleyards over South Road on Crown Land was also mentioned. It is an eyesore and a fire hazard. Drainage infrastructure on both sides of South Road will have to be considered.
Yarrawonga-based councillors Peter Mansfield, Peter Elliott and Judy Heather attended the meeting. Cr Mansfield said he has been pushing in council for work and a contribution scheme regarding the town’s industrial estate.
Cr Heather praised the recent appointment of Cr Peter Lawless as Mayor. Back on council now for nine months, she believes it is a different council now which indicated serious consideration would be given to addressing landowners’s concerns.
Mayor Lawless acknowledged the “disgraceful” situation on the estate.
“We have a commitment to do something,” he said.
“Peter Mansfield has been pushing for council to do something. We’ve got the message.”