By Mitchell Clarke
Pakenham’s state-of-the-art Deep Creek Reserve has been described as a place of environmental and recreational significance, but the area almost ended up as anything but.
Many would be unfamiliar with the history associated with the reserve but members of the Cardinia Ratepayers and Residents Association (CRRA) are feeling content as they reflect on their efforts in fighting off an opportunistic developer.
Back in 1977, landowners in the Ryan Road area contributed a total of about 80 hectares of land to the Shire of Pakenham for recreation, drainage and road purposes.
But in 2003, Cardinia Shire Council advertised the total area for sale and developers began circling with a $22 million plan for a 600 lot residential development.
The ratepayers association launched a campaign to keep the land for community purposes.
A government panel heard the views from residents and environmental experts, who argued the community open space was needed and the land was prone to flooding and was also home to endangered species.
The panel recommended the land shouldn’t be used for residential subdivision but council disagreed with the findings, proceeding with the rezoning process before going to then Planning Minister Justin Madden.
Defiant, the CRRA who were working alongside the Cardinia Environment Coalition (CEC), launched a petition.
With the help of then MP Tammy Lobato, 1500 signatures from local community members were presented to Mr Madden, who in 2007, declared he was of the view that the subject land should belong to the community.
While pleased with the outcome, long-time CRRA president Gloria O’Connor said she felt council was ignoring history and potentially felt “a little bit embarrassed”.
“Nobody realises the history of this place,” Ms O’Connor said.
“I think the current lot are a little bit embarrassed to go back into the history of it all.
“We’re not blaming them. They’ve done the right thing in managing to get support from the government.
“The people who didn’t get it right are now long gone.”
But Ms O’Connor believes council shouldn’t be taking full credit for the new park, which officially opened on Saturday 26 October.
“They wouldn’t have had this site if it wasn’t for our work in insisting that it be left for the community,” she said.
“If not for us doing this petition, I don’t know how different this area would be.”
But she said it’s most important to reflect on and remember the Shallard family, who in 1977 gave the council a larger amount of land than was required.
“That land was intended to be saved for future community use and now it finally has been, with access to many wonderful recreational and environmental activities being available,” she said.
“This is a lovely result.”
