By Matthew Sims
The Save the Beaconsfield Reservoir Action Group (SBRAG) has made a nomination application with Heritage Victoria for the Mornington Reservoir Water Supply Scheme to be protected, which includes Beaconsfield Reservoir, in a bid to stop Melbourne Water’s proposal to alter the reservoir.
During a SBRAG committee meeting on Friday 26 April, members upheld their stance that Melbourne Water’s proposal would cause a number of issues, including the loss of recreation opportunities, the loss of the reservoir as a potential water pickup site for firefighting helicopters and the loss of part of the historic dam wall.
Since 2018, Melbourne Water has proposed, for reasons of safety, to alter Beaconsfield Reservoir which has been closed to the public since 1988.
Between multiple options, Melbourne Water has pursued the option they call a ’partial upgrade’, which aims to slowly draw down the water over three years, significantly reducing the surface level, as well as partially demolishing the dam from 104 metres to 96 metres.
Melbourne Water has since begun this process, with the current level falling to 98.6 metres from 98.85 metres, with a final goal of 94 metres.
SBRAG has continually argued this would fly in the face of the clear option of a ’full upgrade’, which would see the reservoir retained as a key asset for the community, while also addressing safety risks.
Melbourne Water defended not deciding on the ’Full Dam Safety Upgrade’ option as it claimed that it would involve buttressing the dam wall and drawing down the water level for the duration of works, while a high volume of external materials would be brought on site, including more than 2000 additional truck movements on local roads over a six-month period, leading to the highest cost out of the options and requiring the removal of vegetation.
SBRAG has claimed that this was not correct, because Melbourne Water engineers have told them at site inspections that both options would require the dam wall to be buttressed and the water level to be reduced in order to carry out site works for either option, while the only vegetation to be affected would be the grass on the external side of the wall, with both options having the same impact.
Over the years, consultation has seemingly only exacerbated anger between the community and Melbourne Water, with both sides holding fast to their proposals.
Reports of the dam’s possible failure have been based on the 105-year-old dam’s possibility to overtop or to leak, compromising its integrity for various reasons such as a major flood.
However, dam expert, SBRAG committee member and former Australian National Committee on Large Dams secretary Robert Evans said the dam walls’ 105 years without a leak was a testament to its strength.
“105 years and it hasn’t failed yet,“ he said.
SBRAG vice-president Andre Bokos said with the region’s history with bushfires, especially during the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, more thought should be taken to consider the importance of retaining the Beaconsfield Reservoir’s current capacity so aerial firefighting helicopters can draw water from it in times of need.
“The ignorance of it is appalling,“ he said.
SBRAG president Harry Jensen said they were also in support of opening the reservoir for various activities to allow for the land to link up with existing walking trails and other recreational opportunities and amenities, such as boardwalks, a jetty, barbecues and toilets.
“It’s a mental health issue,“ he said.
“We want young people to experience the real world.
“We want it to be used for people’s passive recreation.“
Mr Jensen said the committee were interested in broadening the campaign.
“We are constantly engaging other experts from the community, so the membership of the committee is gradually expanding, as experts in specific fields offer to join us,“ he said.
“A person involved in environmental studies and someone involved in assessing water quality would be considered beneficial in the long term.“
Mr Bokos said he hoped Cardinia Council would support the group’s proposals.
“Cardinia Shire have just got a gem of a situation here,“ he said.
Following a petition submitted to Parliament by Berwick MP Brad Battin in 2021 attracting about 1700 signatures from locals opposing Melbourne Water’s plan, SBRAG have been working on a new petition to submit again to Parliament to show the level of opposition within the Officer, Beaconsfield and Upper Beaconsfield communities.
Officer resident Carol Porter said Officer residents had received no consultation before the proposals, despite the township being the most at risk with flood.
“We want to stop this now,“ she said.
“This community needs to be consulted.
“Save that historic walls and save that precious water.“
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