The Anti Ring Road Organisation was formed in 1977 to oppose construction of a ring freeway through the “Green Wedge” in Melbourne’s north-east. The accidental release in 1999 of designs for a possible route through Eltham and Warrandyte proved that VicRoads’ plans are already well advanced to complete the “missing link” between the Greensborough Bypass and Ringwood. In addition to its contribution here, ARRO has sent a separate submission to the Department of Infrastructure on the Eastern Freeway Extension. ARRO can be contacted on 9844 3454.

Hillcrest Association Inc. have been the land managers for the Hillcrest Forestway since 1988. They continue to implement their management plan in conjunction with the City of Manningham and VicRoads. The Association has monthly weeding bees and reports to members regularly in a newsletter. In 1996 Hillcrest Association won the Victorian Landcare Award for construction of a wetlands system on the edge of the Forestway. Contact Hillcrest on 9874 4258.

Knox Environment Society is a not-for-profit organisation which works closely with the local community and Knox City Council to raise awareness about a number of environmental issues, particularly the protection of indigenous vegetation. Intensive lobbying by KES for improved public transport in Melbourne’s south-east has seen a number of local councils come together recently to form a Regional Public Transport Committee. KES can be contacted on 9763 7017.

Koonung Mullum Forestway Association meets fortnightly in the local area and welcomes the participation of all who share our aims. Members receive our newsletter valley watch on a regular basis. Contact KMFA on 9898 2220 or write to us at PO Box 234, Kerrimur 3129.

Dr Patrick Moriarty is a Research Associate in the Mechanical Engineering Department, Monash University, Caulfield Campus. A civil engineer by training, his research interests include energy and transport issues, and urban land use policy. Phone: 9903 2584. E-mail: Patrick.Moriarty@eng.monash.edu.au

Peter Newman is Professor of City Policy and Director of the Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy at Murdoch University in Perth, as well as Visiting Professor for City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been researching ways in which cities can integrate environmental concerns into their urban fabric for over twenty years. His most recent book, with Jeff Kenworthy, Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence, was published by Island Press, Washington DC in 1999. Phone: 08 9360 2902 or E-mail: newman@central.murdoch.edu.au

PRAISE (Preserve Ringwood and Its Surrounding Environment) is a community group fighting to protect the Mullum Mullum valley in Ringwood and to alert the community to the intolerable traffic congestion and air pollution that will result from extending the Eastern Freeway to Ringwood. Write to PRAISE at PO Box 818, Croydon, 3136.

The Public Transport Users Association is the recognised major consumer organisation representing passengers on all forms of public transport throughout Melbourne and Victoria. PTUA is a non-profit voluntary organisation with no political affiliations. Its 42-page report Making Connections: Environmentally Friendly Transport for Melbourne’s Outer East was published in 1997. In 1998 the PTUA took a leading role at the Panel hearings into the Scoresby Transport Corridor in promoting alternatives to the proposed freeway. A Very Public Solution: Transport in the Dispersed City, by PTUA President, Paul Mees, has just been published by Melbourne University Press. Phone PTUA office on 9650 7898.

Richmond Action Coalition on Freeways (RACOF) was formed in 1995 by residents and  community groups involved in the EES process from 1992 to 1994 for the Southern Bypass—which became the southern section of CityLink. RACOF was incorporated in February 1996. It ran local meetings, rallies and street stalls, provided speakers, distributed a regular newsletter and liaised with other community groups. It has now assumed more of a research and lobbying function, targeting the local media, political representatives, local councillors and government bodies like the EPA. It also has representatives on two key committees of Yarra Council: the CityLink Community Advisory Committee and the Environment Community Advisory Committee. Phone or fax RACOF on 9429 3581.

Meredith Sherlock is a research assistant, proofreader and editor in the Arts Faculty at Monash University. She is a member of the Anti Ring Road Organisation and  KMFA, and has edited the KMFA newsletter valley watch  since September 1999.

Howard Tankey is a member of KMFA and is on the KMFA Health Committee. Howard is currently a chemistry and physics secondary teacher. He had 12 years’ industrial experience as a research chemist with ICI Aust. (now Orica). This included two years with ICI Paints Division in the UK.

Barry Watson is a member of KMFA and a member of the Eastern Freeway Community Liaison Group. He has campaigned hard for over six years on the inadequacy of VicRoads’ noise policy.

Bob and Judy Wright have been involved with KMFA and other organisations similarly campaigning to protect the Koonung and Mullum Mullum valleys since 1975. Bob is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers and has acted as honorary technical adviser to KMFA since 1988. He is an acknowledged authority on air quality and related issues. In 1998 he presented submissions to the Panel hearings into the Scoresby Transport Corridor Study and has spoken on two occasions at the Eastern Freeway Community Liaison Group, most recently to discuss air quality modelling options with the CSIRO and the EPA (refer minutes of CLG meeting 18).
 

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