How we ran rings around that road
Our community stood firm against freeway bid
By CLIFF GREEN
from November 1999
THE threat of a major ring road through the area has hovered over this community for 30 years.
The Diary for September 1978 reported that the Middle Yarra Advisory Council "has bought into the outer ring road controversy". Chairman Sir George Reid said the council was particularly concerned about the impact a new Yarra River crossing would have on the environment.
However, in the same issue, Doncaster and Templestowe councillor for Warrandyte, Cr John Scott, said, "It appears the ring road has been subject to some re-thinking by the government. I doubt if we will see the ring road in our lifetime."
The threat must have re-emerged 12 months later, because in December 1979, town planners Loder and Bayley were reporting to Doncaster and Templestowe and Eltham councils that "the proposed road would not be justified in the next 20 to 30 years".
Good news in May 1981. Jan Vagg reported in the Diary "the dreaded outer ring road will not happen--probably not in our lifetime, anyway. Fears of an arterial road from Diamond Creek to Ringwood--which would have devastated the environment and put Warrandyte into a freeway situation--have been dispelled." This followed an announcement by Victorian transport minister Rob MacLellan that the government had rejected a report recommending that land be reserved between Diamond Creek and Ringwood.
The ring road gremlins must have been stirring again by February 1995. Clinton Grybas covered a state election campaign meeting at which former premier Joan Kirner predicted that such local issues as the threatened ring road could lead to the re-election of an ALP candidate in Warrandyte. "It would be sacrilege to have a ring road through Warrandyte," she said.
By June 1995 the battle lines were drawn. "Warrandyte and Eltham residents are bracing themselves for a major fight as they join together to oppose the proposed eastern section of a ring road circling Melbourne," Fia Clendinnen thundered on our front page. That month we quoted "informed sources" that there could be two possible routes, one west of Warrandyte township, the other to the north-east.
A month later Fia was reporting the birth of a new community group, the Anti-Ring Road Organisation--ARRO! Local Liberal MP, Phil Honeywood, attempted to hose the issue down, stating, "The eastern extension to the outer ring road is well behind other more important priorities. I am not satisfied there is a need for it." However he pledged to "fight very hard for it to come nowhere near Warrandyte".
The ring road battle turned fiercely political as both sitting MPs and hopeful candidates vied in their condemnation of the proposed road. In August 1995, opposition leader John Brumby stated, "Labor's opposition to the eastern ring road is unequivocal".
Phil Honeywood had already stated that he "could not in all conscience vote in parliament for any project that threatened Warrandyte's unique environment". In February 1997 our two Liberal representatives--Phil Honeywood and federal MP Kevin Andrews refused to sign a petition of MPs calling on the federal government to build the $550 million eastern ring road.
A month later, Nick Low, a senior lecturer in architecture and planning at Melbourne University and a North Warrandyte resident, was telling Diary reporter Fia Clendinnen, "it is government policy to have a ring road, there is no getting away from it. The only doubt is the route."
Mr Low said he was very pleased that Mr Honeywood opposed the ring road. "I congratulate him. But Mr Honeywood requires the support of the local people. If we don't give him that support he will be seriously weakened. One local member cannot hold out against cabinet."
Friends of Warrandyte State Park joined the clamour. "We're horrified to think the ring road could go anywhere near the State Park," Mike Coupar told the Diary.
But was VicRoads having second thoughts? In our issue of October 1997 we reported a spokesman saying, referring to a stretch of the Western Ring Road just completed: "This is probably the last of the sections of freeway we will be treated as heroes." He said the connection from Greensborough to Ringwood would be the most difficult part to build.
In October 1998, the Scoresby Environmental Effects Statement was released, giving the green light to the Scoresby freeway, now completed as EastLink. A number of local community and environmental groups immediately saw the danger. "If the 38km freeway is constructed, just a small gap, the 'missing link'…would need to be closed to complete VicRoads' grand plan for a ring road round the heart of Melbourne," Fia wrote.
Then the tide turned. By November 1999 the new Bracks Labor government had been elected. One of their first decisions was to abandon plans for the proposed Scoresby freeway. The Diary hoped pressure for the "missing link" may have eased, and in June 2000 our front page declared: "Ring road closed". We reported transport minister Peter Batchelor stating, "The Green Wedge should not be tampered with by pushing through freeways. It would cause environmental havoc. The Bracks government would not do that."
However, by September of that year the government had "back flipped" on the Scoresby freeway and had refused to allow Nillumbik council to remove a road reservation vital to any future "missing link". And the RACV intervened, lobbying for the ring road.
In 2004 and 2005, the Diary--and the Warrandyte community--were becoming increasingly agitated about traffic conditions through the township, especially "gridlock" either side of the bridge at peak times. The Warrandyte Community Association called a public meeting and our Dear Diary page was dotted with concerned letters. Two local residents saw a ring road as the only answer to this problem. "Yes, please, let's have the ring road completed and another bridge across the Yarra," David Hogg wrote. "Let us put our efforts into encouraging completion of this road in as environmentally friendly a fashion as possible, and take this through traffic off our village streets."
Our government representatives were in there, making their points. Danielle Green, Labor MP for Yan Yean, denied that the completion of EastLink would result in more traffic through Warrandyte. "Traffic modelling…shows no expected increase in traffic through the Warrandyte area." Phil Honeywood, then Liberal shadow minister for the environment, stated he was opposed to "an outer ring road carving up the Warrandyte landscape".
Nick Low, still a resident of North Warrandyte but by now an associate professor, argued in October 2005 that a ring road is no answer to gridlock.
So that's how it looked as 2005 drew to a close. The dreaded ring road was definitely off the map. Then one morning last month we awoke and glanced at the front page of our daily newspaper…