Boral offered site to PTV
THE State Government has moved ahead with the planned compulsory acquisition of a chunk of one of Victoria’s oldest farms, despite the owners of an alternative site actively offering it up for purchase.
The Geelong Advertiser can reveal Boral Australia had offered part of its Waurn Ponds Cement Works land to the State Government to house the planned $115 million train maintenance and stabling facility to boost the Geelong train line.
But the State Government instead opted to push forward with the compulsory acquisition of a 61ha chunk of a 455ha Waurn Ponds farm founded in 1855 and operated by the Larcombe family for the past 116 years.
The Larcombes are in the midst of a desperate bid to convince the State Government to consider an alternative site — warning their merino sheep farm could be rendered unviable by the “ruthless” land grab.
A letter from Boral Australia to a neighbour of the Larcombes — obtained by the Addy — revealed the construction materials company had done all it could to convince the government to use its land, rather than the Larcombes’.
“… we proactively approached PTV during 2016/17 to encourage it to again consider our landholding as the possible future site of this rail stabling facility,” the letter read.
“At our urging PTV subsequently conducted a second comprehensive review of our Waurn Ponds site with the result being that Boral was formally advised (in May 2017) that PTV had made the decision to acquire a parcel of private land adjoining Boral’s landholding.”
A spokesperson for Boral Australia yesterday confirmed it was told in May 2017 the Government’s preferred site would be on the Larcombe’s farm.
The company also confirmed it was no longer willing to sell its land for the rail project, as it had progressed plans for the “future urban development” of the site.
The director of Regional Rail Revival Mark Havryluk said a number of sites for the proposed train stabling and maintenance facility were considered on both sides of the rail corridor, including several sites owned by Boral, which were assessed against a list of criteria to meet current and future needs.
“The location on Reservoir Road in Mt Duneed was identified to be the most suitable site as it met the relevant criteria including proximity to the rail line, topography and environmental conditions. The other sites considered did not meet the relevant criteria,” Mr Havryluk said.
Western Victoria MP Stuart Grimley called for an alternative site to be explored for the acquisition of a train stabling facility in Waurn Ponds.
“I absolutely welcome any investment by any Government in road and rail in rural and regional communities in Western Victoria but the problem here is I don’t think other options have been properly explored,” Mr Grimley said.