MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is spending millions of dollars to reduce the risk of flooding with big projects completed or about to start in Mt Eliza and Mornington.
They are part of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s $30 million, 10-year Local Integrated Drainage Strategy or LIDS, which the shire says will “flood map” the entire peninsula, “implement a capital [works] flood mitigation program” after the mapping has been completed, and develop planning overlays to “protect future development”.
About $1.5 million has been spent in Mt Eliza shopping precinct, which included:
- A new rubbish “interceptor” beside Canadian Bay Rd near the community centre to remove large debris from Ballar Creek, which runs into Port Philip. The interceptor is believed to be one of the first of its type in Australia.
- Duplication of the existing stormwater pipes to the creek, and a new connection for the planned Safeway redevelopment.
- Duplicating of pipes near Mt Eliza Way and replacement of existing drainage to include more kerb drainage on Canadian Bay Rd between the village and Nepean Hwy.
- Stage two includes drainage works and the roundabout on Mt Eliza Way at Wimborne and Kenaud avenues.
The shire said Mt Eliza’s shopping precinct was subject to serious flooding during severe wet weather. “Drainage in the area must be improved to reduce the likelihood of flooding of homes and businesses.”
Money has also been spent to stop or reduce flooding of private properties in Ranelagh Estate by installing high-capacity inlets for stormwater. The shire installed “Queensland-type monsoon” drains in View Point Ave.
The work was necessary because of a big rainstorm in April 2010 that saw 88mm fall in 30 minutes and about 110mm in less than 24 hours. Flooding devastated properties as existing stormwater drains failed to cope with the deluge. The shire reacted by flood mapping all of Mt Eliza.
One property’s backyard was flooded because a neighbour had filled a culvert. A large dog kennel was half under water at the height of the flood. Luckily the dog was elsewhere.
Former area councillor Leigh Eustace said factors causing damaging flooding included residents replacing gardens with hard surfaces, construction of more houses and units, badly designed dwellings with front doors level with driveways, and more intense rainstorms.
For Mornington, the shire council last week approved a tender of $1.35 million for partial reconstruction of a stormwater network that services both commercial and residential areas of the town.
Known as the Cook Street Outfall Stage 1, the work will yield “significant drainage improvement … in Cook St, Grange Rd, Franklin Place, Gordon St, Murray St, Barkly St, Pearson St, Eastern Ring Rd, Main St, Tanti Ave and the Esplanade”, the shire said.
Work will start in May or June dependent on weather and be completed by early November. Road and lane closures will be listed on the shire website.
First published in the Mornington News – 2 June 2015
