Surplus council land could be transformed into a multitude of uses, including a recreational zone, a nature conservation area, equestrian space and housing over the next few years.
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Part of the council’s effluent irrigation farm stretching from Taralga Road back to Gorman Road will also be used as a future cemetery.
Investigations into options for 509 hectares of the farm have been ongoing over several years. It will become surplus given the recent upgrade to the council’s wastewater treatment plant and the need to no longer irrigate treated effluent.
Councillors decided at their recent meeting to:
- Retain a 120ha biobank off Taralga Road required as a Highland Source Project condition but to sell off about 40ha by public auction;
- Rezone another block at 534 Taralga Road, then subdivide to retain access to a pauper cemetery and the biobank and create a large residential subdivision for sale. Sale proceeds above the rural land value would be placed in a reserve for the aquatic centre upgrade;
- Retain a parcel around Gorman Road and further explore possible recreational activities, depending on rail crossing improvements. In the meantime, the land will be leased;
- Retain a portion (30ha) on Gorman Road for a future cemetery but to lease it in the short term;
- Keep land on Gorman Road and Murrays Flat Road, including effluent maturation ponds as a possible conservation area for bird life. Further investigations are needed.
Council general manager Warwick Bennett said the near-threatened blue-billed duck and some 40 other duck species flourished in the latter area. Talks have been underway with local bird groups.
“Some fencing would be required and we’d upgrade the ponds, plant vegetation, put up information boards and possibly walking tracks so it’s an attractive place to visit,” he said.
An assessment on the public liability of continuing to store sewage on the site will firstly be needed
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Nearby, the council will explore whether a zone outside floodprone land can be used for recreational activities such as Riding for Disabled and equestrian, with the remainder to be transformed into a large community area that can be used for cycling, walking and river activities, such as canoeing.
Mr Bennett said this largely depended on rendering safe a rail crossing upgrade on Gorman Road.
“We are getting some positive signals from the Australian Rail Track Corporation on on this,” he said.
“...They have always been keen to reduce the crossings there from three so we’ll continue talking to them about closing two and just having one very high quality crossing that could be built up on both sides.”
The rail crossing at the end of Gorman Road is a private one that restricts usage of the land.
Regarding the cemetery, Mr Bennett said the existing one only had a further 10-year life and the 30ha off Gorman Road was an ideal option for future use.
He told The Post the surplus land was an ideal opportunity to create some exciting projects for Goulburn and district.
The council was originally going to sell the land outright. However then councillor Bob Kirk asked that development options be further explored. In 2016, consultants KDC Pty Ltd undertook a preliminary study. Council staff have also contributed. Mr Bennett said further work would largely be done in-house.
Funding for the near $50 million aquatic centre upgrade will be bolstered with a portion of sale proceeds from a residential subdivision to be used on the project. Grant funding is also being sought.
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
