Council compliance officers have again inspected a May Street residential subdivision after heavy weekend rain washed mud and silt into the Goulburn wetlands.
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The council is already taking legal action against the developers, Lock and Strand Pty Ltd, over "repeated pollution incidents" between December, 2021 and January, 2022 and subsequently from the subdivision at 99 May Street. Penalty infringement notices, carrying a total $14,000 in fines, were also previously issued over alleged "site mismanagement," relating to extensive land clearing and stormwater infrastructure.
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On Saturday, an approximate 30mm deluge between 4.30pm and 8pm, again sent mud, silt and rocks from the 27-lot subdivision gushing down on to May Street and the wetlands below. The airport registered almost 50mm in the 24 hours to 9am Sunday.
Friends of Goulburn Swamplands (FROGS) president Heather West said the material had also washed over paths and gardens planted by the Australian Plant Society around the wetland.
"The ponds are definitely muddier," she said on Monday.
"...FROGS and Landcare members are so distressed to see it and it looks awful. The area was looking nice with the APS garden and picnic areas but now we have bollards and signs up telling people to take care so they don't slip over on paths."
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Mrs West said the situation was worsened by the fact the developers had collected river water to flush May Street gutters and road surface, which then drained into three stormwater inlets and through the wetlands.
It is about the tenth time heavy deluges have sent torrents of muddy water into the area.
The Post has previously contacted the developers but they have declined ongoing comment.
However the developer's contractor attended after Saturday's rain and commenced a clean-up. This continued well into Sunday. Neighbours whose backyards and retaining walls have been impacted have previously praised the developer's quick response.
The council has lifted a stop-work order on the subdivision in the past month and the developer has laid road base on the Chiswick Street side. However Mrs West said this was heavily eroded in Saturday's rain.
FROGS members are meeting with the council next Monday for a briefing on clean-up actions that were outlined as part of the earlier penalty infringement notices.
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The group is also talking to the council about a floodplain management plan that will enable a safe storage area for theirs and Goulburn Pony Club's equipment.
Mrs West said the wetlands were designed to filter material for eventual passage into the nearby Mulwaree Ponds.
"But they're not supposed to be silted up and have rocks washed into them from cleared land," she said.
Council general manager Warwick Bennett confirmed that planning compliance officers visited the site on Sunday and Monday.
"We are still proceeding with legal action and any further information gathered will add to the prosecution case in the Local Court," he said.
Paperwork had been lodged for this and the GM hoped it would proceed in six to eight weeks.
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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.
