Rhett Burnie
THE future of a rail trail connecting the Mitchell, Murrindindi and Mansfield Shires hangs in the balance after a suspected budgeting blunder left the project $600,000 short, a Yea businessman has claimed.
Yea Peppercorn Hotel part owner Grant Oppy yesterday accused the Murrindindi Shire Council of jeopardising the $14 million Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail, saying the council had left out crucial fencing costs when calculating the budget for their portion of the project.
“Last year councillors were telling the farmers that they wouldn’t have to pay for the fencing,” Mr Oppy said.
“Now there’s a $600,000 shortfall.
“This is not the first time that we’ve had problems with this council,” Mr Oppy said.
“The government, both state and federal, allocated lots of money to kick start country towns with these rail trails,” he said.
He blamed the council’s inability to make a decision for the alleged budgeting error.
“They’re absolutely paralysed when it comes to making decisions,” he said.
The owners of several adjoining properties in the Murrindindi Shire are now seeking financial assistance to pay for fences that will separate their land from the trail.
However, under Victorian law, landowners neighbouring the rail trail are required to meet 100 per cent of the cost of fencing because the project is being constructed on Crown land.
According to the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) website the “DSE is excluded from the provisions of the Fences Act 1968 that requires property owners to share the cost of erection and maintenance of a common boundary fence.
The website goes on to say that “…where DSE is the direct manager of the adjoining Crown land it will not contribute to the cost of fencing.”
The website also states that in most cases property owners sharing fencelines with DSE Crown land are not legally required to construct a fence.
The rail trail has been touted as one of the regions biggest tourist drawcards since the Federal Government announced it would fund the project in April 2009.
A spokesperson from the Murrindindi Shire said the he could not confirm if there was a budgeting shortfall or if landowners had become confused over who was responsible to pay for the fencing.
Meanwhile Murrindindi Shire Mayor Peter Beales said he hopes the issue will be resolved soon.
“We believe that is inequitable, but Murrindindi Shire Council is not in a position to meet the full costs of fencing within our municipality,” Cr Beales said.
“It would mean an extra impost on ratepayers and businesses, so we are looking for the best possible outcomes to get the project up and running here.”
Cr Beales said neighbouring landowners of the rail trail were very supportive of the project and wanted it to go ahead.
“Council, with its projects partners, is hopeful of finding a viable solution to progress this project,” Cr Beales said.
“Council is exploring a range of options including an offer from Mansfield Shire Council to utilise interest earned on the rail trail project grant funds to fund fencing materials where new fences are required between the rail reserve and abutting private land,” he said.
Cr Beales said he could not confirm if the rail trail would still go ahead in the Murrindindi Shire if funding for the fencing could not be secured.
The $14 million project was announced last year after the Federal Government committed $13 million to its construction.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Bill Melbourne said the rail trail would still be constructed in Tallarook, regardless of what happens in the Murrindindi Shire.
“There are some issues (in Murrindindi) and we hope to get through those,” Cr Melbourne said.
“There’s been some apprehension of people to put up their own fencing,”
“We will still be doing our 13 kilometres,” he said.
Cr Melbourne said that there was no way that the DSE would share the costs of the fencing with the residents.
“That’s just not going to happen, that’d be setting a precedent and if they start doing that it would be in the millions,” Cr Melbourne said.
Meanwhile, Yea residents and business owners will attend a rally this Saturday to show their support for the rail trail.
”This is not a blame game, farmers have been told that fences would be paid for,” Mr Oppy said.
“This is a major investment for the shire and we need to get it back on track.
“The consequences of it not happening or delaying it are far more grater than $500,000.
“We need to make sure the council understand the matter of urgency and concern the community have,” Mr Oppy said.
The rally will be held at this Saturday’s Yea Market at 10am.
Supporters are asked to wear red to show their support for the trail.
