Wrong way, go back: Government urged to change course on road upgrade

Doreen traders fear their stores will be less accessible, and less visible to passing traffic if the design preferred by a government agency is built.

“These are mum and dad businesses. A lot of them employ apprentices and kids; they’re now going to be bypassed,” said Belinda Thomas, who owns a property agency in the shopping district.

‘Sadly, what will happen is, it’ll be a slow death.’

Real estate agent Tony Casey’s concern for Doreen businesses

Casey, who developed the Doreen shopping area and leases out many of the retail spaces, fears that many will be put out of business.

“Sadly, what will happen is, it’ll be a slow death. There’s no doubt. I’ve been doing property for 45 years and I’ve seen it before,” he said.

Casey has brought a political edge to the campaign, putting up three extra large billboards on the district’s most prominent corner.

“Yan Yean Road Upgrade. Labor wasting our Taxpayer Money,” one reads. Last week, two of the billboards were knocked over.

The government agency Major Roads Project Victoria chose the design option called Option B, from three possible choices in 2021, following an environment effects statement. The design saves two ancient river red gums, and protects the landmark Doreen General Store and Post Office.

Whittlesea and Nillumbik councils have both urged the department to select Option C, which was rejected four years ago but is now the subject of two aligned community campaigns calling for its revival.

About 60 residents of Hurstbridge met last week. There, Mel Ellis, who is leading the campaign against Option B, warned it would funnel more traffic onto the suburb’s rural roads and single-lane bridge.

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“It would be pretty tempting to head down Doctors Gully Road, but then you’ll see that that four-lane road quickly becomes a windy country road,” she said.

Nillumbik Shire Council said it had several concerns with Option B, including that it would urbanise a green wedge area. Option C, by contrast, would protect significant trees, swallow less land and retain the area’s existing rural feel, the council said.

Nillumbik Mayor John Dumaresq said Melbourne’s green wedges belong to people in new housing estates just as much as those who call them home.

He doubts the state government will reverse its decision at this advanced stage of the project.

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“But they stopped the East West Link, so you never know,” he said.

Labor’s MP for Yan Yean, Lauren Kathage, said the government had listened to the community and was ready to move forward with construction. The poor state of Yan Yean Road was the biggest issue the community raises with her, she said.

“In my community, families don’t have time to head to an endless cycle of meetings about the road. They are too busy getting home from work, getting dinner going, taking their kids to cricket training. They just want to see the road done so they can get home sooner and safer, and I do too,” Kathage said.

A Major Roads Project Victoria spokesperson said investigations had found upgrading Yan Yean would reduce the rat run along Doctors Gully Road, and that Option B would minimise disruption to the Doreen business precinct during construction.

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