Now landscape reinstatement has been achieved in St Georges Road median, north of Arthurton Rd (Melbourne Water M40 Water Main Project), our aim is to see its survival: trees, palms and understorey; and survival of the avenue south of Arthurton Rd. Melbourne Water completed their caretaker period for the reinstated landscape in late November 2019, following completion of their pipe project (M40 Wa
ter Main Renewal Project). We need the new landscape to survive long term, and need to see a revised maintenance program to care for the new range of plants. The St Georges Rd median south of Arthurton Road is part of Darebin Council's Northern Pipe Trail masterplan, a Council project from Merri Creek to Reservoir. Melbourne Water funded a reinstatement landscape in this section in 1997. Melbourne Water will not be undertaking pipe work here for the foreseeable future. The existing planting south of Arthurton Road, is in practical terms, irreplaceable, because of the high cost of installing a new landscape over this distance. This section needs increased maintenance, understorey added where it failed, and infill trees where some have died out. Previous campaigns:
1985: Advocacy for retention of the median when the road authority proposed adding additional lanes to St Georges Road. Pre 1992: VicRoads realignment of tram tracks to the median, removing all vegetation. The resulting boulevard allowed an avenue alongside a central path with trees, palms and understorey. Pre 1997: Reinstatement of the boulevard following Melbourne Water's pipe project south of Arthurton Road, Northcote. A central pipe was added and trees and palms reinstated with a new understorey. During the 2016 design phase for the reinstatement landscape north of Arthurton Road, tram authorities had no evidence of problems with the trees planted in 1992. Melbourne Water had also found no evidence of problems associated with the planting. Considerable horticultural expertise had informed the 1992 design. The main tree, Celtis australis, was chosen to survive conditions without irrigation, and not stress the infrastructure. Palms were always acceptable over water mains, and an important part of the design. The understorey was also important for many practical reasons. Plant lists for the VicRoads 1992 installation, and the Melbourne Water 1997 reinstatement south of Arthurton Road are available. Melbourne Water M40 Project Landscape Plans for the section Arthurton Road to Miller Street returned the palms, and added new trees and understory. Our aim is survival of this new landscape, and survival with necessary infill planting of the mature avenue south of Arthurton Road, Northcote. Instagram
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See the Landscape Plans:https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/hdp.au.prod.app.mw-yoursay.files/7414/9882/1117/M40_Revised_Reinstatement_Plan_web_version.pdf
