No. 05

Hello everyone,

We made our deputation to Melville Council at the Agenda Briefing Forum on 6 October 2020.  You can read it at https://www.melvillebirdsanctuaryanddiscoverycentre.com/2020/10/following-presented-tom-lubin-thank-you.html   (The purpose of an Agenda Briefing Forum is to maximise opportunity for elected members to be informed and seek additional information on the City’s reports before they are presented for a decision at the Ordinary Meeting of Council which in this case is on 20 October.)

The positive comments from elected members about the Melville Bird Sanctuary (MBS) proposal gave us cause for optimism about its future.  We hope this positivity carries through to making it a reality.  While the bird sanctuary is unlikely to be established in this financial year because of projected time frames (see next para) for the Attadale-Alfred Cove Master Plan, we hope to see results in 2021-22.

To recap, in our last Newsletter #4, we informed you of the City of Melville’s intention to seek Council approval at its 20 October meeting to bring forward funding to engage experienced consultants to undertake the Attadale-Alfred Cove Master Plan process.  We also provided you with links to the City’s documents to Council.  The project’s time-frame is on Page 4 of the Attadale and Alfred Cove Foreshore Master Plan, Vision and Values Mapping Consultation.  Here again is the link to that particular document: https://www.melvillecity.com.au/our-city/our-council/agendas-and-minutes/ordinary-meeting-of-the-council/2020/october/agenda-ordinary-meeting-of-the-council-20-october/3876-applecross-attadale-alfred-cove-foreshore-mas
 
We believe that managing the MBS proposal within the Attadale-Alfred Cove Master Plan is the bird sanctuary’s best chance of success as it will have the City of Melville on board.  The Council is due to decide on the City’s Master Plan including funding, at its Meeting on 20 October.  For those wishing to attend that meeting, it commences at 6.30pm on Tuesday 20 October at the Council Chamber, Melville Civic Centre.

As Friends of the Melville Bird Sanctuary, and that includes each and every one of  you, we have made enormous progress since we started the group in March 2020.   Please continue to do your part to support the MBS to preserve and increase both our birds and their native habitats for current and future generations. 

Kind regards,

Tom Lubin and Jenny Christenson
Friends of the Melville Bird Sanctuary