Driven to the edge- Rinie Van Zwol and La Trobe MPJason Wood inspect one of the bolders used t

By Casey Neill
AN UPPER Ferntree Gully woman has begged Knox Council for compassion as her husband battles cancer.
The appeal comes after the council locked a gate and placed three bolders to stop the couple accessing their property.
Rinie and Dianne Van Zwol have used a concrete driveway on the property adjoining their Quarry Road home for more than 20 years.
However, the council is now denying the couple access to the land, leaving them no choice but to use their steep front steps.
CEO Graeme Emonson said Knox Council disturbed the site by removing weeds, making it ‘unsafe for public access’.
Mr Van Zwol, 59, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in May this year and now walks with a cane.
His wife pleaded with the council to grant even six months’ access to the driveway, until her husband was well again.
“He’s 49 kilos, he’s very sick, would you give us some compassion and help us out,” she said.
But Mr Emonson said the council ensured the site would be accessible to emergency service vehicles.
The Van Zwols first rented the home in 1987 and purchased it from Farley and Lewers (CSR) in 1990.
“At the time we were given a verbal agreement that we could have access,” Mrs Van Zwol said.
In September 2006 Farley and Lewers agreed to hand over the land to Knox Council.
“They found out we were using the driveway and all hell broke loose,” Mrs Van Zwol said.
“CSR decided to offer us some money to get rid of us, because they wanted to hand the whole property over to the council by January 2007.”
Farley and Lewers paid the Van Zwols $20,000 less $9000 in legal fees in return for their right to use the driveway.
Before signing the agreement, the Van Zwols met with the council.
“Council said they wouldn’t put it in writing that we could have access to the driveway, but gave us verbal permission,” Ms Van Zwol said.
But Mr Emonson said the agreement relinquished any right to use the land.
On 8 September, the council locked the gate to the driveway and three boulders were placed at the base and top.
Just days later, Mr Van Zwol passed out due to an infection.
With the paramedics unable to use the driveway, they had to carry him down the front steps.
Two boulders were removed on the same morning local media were invited to the property. Mr Emonson said the ‘rock barriers’, were removed to allow emergency vehicle access and a ‘special Metropolitan Ambulance Service lock’ that ambulance paramedics had keys to was placed on the gate.
Mr Emonson said the council offered to manage the design and construction of a new driveway for the Van Zwols.
But Mrs Van Zwol said her husband had no income and they could not afford a new driveway.
“We just want some compassion,” she said.