By Parker McKenzie
A local has started a petition to make Birdsland Reserve more accessible from Upwey by building a walking path from Hazelvale Road across Yarra Ranges Council-owned land.
Andrew Weiler said he regularly spends time at Birdsland Reserve but drives there because “it’s really a long walk.”
“Since putting the petition up, I’ve been investigating the area and discovered when they designed the area they put in walking paths between the streets,” he said.
“Over time, these walking paths have been taken over by the people on both sides and been turned into driveways and things like that. If those paths were opened up, I could from my house walk to Birdsland in five minutes.”
The petition, signed 304 times at the time of writing, proposes putting a walking back through a council-owned paddock that is part of Birdsland Reserve.
Mr Weiler said when the council bought Birdsland Reserve from the Bird family, the paddock was included in what they bought.
“For whatever reason, they didn’t integrate it into the Birdsland Reserve and kept it separate, made it into a paddock and for 50 years agisted it out,” he said.
“I don’t know how long it hasn’t been used, but it must be a few years based on the fallen trees on the fences.”
Some of the feedback on the petition include that it “just makes sense,” is a “brilliant idea,” and it would be “a great benefit to the area.”
Mr Weiler said the path would create improved amenities for people living in the shire.
“This would definitely be a big improvement, Upwey is a small area but it would make a substantial difference to the walking habits of people around here,” he said.
“I have been surprised by the number of signatures, there’s a lot of interest and a lot of positive feedback.”
Visit change.org/p/shire-of-yarra-ranges-connect-hazelvale-rd-to-birdsland-with-a-walking-trail for more information or to sign the petition.
