By Tyler Wright
After a recent meeting with Yarra Ranges Council, the Department of Transport (DoT) said it has organised routine cleaning of drains in Kallista.
DoT said it committed to performing open drain cleaning and clearing debris out of roadside pits in September.
“We are assessing ways to help alleviate this problem, before implementing a more permanent solution when Gelghorn Road is sealed,” a DoT spokesperson said.
Yarra Ranges Council said it met with DoT representatives to identify short terms works DoT can undertake to reduce drainage runoff from high rainfall, including creating landscape barriers and improving the performance of existing drainage culverts.
“Our road sealing project on Gleghorn Road is expected to address a significant amount of downhill drainage through kerb and channel works, the first stage of which will finish around the end of 2022,” Yarra Ranges Council’s Director of Environment and Infrastructure Mark Varmalis said.
“This project has been split to prioritise drainage on the western (downhill) side of the road, with the eastern side to be addressed afterwards.
However, it’s clear that the drainage issue in Kallista has a number of factors – some we can assist with, and some we have to advocate for solutions to.”
This comes after Kallista residents created the Kallista Flood Watch Facebook group; calling on VicRoads and Yarra Ranges Council to work cohesively to create a long-term stormwater drainage system to prevent flooding on Monbulk Road, Gleghorn Road, Saint James Avenue, Rivington Ave and surrounding areas.
DoT said it is currently assessing short to medium-term options to improve the drainage situation in Kallista, before a longer term solution can be found when Gleghorn Road is sealed by Yarra Ranges Council.
DoT also said landscaping solutions would have to be performed by the Yarra Ranges Shire.
Mr Varmalis said Yarra Ranges Council will be inspecting the stormwater easements from Monbulk Road, to ensure they are working as designed while DoT works on improving drainage on Monbulk Road.
“Having DoT improve Monbulk Road and rainwater run-off from the arterial road will enormously help to mitigate drainage runoff, and we’ll be doing what we can on Council land to assist,” Mr Varmalis said.
