The Save the Dandenongs League (SDL) celebrated its 75th anniversary on Saturday, 11 October, marking more than seven decades of dedicated environmental protection in the Dandenong Ranges.
President Louis Delacretaz spoke with Star Mail last week about the League’s origins.
“SDL was established in October 1950 to protect and preserve the historical and natural beauty of the Dandenong Ranges as a national asset for all time,” he said.
He said early champions, Kalorama resident Miss May Moon and Melbourne University Professor of Botany John Turner, played vital roles.
“Together, they tenaciously advocated for safeguarding the Dandenongs from inappropriate development,” he said.
The pair called a public meeting at Olinda Hall, drawing 200 attendees, where the Save the Dandenongs League was officially formed.
Professor Turner went on to serve on numerous government and academic advisory boards and was influential in introducing environmental science into the Victorian school curriculum.
Mr Delacretaz added that May Moon served as SDL president until the 1970s and played a key role in the creation of Karwarra Gardens in Kalorama.
“The League has continued building on this legacy, notably through the tireless efforts of former longtime SDL president and ex-Sherbrooke Councillor Betty Marsden OAM. Her work helped secure the purchase and transfer of private land now known as Birdsland Reserve to Sherbrooke Council, ensuring its long-term conservation,” he said.
“For decades, Betty represented SDL on various state and local government advisory committees overseeing the management of Dandenong Ranges parks and waterways.”
Other important SDL campaigns have included advocating for the sensitive protection and development of Burnham Beeches, historically built by the Nicholas family of Aspro fame and campaigning for the acquisition of private land to create a green corridor linking Lysterfield Park and Birdsland Reserve, a purchase later funded by the government.
Today, SDL continues its advocacy work with Yarra Ranges Council and the Victorian State Government, focusing on land-use planning strategies that impact the Dandenongs.
Most recently, the League, alongside other community groups and Yarra Ranges Council, has opposed a proposed large landfill development on Green Wedge–zoned land in the Lysterfield Valley at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
“Green Wedge zones were established by government to protect these areas from intensive use and residential development. Such activities should be confined within the urban growth boundary,” Mr Delacretaz said.
He emphasised the critical importance of these zones.
“Protecting Green Wedge areas safeguards the natural and cultural landscapes that serve as Melbourne’s green lungs, providing benefits for nature, the community, and future generations,” Mr Delacretaz said.
Reflecting on the significance of the Green Wedge and Rural Conservation Zones, minister Mary Delahunty said in 2004, “These new zones are the final plate in the armour that will protect Melbourne’s precious Green Wedge areas for all time.”
After 75 years, the Save the Dandenongs League, together with the local community, remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting and enhancing the unique natural beauty of the Dandenong Ranges.
