A MAYOR, two area Liberal MPs and a Liberal candidate joined 15 environmentalists to confront Peninsula Link freeway builders outside a heritage-listed property in Frankston South at dawn on Monday.
Community angst over the loss of rare bushland at historic Westerfield peaked when a rumour flew around late last week that Abigroup bulldozers would start work at dawn.
This was confirmed on Saturday when Westerfield owners Joyce and Simon Welch were told that clearing of 2.13 hectares of their property compulsorily acquired for the freeway would start at 7am.
The Welches said this broke a promise by Abigroup that work would not start until an appeal to Heritage Council of Victoria over conditions of the work, which if successful would result in less land being taken.
Westerfield contains 71 significant plant species such as xanthorrhoea (grass trees), bronze bird orchids and rare aquatic herb land.
There is swampy woodland around the property's dam, which has pygmy perch and is visited by wading birds such as the royal spoonbill and great egret.
The $760million freeway will bypass Frankston bottlenecks and connect freeways at Carrum Downs and Mt Martha.
About 7.30am, Frankston mayor Christine Richards left the picket to consult with Abigroup spokeswoman Carol Bartley and two construction managers.
On Monday night, Cr Richards submitted a motion at the council meeting calling on Abigroup not to clear Westerfield until the heritage council appeal result came in later this week.
Hastings MP Neale Burgess said he joined the picket because he had been told work would not start until after the appeal result.
"I support the freeway 100per cent, but an appeal hearing was held on June 25 against the conditions of the [freeway building] permit and now we hear the government is not waiting for the outcome and will be bulldozing the site in the next day or two.
"The government should respect this process and wait for the umpire's decision."
He was joined by Mornington MP David Morris.
Greens MP Sue Pennicuik called on Transport Minister Tim Pallas and Environment Minister Gavin Jennings to halt the bulldozers.
"If LMA [Linking Melbourne Authority] goes ahead today [Monday] regardless, it shows all Victorians that there is no due process when it comes to the road lobby," she said.
Peninsula Link has been a hot topic since Abigroup started clearing bushland between Skye and Robinsons roads in late May. Environmentalists say flora and fauna has been destroyed, especially at the Frankston Council-owned Willow Road Reserve, also known as Pobblebonk Reserve. The reserve is an important link to Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve.
The dawn protest was the latest move in the freeway saga, which last week had Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Shire councils calling on state government authorities to guarantee that bushland bulldozed to make way for the freeway would be replaced.
The councils, which held special meetings on the issue, voted unanimously to adopt strongly worded motions asking the government's Linking Melbourne Authority and Department of Sustainability and Environment to identify vegetation offsets – in which cleared land is replaced or offset by land of similar quality.
Frankston went even further by urging for offsets to be identified before further clearing.
Frankston councillor Brad Hill hailed "people power" as the force behind the united stance taken by his council.
While supporting the bypass, Cr Hill said it was crucial for LMA to reveal the extent and location of the offsets to ensure there was a net gain of bushland. "We want vegetation offsets to be in our region, not out the back of Orbost."
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