By Angela Valente
UL Daly Reserve in Gisborne will be considered for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register.
Friends of Daly Nature Reserve, the group campaigning to protect the land against development, says the nomination is a win but admits there’s a long process ahead. “It’s not a done deal, but they recognise the potential,” Friends president Helen Radnedge said.
But Macedon Ranges council is pushing on with its plan to locate an early-years hub on the land.
Ms Radnedge said the site should be abandoned as an option for the hub because of its cultural value.
The council’s minimum ‘footprint’ for a hub is 4000 square metres, but to achieve this and build it on Daly Reserve, the council has proposed to use 800 square metres of the nature strip.
A report made public by the council in March stated that 11 Aboriginal stone artefacts were found at two locations in the reserve. Both were in areas of little grass cover so it was assumed there was potential for further artefacts in the vegetated areas nearby. The council received about 60 submissions on the report.
Mayor Roger Jukes said the reserve was still a site on council’s radar. “We don’t have all the details about what you can and can’t do on land included on heritage registers. But activities that happen now on the site may not be able to happen if it’s included.”
“Through the nomination process, council will be given an opportunity to have a look and give its opinion,” Cr Jukes said.
“The council has no intention of destroying what’s there. We believe it is one of the suitable sites for an early-years hub and the council is yet to make a final decision on where that early-years hub will be finally located.”
