Don’t build on Matheson Reserve

WORTH SAVING: Surrounded by natural scrubland preserved in the Matheson Road reserve, Pat Muhovics, Rosey Pounsett, Noel and Sheila Boyle discuss plans to stop the reserve from being listed for potential residential use in Wattle Range Council's land use plan currently being developed by Adelaide consultants, Holmes Dyer.

AT least four members of the Millicent Field Naturalists will make their voices heard at a public meeting in Millicent next Wednesday with concerns that Wattle Range Council’s draft 25 Year Strategic Land Use Plan identifies a nature reserve off Matheson Road as potential future residential land.

After collectively putting many years, and a considerable array of government grants, into removing weeds and re-establishing native plants in the 16 acre reserve, Pat Muhovics, Rosey Pounsett and Noel and Sheila Boyle will ensure the public meeting knows that they believe the land should be kept as a nature reserve and recorded as such in the plan when it is finalised.

The land was originally set aside in the 1880’s as a cemetery for what was then the separate town of Millicent North.

Never used for its intended purpose, the piece of Crown Land has had the attention of these four members of the Millicent Field Naturalists for about 40 years.

While three are nearby Matheson Road residents, the fourth lives elsewhere in the town but all have the same message, and that is that the land is worth keeping as a reserve and should not be used to build houses on.

Over the years they have been compiling lists of the plants, birds and animals identified on the reserve.

The list includes 56 native plant species including seven species of orchids, and the small grass tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) and green pussy tails (Ptilotus macrocephalus) both of which are rare species in the Millicent area.

Almost 70 species of birds have been sighted along with various spiders, frogs, ringtail and brushtail possums, short beaked echidnas, swamp wallabies and red-necked wallabies, the latter of whose numbers are declining in its range.

Reptiles include the Eastern Brown snake, and various lizards and skinks, along with a wide array of native insects including stick insects, grasshoppers, dragonflies, ants and native bees.

“It’s the only piece of remnant native vegetation left in Millicent,” said Mrs Muhovics.

“There is a good diversity of the original vegetation of the area, due to the change in soils over the block – we’ve even found muntries here which you’re more likely to find closer to the sea – and an array of native animals call this place home.”

Mrs Pounsett said it was important as a corridor for wildlife to access other areas, particularly birds travelling between other reserves in the area like Lake McIntyre, Rotary Park, and Belt Road walking trail.

“This reserve enhances what we have here in Millicent already and from a tourism point of view boosts our eco-tourism attractions,” she said.

Mr and Mrs Boyle said when they visited other towns, they looked for walking trails and other natural areas.

“With these sorts of reserves, people are more likely to stay another day,” said Mrs Boyle.

The four intended to make it clear to the consultants that changing the reserve’s status to residential was not what Millicent wanted.

“Millicent is going to need green areas and the size of this block makes it unique so we need to conserve it,” said Mrs Muhovics.

“There are so many other options for residential use; I think people will realise this reserve is significant and we will do whatever it takes to save it.”

“This is a 25 year plan for the council; we are determined that for the next 25 years it remains as a reserve in this plan,” said Mrs Pounsett.

The four encouraged Millicent residents to read the draft land use plan, make submissions and participate in the public consultation sessions to ensure the plan has what the community wants in it.

A public meeting to discuss the draft land use plan will be conducted by Adelaide based planning consultants, Holmes Dyer, who has been engaged to develop the plan for Wattle Range Council.

The meeting in Millicent will be held at the Civic and Arts Centre next Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm, with an opportunity to talk one on one with the consultants earlier in the day at the Millicent Library from 11am to 2pm.

Other sessions will also be held in Penola next Tuesday, and at Beachport next Thursday.

Bookings are required for these sessions.

Written submissions will be received until March 23.