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Preserving Our Environment
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The character and natural beauty of Torquay/Jan Juc has been identified as important for the future for the environment, for locals and for tourism. What would we need to do to ensure that these are protected in the future?
This online discussion forum has concluded. You can still browse the site but the discussion area will no longer accept new comments or votes.
Comment 1 25 Aug 2010, 5:03 PM
Stop Urban Sprawl. Encourage higher density living in existing "old torquay/jan juc" boundaries. Use existing facilities better instead of "developing" new facilities on existing open space, eg council offices. Encourage micro business, home based business, online business to restrict demand for industrial/commercial property development.
Comment 1.1 25 Aug 2010, 9:53 PM
Totally agree. The c37 amendment expaning the western boundary of Torquay was adopted without public consultation -so why now is there this great show of public consultation. The proof of course will be in whether council and the state government actually take any notice of these comments. I doubt there will be.
Comment 1.1.1 26 Aug 2010, 6:52 PM
OK, something tells me this is not the first time I am going to have to make this point as ignorance so often prevails, but I am a persistent type and love nothing more than the sound of my own figure tap-tap-tapping.
So here goes.
For the Minister to approve Amendment C37, the good Councillors of the Surf Coast Shire, had to approve it first. So, in the spirit of truth, justice and the Surf Coast way, lets get some cold, hard facts on the table before we all run off blaming the Minister.
In the pursuit of this hoary little more…
Comment 2 5 Sep 2010, 9:53 AM
Start by saving Spring Creek from developement and then listen to the overwhelming concensus throughout town that we are already turning the corner beyond reasonable growth . We want to be recognised , not as a stain on the landscape , but as a jewel . Cap growth !
Comment 3 7 Sep 2010, 5:06 PM
We need to listen to the 3000 people who have already expressed their strong opposition to development along the Spring Creek Valley, and to the notion that Torquay /Jan Juc needs to double in size. It does not. We need to ensure that development occurs in the older areas - adjacent to shopping, services and transport. These are more appropriate for higher density living - but not high rise! Rural vistas need to be preserved. Rural based micro businesses need to be supported. We need to ensure we can access our beaches in peak times (charge visitors to use our assets like Bayside and Kingston councils in Melbourne).
We need to abandon the nonsense about providing "affordable housing" in desirable coastal locations - this just encourages opportunistic property developers. Other hinterland areas are much more appropriate - Armstrong's creek, Moriac, Winchelsea.
We need to keep the boundary to the west at Duffields Rd. Torquay already runs the risk of being an outer suburb of Geelong (via Armstrong's Creek).
Comment 4 16 Sep 2010, 11:00 AM
I'm surprised this section has less comments than the others, especially considering that I suspect many people living in Torquay / JJ are here because of it's natural beauty. Without a preserved environment, what does Torquay become !!!, and the greater the population, the greater challenge this is.
My ideas / thoughts:
1. I believe that more resources need to be focused on developing and maintaining native land care.
2. There needs to be more incentives and requirements to ensure any developments (residential and business) use natural resources (eg: solar, rain water) and have significant green belts and native planting as part more…
Comment 4.1 20 Sep 2010, 4:17 PM
Michelle has outlined some of my thoughts really well.
I understand that the shire needs to balance its outgoings but I agree that Torquay prides itself on its environmental assets and additionally funding would help maintain their ecological integrity through weed control, ecological burning, monitoring etc.
Further, if the local population and tourism increases more resource will be required to protect natural resources such as waterways and vegetation by increasing fencing and signage. Nobody wants to be fenced in on pathways through the bush but as the local environment becomes more urbanized (coastal vegetation around Jan Juc, Torquay and Bells BEach) more fencing may be required.
Comment 4.2 27 Oct 2010, 11:48 PM
I agree with these points Michelle.
The environment is a huge factor for all people living in Torquay. It's what makes us pay the higher rents/house prices/rates. It's what makes many residents commute long distances for work - because they want to come home to a beautiful place where you can see native birds, smell the ocean and hear the swell.
The water tanks by beach showers/toilets is a great idea - makes the source visible.
Comment 5 13 Oct 2010, 1:42 PM
We need to stop development in certain areas of natural beauty, such as west of duffields road in spring creek. This should be retained as a green belt and perhaps rehabilitated as natural bush pockets, or corridors for people to go for bush walks in and retain some fauna. It could also be turned into a productive food growing area, so rural vista is maintained, but land made good use of (as opposed to filling it with empty holiday houses); the creek area could have walking/ bike trails through shady glens of rehabilitated native gums with maybe a picnic area more…
Comment 6 28 Oct 2010, 12:36 AM
The "character and natural beauty" of Torquay/Jan Juc is not merely "important".
It is intrinsic to this place and MUST be recognised, respected and preserved.
In 2040 Torquay/Jan Juc could be an example of a thriving town in which people respect and live in harmony with the natural environment. A place where you can see indigenous plants, exemplary coastal homes and wales basking in the bay. Where you can enjoy the outdoors - surf, walk, swim - and native animals - echidnas, birds, fish - can enjoy the environment too.
Or, Torquay/Jan Juc could become yet another place ruined by humans. A place full of traffic lights, sprawling suburban houses, litter and weeds.
It doesn't have to go this way.
We can be word-leaders or followers.
What's it going to be?
Comment 7 28 Oct 2010, 2:35 PM
Jan Juc has a different character to Torquay and this difference should be continued. Jan Juc has a much more relaxed atmosphere and is much more in tune with nature. The 'bush' nature of Jan juc should be preserved. We have a beautiful creek running through Jan Juc and instead of protecting and enhancing the creek our council is intent on selling out to big business to give them the water from the creek [ now almost for free]. Whilst at the same time being prepared to pay with our rates to buy recycled water from Black Rock. Make the RACV pay for recycled water and stop subsidising the RACV. KEEP JAN JUC AS A BUSHY BEACH VILLAGE. DONT MAKE IT A SLEEPER FOR GEELONG AND MELBOURNE.
Comment 8 28 Oct 2010, 4:12 PM
The character and natural beauty of Torquay/Jan Juc has been identified as important for the future for the environment, for locals and for tourism. What would we need to do to ensure that these are protected in the future?
Simple - Provide more vegetated open spaces within the urban areas!
Protect the beaches and foreshore areas from any developments.
Limit the visual impact from our beaches by keepng houses within 2 blocks of the beachfront to 2 storey (7.5metres) and if 3 storey is desired then they should be set well back from the beach - this is opposite to the current policy that allows 3 storey on the Esplanade and 2 storey elsewhere?? Stange policy.
Limit carparks at "quiet" beaches such as Pt Addis as a passive measure to limit use of those areas. This should be similarly adopted at Bells.
Create a town boundary for Torquay/Jan Juc.
Enforce strict stormwater treatment in all new subdivisions, don't rely on individual sites to treat the water with their limited space.
Ensure that our creeks are kept well provided with water and not staved when the next drought comes.
