Fire risk strip

By Danielle Galvin
A VACANT lot with overgrown grass, unkempt lawn and piles of rubbish is an eyesore on Army Road in Pakenham, say residents.
With fire season around the corner, Murphy Road residents are concerned about the untidy nature strip on the property opposite the Pakenham Hills Primary School.
Residents have complained about the nature strip of the unused lot for years.
Heather Daws, whose 89-year-old mother-in-law lives on Murphy Road, said she was worried that the warmer weather brought snakes as well as fire risk.
She said this year, the problem is worse.
“The grass is chest high. I’ve seen kids walking through the property to the school, who knows what’s in that grass?”
The property, which was once owned by the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, is well-kept except for the nature strip on the Murphy Road side.
Mrs Daws said she believed builders from the new estate in Renlik Court were dumping their rubbish on their nature strip.
“The church group who owned it were awesome. I used to contact them and they always paid for someone to do it and got onto it right away,” she said.
The lot has been vacant for at least six years.
Mrs Daws said that the lot was destroying the look of the street.
“It looks terrible and it’s destroying the whole area. Houses along that road are 95 per cent looked after and it just ruins the look of the road,” she said.
“It makes Murphy Road look like a tacky area which it’s not.”
The Poowong East resident has witnessed students from the Pakenham Hills Primary School using the lot as a thoroughfare.
“All it takes is one idiot to throw a match in there,” she said.
Cardinia Shire Council, the responsibly authority for the maintenance of nature strips in the area, regularly inspects properties nominated by residents as potential fire risks.
The council’s emergency management coordinator Paul Dickson said that the property was inspected each year.
“The property on the corner of Army and Murphy roads in Pakenham has been inspected in the fire prevention inspection program over the past two years and has complied.
“This property will be automatically included into this year’s inspection program,” he said.
Residents can contact the council on 1300 787 624 or alternatively email mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au if they had concerns about a property’s fire risk.
“If a fire hazard is identified and there is a requirement to provide works in order to reduce the risk then these will occur by the means of a contractor,” Mr Dickson said.
“Cardinia Shire Council’s annual fire prevention inspection program is designed to identify and mitigate risk associated with any potential bushfire hazards.”