Tollways don’t belong in public parks

Several community tunnel picket stalwarts, acknowledging one year since the park was saved from East West Link.

Tony Murphy

Here’s a couple of photos from a quiet little celebration on 16 December 2015 at Royal Park with several community tunnel picket stalwarts, acknowledging one year since the park was saved from East West Link.

“In the weeks before the election, right up to the Friday before, the East West Link Consortium tried to start up preparatory work in Royal Park—surveying for the workers’ carpark, doing water testing etc. (we heard from an engineer they had been instructed to rack up billable hours.) a number of us maintained a deck chair vigil there and were largely able to stop them. a single half-hearted visit from the police.

On the Monday we went back, just in case, but the white trucks stayed away: fortunately we were not in the universe where Denis Napthine won and was forging ahead”

Royal Park Protection Group: Final Nail(s) in Coffin for EWL!!

Exemptions for East West Link Project Deleted from Royal Park Heritage Registration by Heritage Council of Victoria.

The Heritage Council of Victoria announced a decision which was made on 3 December 2015 and communicated yesterday to amend the existing registration of Royal Park on the State Heritage Register to remove the permit exemptions associated with the cancelled East West Link project. (These had been introduced by the former Minister for Planning Matthew Guy.)

A legendary Tunnel Picket dog

Additional Background:

Community Tunnel Picket & Crop Circles at Ross Straw Field (February 2014)

Bid to include Royal Park on Victorian Heritage Register may affect East West Link plans (February 2014)

Royal Park vigil + photo shoot (November 2014)

‘Could you please ask your surveyors to exit Royal Park?‘ (November 2014)

Royal Park – The Last Summer. Photographs by David Tatnall