By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A 700-signature petition has reignited the battle over Winchelsea Common with the area still fenced off more than a year after a promised clean-up.
Organiser Chris Reilly said the petition was filled in just two weeks without any prompting because residents were sick of Surf Coast Shire’s procrastination.
“It’s like something out of Monty Python. It’s a joke but it’s not funny,” Mr Reilly said.
“We want to embarrass the shire into allowing our kids to use the fun kart track again.
“Just about every business in the town, leading figures like the local doctor, local police and residents who live near the common have all signed the petition.
“It’s clear the people of Winchelsea want the track reopened yet the shire seems to be going out of its way to close it down.”
A gun club and go-karts have historically used Winchelsea Common and there is significant amounts of lead shot still scattered around the Crown land.
But Mr Reilly accused the shire of double standards for using part of the contaminated area to store road-building material for a new dual highway through the town.
The shire had “overstated the hazard” he said and that large parts of the common were free of lead shot even though most of the parcel had been fenced off.
“It seems like there’s a campaign against the track and fun for kids.
“The track was originally built by the townspeople and the former Winchelsea shire but no one seems to want to stick their hand up to save it.
“Something very wrong is going on in this shire.”
Mr Reilly said the shire had sidelined the go-karters while revealing plans for a BMX track instead.
“Now that’s a contradiction that has us all scratching our heads.
“It’s so unjust against the kids, like some sort of crime is being committed.
“We’re not the McAdam Park of Barrabool Hills.”
Two motocross clubs embroiled the shire in a long-running saga over the use of McAdam Park, with national body Motorcycling Australian planning to turn the site into a major facility hosting championship events.
But nearby residents defeated the plan at VCAT on planning and noise grounds.
The Indy reported in June 2008 that the then-Department of Sustainability and Environment had secretly ordered the eviction of the Winchelsea gun and kart clubs from the land.
But the department blamed the shire for the evictions despite a leaked letter revealing the government direction.
The eviction notice followed State Government stripping Geelong Gun Club of its Limeburner’s Point clay target shooting range in 2007.
