Gut full of stink

By Kath Gannaway
THE words ‘due process’ have got up the collective nose of Coldstream residents every bit as much as the odour from the nearby Coldstream Compost Facility.
Residents of Coldstream and Lilydale who rallied in the rain at Lillydale Lake on Saturday morning left no doubt they have had enough of a stink which breaches Shire of Yarra Ranges permit conditions and has resulted in more than 800 complaints to the Environment Protection Authority since June last year.
The rally was called to give residents excluded from a mediation process due to take place between the Shire of Yarra Ranges and the operators of the compost facility, Australian Native Landscapes (ANL) a chance to get their message across.
The mediation was ordered by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal as a first step to solving the problem.
But spokesman for The Smell Abatement Group Tony Brasier said time had run out for talking.
“I’m all mediated out,” he said. “Now is the time to make some decisions.
“It’s effecting everyone, the elderly, the sick, businesses, children and families – it has made the Yarra Valley an embarrassment.”
Addressing his parting comment to EPA regional manager Quentin Cook and Environment Protection Officer Naomi Oosting, Mr Brasier said: “We are sick of hearing about proper process – we want it out of here,” he said.
Ms Oosting had earlier told the crowd the EPA had developed an odour monitoring plan and convened a technical working group to scrutinise proposals put forward by ANL.
“We know it has taken a long time but the EPA is determined the solution we are committed to will be a robust solution that will work,” she had said.
Coldstream mother of three Cathy Butler said the smell had permeated her home, her furniture and her life.
“I’ve had a gutfull of not being able to run my cooler because of that stink,” she told the crowd in an emotional call for the facility to be closed down.
She said the stench had made her and her children sick.
“I don’t want to expose my children to this every day – they can’t even play in their own backyard,” she said.
“I’m sick of hearing words like ‘due process’,” she said. “So what are we? trail and error?”
Yarra Ranges mayor Tim Heenan and Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe also addressed the rally.
Cr Heenan said the strong environmental values he and Cr Jeanette McRae, who also attended the rally, shared were well known.
“We realise if the compost facility is closed it will go to a hole in the ground but our responsibility to the welfare of our residents and businesses overrules that,” he said unbuttoning his shirt to reinforce his commitment.
Ms Fyffe urged the crowd to maintain their rage and not to stop registering their complaints with the EPA.
Mr Brasier accused ANL of using stalling tactics and challenged the company to release a report they had prepared on the compost facility and its effects on the environment.
“Despite meeting since September we have many unanswered questions so let’s see the report in full and see what the experts have said.”
Cr McRae said the community needed to be convinced the EPA was taking the matter seriously.
“If they have legislation which calls for fines then they should be enforcing that,” she said.
The EPA came under fire after the meeting for having only issued one $5000 fine despite the fact the odour continues to affect the community.
“This is not just about the physical effect this is having on people but the mental and emotional impact it is having on people’s lives,” she said.
“Ultimately they will have to fix the odour or move out.”