I WRITE regarding the article on Yarra Valley Railway (Mail, 20 September).
I see your newspaper and the Healesville community are being fooled again. Isn’t it funny how every year, just before the Tourist Railway has its inhouse elections, all these stories appear?
What happened to Stephen Huntley’s $4 million railway that they swore black and blue would be up and running in six months? That was two years ago! How many years has the Mail been printing these stories now?
Shame on you Healesville. Don’t you know when the wool’s being pulled over your eyes? Get up, take a stand and be heard before there is nothing left to restore.
Paul O’Connor
Healesville
STOP whingeing about oil and petrol prices… do something about it!
We now have an opportunity to learn some new old habits that will save us money, reduce traffic congestion, reduce pollution and rebuild communities. The best part is we can stick it up the oil companies and the government at the same time.
Let’s start car pooling again. Think of the impact if everyone shared a lift with one other person. Half the cars on the road, faster times to work, less congestion, less pollution, less parking problems (and imagine if the car parks weren’t full and they had to compete for your business they might even drop their prices).
We might even talk to each other (heaven forbid!). Share school dropoff and pickup.
What if mums and dads offered to pick up each others kids from school on a roster system. Instead of the bun fight at dropoff and pickup times with big 4WDs threatening to run over everything (including your kids) in their rush, there would be room to park properly. Again, we might spend some time chatting over a coffee as we organise who is picking up kids.
What about weekly supermarket shopping. Instead of the daily trip to the supermarket which is packed with people just like you, in a hurry to get a few things and get home and everyone’s grumpy what if you shopped only two to three times or even one big shopper week.
Less trips, less wasted time, less fuel, more money in your pocket and not in those of the oil companies or the governments.
If they can’t sell all the fuel they refine then they may actually start competing for your business instead of maintaining high prices because they know you will fill up sooner rather than later.
I drive my cars on the waste cooking oil from my local fish and chip shops. I used to do it to make an environmental statement, but the cost savings are now very significant!
Colin Gillam
Alternative Fuels and Energy
Mt Evelyn
