Beaconsfield Reservoir
Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (17:45): (718) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Water, Minister Shing. Beaconsfield Reservoir is a small reservoir, located unsurprisingly in Beaconsfield, that is slated to be decommissioned. I was approached some time ago by the Save the Beaconsfield Reservoir Action Group and subsequently toured it to see for myself what the place is and what made it unsafe and in need of decommissioning. The reservoir is a beautiful body of water surrounded by trees and parkland. The reservoir has been there long enough that there is a thriving ecosystem with plenty of bird life as well as other animals. There is also plenty of space to create some parkland for people to be able to come and enjoy the site. Unfortunately, that is not possible at the moment as Melbourne Water want to decommission it for potential safety issues, and there is no public access.
After talking to some Melbourne Water officials I understand that there is some consternation about the reservoir wall, with earthquakes seeming to be a major cause for concern, particularly given the age of the wall. There is a worry that should the wall collapse, the water will be released and cause damage downhill. None of the issues I heard were insurmountable, and we did discuss some options. The action I seek is for the minister to contact the Save the Beaconsfield Reservoir group, travel out to see the reservoir in person and work with the group to try and save the reservoir for future generations, as it is truly worth it.