Dwellingup residents have expressed distaste at the Shire of Murray’s decision to rip up the old rail triangle in the centre of the small township about 40 kilometres south east of Mandurah.
However the Shire's chief executive officer Dean Unsworth has backed the move, stating the iconic structure had become unsafe and was uneconomical, and therefore had to be removed.
The rail triangle, currently located in Dwellingup, will be replaced with a turntable.
The work forms part of Hotham Valley Railway (HVR)’s Rail Relocation Project.
Mr Unsworth said the concept outlined in the Rail Relocation Project was aimed at better serving the needs of Hotham Valley Railway, Dwellingup residents as well as visitors to the town.
“The triangle trackwork had become unserviceable, unsafe and was uneconomical for continued use, rendering its occupation of a large portion of central land, no longer beneficial for the town or HVR,” he said.
“The replacement of the triangle with the turntable, allows for the activation of this key section of land with the addition of a skate park, bike pump track, additional youth and recreation spaces, playgrounds, walk trails and parking.
“It also enables the Munda Biddi Trail, Bibbulmun Track and the Emu Trail to meet at this central point.”
The issue was thrust into the public spotlight when Dwellingup resident Natalie Smith took to social media to express her grievances with the destruction.
In a post on the Dwellingup Community Notice Board on January 29, criticising the decision.
Ms Smith said she was “totally disappointed and gutted” that the old railway triangle had been pulled up.
“Community consultation only closed on [January 18] to the Shire of Murray and I haven't even had a response back from the shire regarding my concerns,” she wrote.
“It's also disappointing that the process of community consultation and feedback has not been followed.
“One would think that community concerns would be addressed before any work is undertaken whatever the outcome is.
“So much for community consultation.”
However, in response to that statement, Mr Unsworth said that the Shire of Murray conducted “substantial consultation”.
As part of the Dwellingup Local Community Plan 2016-2020, the move had been workshopped with the local community in late 2015 and was widely advertised for public comment.
“This plan was advertised widely with no submissions received, and no objections raised regarding a trails centre and adjacent recreation precinct or rail turntable,” Mr Unsworth said.
Council endorsed the Dwellingup Local Community Plan 2016-2020 on February 25, 2016.
Since February 2016, the Shire worked closely with Dwellingup stakeholders, including three representatives from the Dwellingup Community Compact and one from the Forest Heritage Centre as active members of the Dwellingup Trails Centre Working Party.
The working party met monthly for the past 20 months to develop the Dwellingup National Trails Centre Master Plan which has been discussed extensively with and through the Dwellingup Community Compact.
The Shire also held two community meetings to update residents on the projects progress, with an attendance of 82 and 105 people respectively.
Mr Unsworth defended the Shire in regards to Ms Smith’s enquiry.
He said the Shire did receive her enquiry on September 13 and had personally responded on September 19, advising that the plan was developed and submitted by Dwellingup Community Compact.
“Ms Smith was further advised of the Shire’s locality plan and the consultation efforts undertaken with regards to its development,” he said.
Some components of the railway will be scrapped, some will be re-used and some used to complete a small siding at Etmilyn, the extent of HVR’s rail operations eastward of Dwellingup.
For more information on the Shire of Murray’s projects visit their website.
