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Last night at the Ordinary Meeting of Council, the majority of Elected Members supported a deferral motion which kicked the can down the road to April 2026. This has left the axe still hanging over the 209 mature trees at John Connell Park. The previous estimated number of over 100 trees has been clarified by the City counting the trees and confirming last night that the number is 209 trees. The good news is that under community pressure the Club now proposes a re-alignment of the second pitch which will only require 0.35 ha of the 0.65 ha to be cleared. Assuming an equal spread of trees that would mean that 105 trees have been saved by this community action. But that may be smoke and mirrors and the job to save the trees is not over. The community need to continue to collect and submit signatures on the petition, as that petition will also come before the April 2026 meeting. If the Council had wanted to save all of these trees, it was open for them to do so last night but the deferral was an easy way to slip out of the responsibilities of making a decision that seems really really simple.
Save the trees, do not continue to reduce canopy cover below 12.00%, save the costs of re-planting at Ken Hurst Park and do not incur costs that will increase rates in future years.

FURTHER UPDATE - NEW INFORMATION
If the decision is made on Tuesday 14 October to proceed with accepting the DWER condition and removing the trees the opportunity to save these trees is lost. There will be no more opportunities. The pushback from the City is because they are committed to removing the trees and that is why they continue to block the current motion. At the last moment on Friday 10 October the CEO exerted pressure on the elected member who lodged the motion to change the wording so the motion is now a kick the can down the road motion which will require amendment from the floor to actually stop the removal of the trees as a final decision. Also, while the Clearing Permit is dated 30 June 2025, it has now been revealed that there was a 21 day appeal period so the date of the official permit is 21 July 2025 and the Club was not advised by DWER until 27 August 2025. So why did the City rush through the $100,000 Budget item on 17 June 2025? The answer is that once the City acts on a matter it becomes even more difficult to make any changes. The opportunity to act is now, not kick the can down the road as that is exactly what the City wants to do to lock in their position.

Update:
The pitched battle to stop the Tree Clearing of the Cockatoo Habitat, John Connell Reserve, where over 100 mature trees are at stake of being converted to at best wooden stakes is continuing.
1. Background:
The dispute continues regarding the proposed clearing of over 100 mature trees at Cockatoo Crest, located within the John Connell Reserve, as part of the City’s Sports Field Extension project.
2. Council and Community Access Restrictions:
Concerns have been raised about the City administration’s actions in blocking draft motions and deputation requests, effectively preventing both Council review and community input into the decision-making process concerning the clearing works.
3. Budget Allocation and Permit Timing:
It has come to light that on 17 June 2025, the Council approved a $100,000 budget allocation for the “Sports Field Extension / Clearing Permit and Offset Revegetation Planning Project.” This decision was made prior to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) issuing the formal Clearing Permit on 30 June 2025. As a result, none of the permit’s conditions were available to elected members when the budget was approved.
4. Objection Recorded:
The Minutes of the 17 June 2025 meeting reflect that I personally formally objected to the budget item, describing it as a "death sentence" for the mature trees in question.
5. New Motion Proposed:
A revised motion has been submitted for possible inclusion in the Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda on 14 October 2025. This motion seeks:
o A final and transparent decision by Council: whether to protect the existing mature trees or proceed with their removal and accept the DWER offset conditions.
o A commitment to revegetate Ken Hurst Park as part of a broader environmental strategy — but not as an offset for tree clearing.
6. Environmental and Financial Impacts of Tree Removal:
o Environmental:
 Loss of a long-term ecological asset (trees aged 50–70+ years).
 Reduction of existing urban canopy cover, which has already declined from 13.9% (2016) to 12.5% (2024), per the City’s Urban Forest Strategy Review.
 Further loss of approximately 2 hectares of mature green canopy would exacerbate this trend.
o Financial:
 DWER offset conditions require the planting of 293,600 native plants with a 70% survival rate over a likely period of 20 years.
 Given historical survival rates at Ken Hurst Park of 30%, achieving this offset may require over 650,000 plants, significantly increasing ratepayer costs over the long term.
7. Advantages of Tree Retention:
o Maintains current canopy levels and avoids further decline.
o Avoids significant and long-term revegetation costs.
o Supports a more financially and environmentally sustainable approach to restoring lost green cover.
8. Call to Action:
• Contact your Elected Member by email, telephone or both and express your support for the retention of these trees;
• Attend the Meeting commencing at 6.30 pm, on 14 October 2025 at the City Offices 10 Almondbury Road, Booragoon to show your support for retaining these trees.

Planning is underway for a new 100+ million Canning Bridge Bus Interchange to provide more bus stands. The Busport is to be integrated with the train station and accessible only to pedestrians and cyclists. There is no parking at all. There are only two drop off areas for bus or train passengers arriving by car, which are accessed via Henley Street and at the end of Melville Pde or Leonora Street.
Cars from west of Canning Bridge will have to go over Canning Bridge and turn left into Henley Street to access Leonora Street or Melville Pde.
There will be no change for pedestrian or cyclists access from west of Canning Bridge.
Access to the future ferry terminal on the east side of the river will by via a pedestrian, cyclist link only from the Busport.
The online survey may be accessed via: www.mysaytransport.wa.gov.au/cbbi and is open to 26 September 2025

Canning Bridge Bus Interchange The Canning Bus Bridge Interchange requires an upgrade and expansion to meet the requirements of existing and future passengers. Key features of the upgrade include: Larger bus interchange facility (12 active stands, 8 layover stands) and new entries to Canning Bridge

The proposed ferry terminal on the west side of the Swan River immediately north of the Raffles complex is progressing. The development application for the ferry terminal was lodged on 9 September 2025 with the City of Melville as the referring authority. The referring authority has 7 days to send the application to the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage for approval and 42 days to provide comment. A referral report containing comments from the City will be presented to the October 2025 Council meeting.
Currently, it appears that there is no process to obtain community feedback for inclusion in the referral report.
The proposed ferry service will provide services from 6am to 12.30am each day every 25 minutes. This means 44 ferry stops at the Applecross terminal with the ferry travelling 88 times up and down the Applecross riverfront. There is no information on any bus services to the ferry terminal or parking provisions. A single bus service to the ferry terminal will involve 44 visits and 88 trips from Canning Highway to the terminal.
As one of the Elected Councillors for the Applecross Mt Pleasant Brentwood ward I recently raised a motion requesting that the City of Melville obtain more information so that the community is fully informed and is consulted and able to provide feedback on the proposal.
I am also seeking your support to be re-elected. Please Vote 1 Clive Ross