Transplan's Trail Log

The final edition of the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup Trails Master Plan has been delivered to the Shire. The final act for Transplan Pty Ltd was to review and summarise all submissions received (thanks to those who did make a submission) and prepare a response (indicating how each submission impacted on the TMP and its recommended projects). This document was then reviewed by Council staff (who prepared their own responses to each submission) and the whole lot was then considered by the Council. On Wednesday 26th October the Council voted 8/1 to accept the Assessment of Submissions to the draft Trails Master Plan and to await finalisation of the Trails Master Plan. Obviously there was one dissenting voice in the Council. The ball is now in Council’s court. The TMP sets out an implementation program (with most trail projects fully costed). Community input has been valuable in developing the plan. Thank you to all who contributed. It will now be up to groups and individuals in the community to ensure this TMP does not sit on the shelf and gather dust.

Yep, you read correctly. A cyber stalker is following every one of Transplan’s projects and reeporting back to their affiliate organisations about projects Transplan is involved in. Seems cyber stalker is never satisfied or happy. Too bad the cyber stalker doesn’t have time to read the brief for each project. If they did they would be better informed of the ‘scope of works’ and thereby less critical (one would hope!) of Transplan’s work. I guess it’s too much to ask that people inform themselves of the facts.

The draft of the Trails Master Plan for the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup is now available for review. The Council resolved on August 24th to make the draft available for review by the community until Wednesday 21st September 2011. Contact Deb Vanallen at the Shire for further details. Copies of the draft will be made available at the Shire offices in Donnybrook. The draft proposes a number of trail projects including renovation and promotion of the Shire’s 19 existing trails, a rail trail on the disused railway between Donnybrook and Wilga (in the Shire of Boyup Brook), small walk trail circuits based around the Bibbulmun Track (which runs through the Shire), a loop/circuit trail off the Munda Biddi Trail and connecting with Donnybrook (the Munda Biddi also runs through the Shire), a connection between Argyle and Donnybrook, new trails in and around Balingup and a heritage walk trail in Donnybrook and Balingup. Interpretation on existing trails has also been considered.

Two meetings are being held within the Shire to discuss the Trails Master Plan. The details of the Community Meetings are as follows:
• Monday 16th May 2011 at 6.00pm at Balingup Community Centre, Birdwood Park Road, Balingup.
• Tuesday 17th May 2011 at 6.00pm at Council Chamber, Cnr Bentley and Collins Street, Donnybrook.
The meetings will be primarily used to provide a briefing on the project, to provide feedback on the Trail User Survey, to discuss general and detailed issues and concerns relating to existing trails, to discuss possible new trails and to seek input on priority projects. There will also be an opportunity for those attending to provide information on historical matters that could be considered for inclusion on interpretive panels along any existing and proposed trails.