Freedom Of Information document index - obtained from ULSC July 2010
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Cardno Forbes Flood Report Addendum released via FOI on July 2010
This report was commissioned by Council after its May meeting with the purpose of showing what the impact of a flood may be on the proposed 2 culvert options for Collector. No-one was allowed to see what the brief was for these consultants. They were apparently asked to apply their computer model to assess the level of flooding on the culverts.
The report is three pages. No new data was obtained for this report. As expected the consultants said the flooding over the culverts would be minimal and very occasional.
Unfortunately for the Council, since the new report has no new data, the consultant's finding from the first report that there is not enough data to accurately measure and project floods around Collector still applies.
For your reference here is a summary of the recommendations section from the first report:
- Additional flooding analysis needs to be undertaken to assess the opportunities to minimise flood impacts on low lying areas around Collector;
- A more detailed hydraulic model needs to be constructed to determine flood hazard;
- Additional downstream and upstream survey and whole survey of floodplains needs to be undertaken and incorporated into future hydraulic models;
- A pluvimeter needs to be installed to accurately capture rainfall data pertaining to the intensity of rainfall within the various parts of the catchment.
These recommendations thus make plain that Council therefore will still be liable for accidents and damage arising from floods on and around the culvert - if it is built.
Click here to view Cardno Forbes Flood Report Addendum released via FOI on July 2010
Plan of Proposed Culvert (one option only)
Apart from having 10 boxes of 1.5 metres this plan lacks any other measurements to enable people to work out what is proposed. In particular what is missing is the height in relation to the present bridge and the amount by which the road will be levelled and for what distance.
Click here to view the Plan of Proposed Culvert (one option only)
Report on Environmental Factors (REF): Engineers in Wonderland
Since Council's Chief Planner, Robert Mowle, also works for the company doing the REF (Laterals Planning P/L), is their liaison officer with Local and State Government and the Council Manager of the project is his cousin Peter Mowle, there would appear to be enough conflicts of interest to make this report a laughing stock.
The quality of the report confirms its dubious origins. It of course finds there are no endangered species and suchlike to worry about - and conveniently ignores the 2008 environmental report for the Collector Bushranger Reserve which found that the creek has a richly biodiverse ecology with many actual and likely (needing further research) rare and endangered species of plants and fauna.
Council therefore needs to obtain an independent REF which takes into account the Bushranger Reserve Environmental study. Anything else would just confirm that they are only interested in biased reports to suit their agendas.
Click here to view the Report on Environmental Factors (REF): Engineers in Wonderland
Heritage documents
The only relevant document here is the letter from Cameron White of NSW Heritage Branch to Council's General Manager, John Bell. This says the bridge is not significant as a heritage item. It however ignores the fact that the heritage adjacent to the bridge is very significant and is arguably of State significance.
The visit of Governor Macquarie in October 1820 together with this precinct being a central part of Terence Murray's Private Town of Collector (surveyed 1837) and the adjacent agricultural history makes it a unique part of Australia. The NSW Heritage Branch is liaising with the Collector and District Historial Association with a view to obtaining greater recognition of Collector's heritage. Stay tuned!
Click here to view the Heritage documents
Bridge Costing spreadsheet
This spreadsheet is a good start on working out how Council does Works costings. However, without some supporting explanatory material, for example on how much road is to be dug up and replaced, or what labour costs are involved, or management overheads, it is hard to evaluate if this is fair and complete.
Click here to view the Bridge Costing spreadsheet
Return to the Save Collector Creek home page here
(Click on image to enlarge)