Concerns of Residents Regarding the Proposed Further Development of Arthurs Seat by The Eagle

Summary of the Community Meeting

Business Focus: Developers only discussed their business interests and what their customers want, completely ignoring local environmental concerns and the needs of residents.
Disrespect from the Start: The first speaker mispronounced the area's Indigenous name (Wonga, not Wona), setting a disrespectful tone towards local culture and heritage.
Absence of Key Stakeholders: Neither the owners of The Eagle nor representatives from Parks Victoria attended the meeting, leaving critical voices unheard.
Lack of Environmental Consideration: Little mention was made of protecting the wildlife or preserving the natural habitat on the public land.
Community Left Out: Many residents were shocked to learn about the development, feeling that the process has been rushed without their knowledge or input. Concerns were raised about the lack of transparency and the fast-tracking of decisions.
Indifference to Local Values: The company appears tone-deaf to residents who prioritize environmental conservation. Locals are already frustrated with the first stage of The Eagle and strongly oppose further intrusive developments.
Environmental and Social Impact: The proposed $25-30 million expansion will bring new attractions and infrastructure, increasing environmental degradation, social issues, and safety risks, despite the company denying the likelihood of increased visitor numbers.
Lack of Transparency: Although full plans and details are available, the information shared at the meeting was minimal and presented in a diluted form.

Key Concerns

Traffic Congestion and Road Safety

Increased Traffic Risks: The roads around Arthurs Seat are rural, narrow, hilly, and winding, already posing significant dangers to drivers unfamiliar with such terrain. Tourists often drive at unsafe speeds, make navigation errors, and pose serious risks to residents, wildlife, and other vehicles.
Wildlife Fatalities: With more vehicles, there will inevitably be more wildlife deaths, especially as tourists are unaware of the local fauna crossing these roads. Residents already deal with regularly removing dead animals from the roads, particularly over weekends when traffic peaks.
Dangerous Road Conditions: Narrow, unsealed roads become especially treacherous when heavy traffic is rerouted through residential areas. These roads are not designed for high volumes of cars, creating hazards for local children, pets, and wildlife.
Antisocial Driving: Nighttime antisocial driving is a consistent problem, with residents regularly hearing racing cars. The Eagle's security personnel observe these behaviors but do not report them to the police, leaving residents to handle the problem themselves by contacting law enforcement.

Parking Issues

Severely Limited Parking: Parking spaces at the top of Wonga (Arthurs Seat) are already inadequate to meet demand from visitors to Seawinds, The Maze, the summit lookout, and the existing Eagle facilities.
New Attractions, New Problems: The addition of a new restaurant, observation deck, tower, luge, and bridge will further strain parking, likely leading to illegal parking along nature strips and in unsafe areas on the roadside. Visitors often don’t realize this is a residential area, leading to traffic confusion.
Car Park Security: There was discussion of closing the car park at night to mitigate current issues with antisocial behavior, which residents believe should be implemented immediately.

Pedestrian Bridge

NOT in Lease Area
Environmental Impact: The proposed pedestrian bridge, with 24-hour lighting and access, will disrupt the nocturnal behavior of local wildlife such as owls, possums, and other species that rely on the natural dark environment.
Unnecessary Infrastructure: Residents argue that the bridge is an unnecessary addition, which could become an unmonitored 24-hour attraction that invites more antisocial behavior, including the risk of objects being thrown from the bridge onto cars below.
Aesthetic Disruption: The bridge will give the area an urban feel, detracting from the natural beauty and tranquility of Arthurs Seat, a major concern for residents who value the area's peaceful, rural atmosphere.
Safety Risks: Concerns were raised that the bridge could be used for dangerous activities, such as people jumping from it, especially considering the number of teenagers already gathering in the area at night. An unsupervised bridge open 24 hours may become a safety hazard for locals and visitors alike.

The Rollercoaster/Luge

Wildlife Displacement: The luge will physically divide the park, creating barriers for wildlife to cross and leading to habitat fragmentation. Species will be isolated, unable to move freely between parts of the State Park, which could have long-term impacts on biodiversity.
Noise Pollution: The luge will introduce constant noise, including the sounds of riders screaming and the friction of metal against the track, disturbing both residents and the natural wildlife.
Environmental Damage: The steep terrain where the luge is planned will require extensive concrete foundations, leading to significant disruption of the soil and vegetation. This contradicts the company’s claims of a “light touch” approach to construction.
Landslip Risk: The steepness of the luge track raises concerns about landslides, particularly with heavy rainfall or erosion over time, making this development more hazardous than the company admits.
Unclear Safety Protocols: Residents have received no clear answers about the safety of the luge. Questions remain about the speed of the ride, the potential for accidents, and how injured people would be rescued from remote or steep areas.
Operating Hours: There has been no information on the hours the luge will operate, raising concerns about noise levels extending into the evening.

Bushfire Safety

Increased Risk During Fire Season: With more visitors comes a higher risk of bushfires, especially as tourists may not fully understand the dangers of fire in a sensitive ecosystem like Arthurs Seat.
Evacuation Concerns: More cars on the road during a fire emergency will lead to congestion, preventing emergency vehicles from accessing areas quickly. This could delay critical responses and increase the danger to both residents and visitors.

Tower and Observation Deck

Privacy Invasion: The tower will overlook nearby homes, reducing residents’ privacy and adding to the feeling of being watched by tourists.
Environmental Harm: The tower’s construction will compact soil and damage the surrounding ecosystem. Trees in the area are likely to die as a result of soil disturbance, reducing green space and biodiversity.
Visual Blight: The proposed tower will further disrupt the skyline, already dominated by the intrusive structures of The Eagle, diminishing the natural beauty that locals and visitors alike appreciate.

Restaurant (Independent from the Existing Café)

Lack of Transparency: Very little information has been provided about this new development. Key questions about its liquor license, seating capacity, and opening hours remain unanswered.
Increased Visitor Numbers: Despite claims that new attractions will not lead to more visitors, residents are unconvinced. The restaurant, alongside the gondola, luge, bridge, tower, and observation deck, will inevitably lead to more cars, congestion, and strain on local resources.

Lack of Trust in the Developers (ASEAgle)

Broken Promises: The Eagle has a history of making promises about sustainability that have not been fulfilled. For example, the land beneath the gondola path was supposed to be revegetated but remains barren without topsoil.
Environmental Negligence: Despite marketing themselves as environmentally friendly, The Eagle’s actions show little concern for the local ecosystem, especially regarding the sensitive public land they rent from the state.
Negative Impact on Mental Health: Locals report feeling emotionally drained by the presence of large, unnatural structures like the gondola, which imposes an unwelcome, “Disneyland” atmosphere in what was once a serene, nature-focused environment.
Developers/Owners: Simon McKeon and Peter Gunn have a history of putting business over environmental and cultural considerations.

Environmental and Community Concerns

Impact on Unique Ecosystem: Arthurs Seat is home to species like koalas, echidnas, wedge-tail eagles, and powerful owls. These umbrella species are critical to the health of the entire ecosystem, and their habitat will be severely disrupted by the proposed development.
Overall aesthetics