Area 1 (Grange Road to Poath Road) Stakeholder Liaison Group (SLG)

Meeting 1 executive summary

The first meeting of the Area 1 Stakeholder Liaison Group (SLG) provided attendees with a summary of the project, including an overview of construction and community engagement planning and activities undertaken to date. Key points of discussion included: current offset car parking arrangements and future potential car parking opportunities; construction impacts including potential noise impacts in and around Murrumbeena Station; engagement with neighbouring councils, particularly Stonnington Council; future interactions between the SLG and the Community Open Space Expert Panel (COSEP).

Areas of interest for discussion at future meetings include disability access and pedestrian management during construction, and provision of a four-week look ahead of construction activities.

Meeting 2 executive summary

The second meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones, the detailed design process currently underway and summarised the tree retention and removal planning process.

Key points of discussion included: tree removal undertaken to date, especially those trees removed opposite Ardyne Street; progress of the detailed design; an update on the Supreme Court Motion lodged by Lower Our Tracks Incorporated (LOTI), and suggestions for vision boards and design updates to be displayed on the hoardings around Murrumbeena and Carnegie Stations.

Topics flagged for discussion at the October meeting include: further information around the design development for community open space, including a presentation from Tim Entwisle (COSEP Chair); information about the proposed Murrumbeena link road, and provision of a 'Construction 101' overview.

The third meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones, a design development update and an explanation of the piling process.

Meeting 3 executive summary

Key points of discussion

Construction 4-week look ahead: mobilisation of piling rigs, pilecap construction, piling and access platform construction, piling activities and pier erection at Murrumbeena Station, piling activities adjacent to Lorne Street and Girdwood Avenue, drainage works, tree and vegetation removal, power pole relocations, foundation, piling and assembly works for temporary overhead wiring infrastructure, removal of redundant overhead wiring infrastructure, Carnegie Station platform retention works, signalling and cable work activities, identification, location and surveying of services under the ground using vacuum trucks, overhead line equipment related service investigations and piling from Oakleigh to Huntingdale and overhead line equipment steel erection and removal of redundant infrastructure.

An overview of upcoming construction milestones was provided along with a synopsis of activities including station removal, lighting installation and Lend Leases' community day at Murrumbeena Primary School and the Watercourse in Keysborough.

Discussion occurred around the use of hoarding at the temporary stations at Carnegie and Murrumbeena, noting that these will be used to promote traders and project specific information. A suggestion was raised that the Murrumbeena hub trading hours should be extended. Feedback was provided that the station bags which we handed out at Carnegie and Murrumbeena were well received and the staff distributing these were 'delightful' and engaging.

Meeting 4 executive summary

The fourth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. A presentation was delivered by Professor Tim Entwisle, the Chair of the Community Open Space Expert Panel.

Key points of discussion

Construction look ahead – piling rigs are progressively moving through the rail corridor, completing works along Lorne Street and moving to the Carnegie area between Koornang and Murrumbeena roads. Pilecap construction has commenced at Murrumbeena and Carnegie. The first pier will be erected soon.

The gantry crane is expected to be delivered the end of January and will start erecting in February 2017. The straddle carrier is expected to commence in March 2017. A viewing platform will be available at Murrumbeena from mid-December 2016.

Community Open Space Expert Panel (COSEP) – COSEP is overseeing plans for the 22.5 hectares of new public open space that will be created by elevating the Pakenham-Cranbourne Line, as well as its long-term maintenance. Membership includes members of local communities and councils, as well as organisations such as Bicycle Victoria, Victoria Police, and the Office of the Victorian Government Architect. An overview of some of the ideas generated by COSEP was provided.

Professor Tim Entwisle was inspired to get involved in the panel as it was a chance to shape brand new parkland in Melbourne and  extend his role at the Botanic Gardens. Professor Entwisle noted that he has been impressed by the level of engagement, enthusiasm and inspiration, particularly from the community members who applied to be a part of the panel.

Communications update – Recent communications have included: monthly construction update, quarterly newsletter, work notifications, tree retention summary report release, extension of Murrumbeena Info Hub hours on Saturday mornings and a recent meet the experts session at Murrumbeena Info Hub. An overview of the Murrumbeena Station design recently announced was also provided.

General discussion occurred on community sentiment and traffic congestion. The potential Murrumbeena link road was discussed and the project team confirmed that this link road was still 'proposed' at this point in time and would require further discussion with local community and Council. Boom gate down times was also discussed.

Meeting 5 executive summary

The fifth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. A presentation was delivered by the CTD Alliance on tree and vegetation procurement and a site tour occurred of Murrumbeena Station.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – the investigation into the piling rig incident at Carnegie has been completed. The project has implemented a range of responses to this incident, including removal of the steel cables from the rig's mast and securing of them onto the winch of all continuous flight auger (CFA) piling rigs. This, along with disconnecting the rig's winch controls, completely eliminates the risk of this incident happening again. Piling has since resumed and rigs are progressively moving through the rail corridor, completing works along Lorne Street and moving to the Carnegie area between Koornang and Murrumbeena roads. The first pile caps have been poured at Murrumbeena and Carnegie.

Tree and vegetation procurement – a significant number of trees and vegetation needs to be procured as part of the project. The age and size of these trees when they are planted will vary.

Communications update – Recent communications have included: work notifications and notifications about the piling rig incident including a meet the experts session to answer questions and concerns at the Murrumbeena Info Hub. The COSEP engagement portal is now live, where the public can join the discussion and have their say about the use of the 225,000 square metres of community open space that the project is creating. The project team is undertaking proactive trader and customer engagement activities in the lead up to the festive season including providing a coupon booklet to workers, offering promotions and discounts at local businesses, and a scavenger hunt competition encouraging customers into their local shops.

Meeting 6 executive summary

The sixth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Piling and pile cap works continue along the corridor, and pier erection is set to begin at Murrumbeena. Assembly of the gantry crane that will be used to construct the elevated rail in Area 1 will be starting soon, and its installation at Murrumbeena Station will start in February. A look ahead of rail disruptions was provided, including the temporary closure of Carnegie Station, which was recently reduced to seven weeks instead of the originally scheduled eight.

Communications update – Recent communications have included: work notifications and notifications about the finalisation of the elevated design. The finalised elevated design is reflected by updated aerial maps, which are available on the project website. The COSEP engagement portal has now been open for over a month and has seen good levels of interest from the public.

Meeting 7 executive summary

The seventh meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Piling and pile cap works continue along the corridor. Pier raising has now commenced at Murrumbeena, which 13 piers and crossheads now stood. Segments of the gantry crane that will be used to construct the elevated rail in Area 1 will be arriving on site at Murrumbeena Station to be assembled from the end of February through March.

Communications update – Recent communications have included work notifications – which includes letters to residents about the removal of trees at Hughesdale Station. These trees were marked for removal in the Tree Retention Summary Report available on the project website. There has also been social media content about pier raising and the arrival of the gantry cranes. Results from the first survey on the COSEP engagement portal saw 83 per cent of participants supporting the outdoor art gallery proposal. The second survey on trees and vegetation is now live.

The group were given a tutorial of the COSEP engagement portal, exploring the features and information available.

Meeting 8 executive summary

The eight meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided a site tour of the Carnegie Station site as well as an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Piling and pile cap works continue along the corridor. 33 piers have now been stood at Murrumbeena and Carnegie Stations. The first of two gantry cranes at Murrumbeena Station is being assembled, with one crossbeam still to be installed.

Communications update – Recent communications have included work notifications and a the latest project quarterly update. Social media updates about the assembly of the gantry crane have consistently been among the highest engaging posts across the project . The third open space survey, focusing on the linear park, is now available on the open space engagement hub.

The group were shown a time lapse video of works at Murrumbeena which included assembly of the gantry crane so far.

Meeting 9 executive summary

The ninth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Piling and pile cap works continue along the corridor, with around 71 per cent of piles completed in Area 1. Ground level building work at Carnegie and Murrumbeena Station are set to begin, as is construction of embankment retention works between Murrumbeena Station and Poath Road. The second gantry crane at Murrumbeena Station is being assembled, with the final crossbeam still to be installed.

Communications update – Recent communications have included work notifications and a series of videos on the open space.

The group were shown an animation of the gantry crane in action.

Meeting 10 executive summary

The tenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were given a presentation on the gantry crane/straddle carrier construction methodology and were spoken to by Small Business Mentoring Services.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Both gantry cranes are assembled at Murrumbeena Station and are going through final commissioning. The first span has now been fully assembled and stressed and is ready to be lifted and placed. Support pier installation continues and 40 per cent of piers have now been installed in Area 1. Piling and pile cap construction continue through the corridor.

Communications update – Survey #4 is now available on the open space engagement portal, this survey is about community spaces. The March/April construction updates have been distributed.

Meeting 11 executive summary

The eleventh meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were given an update and look ahead on construction and communication activities.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – The first six spans have been installed in the Murrumbeena Station area by the gantry cranes. The cranes will install two more before the station closes on 17 June. All parts of the straddle carrier have arrived on site and will be lifted onto the structure during the station closure to begin placing the remaining spans in Area 1. Support pier installation continues and over 50 per cent of piers have now been installed in Area 1. Piling and pile cap construction continue through the corridor and piling is 90 per cent complete.

Communications update – The latest quarterly newsletter is now being distributed to residents along the whole corridor. A fact sheet about the straddle carrier has also been finalised and is being distributed to residents. The group were also given a run through of the interactive 3D model which is being shown to impacted residents along the corridor and will be available at both info hubs.

Meeting 12 executive summary

The twelfth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were given an update and look ahead on construction and communication activities.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – The first support beam that will be used by the straddle carrier has been lifted onto the structure at Murrumbeena Station area by the gantry cranes. Part of the concrete deck and steel mesh screen between viaducts above the station have also been installed. The straddle carrier is mostly assembled now with electrical commissioning currently taking place.

Communications update – The detailed design for Clayton Station has been released and a successful design event was held in Clayton. Pop up sessions have been hosted about the straddle carrier for impacted residents with more sessions to come. During the school holidays there were a number of family fun days hosted at the Murrumbeena Hub to help bring locals to the area to support traders while the station is closed.

Meeting 13 executive summary

The thirteenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were given an update and look ahead on construction and communication activities.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Both support beams have been lifted onto the structure at Murrumbeena. The second beam is sitting on the deck and will be installed this week. The straddle carrier testing is almost complete, load tests have been carried out. The carrier will be temporarily lifted onto the structure for final testing this week, before operation commences in coming weeks. All carrier testing and operation is weather dependent.

Communications update –Consultation reports for the open space from COSEP and the community are to be released next week. These will summarise the feedback received and how this has influenced the final design. There is an upcoming meet the experts session regarding the Melbourne Water Murrumbeena Flood Mitigation Project and how that is influencing the landscape design under the elevated structure at Riley Reserve. Regarding a recent news story about a VCAT decision and increased noise from the elevated structure - it was confirmed that this was not an LXRP report, but an independent report which concluded that noise is expected to be reduced due to noise mitigation on the elevated structure (this aligns with the preliminary noise report available on our website).

Meeting 14 executive summary

The fourteenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were given an update and look ahead on construction and communication activities, as well as a presentation on the Community Open Space Expert Panel, the open space consultation process, and viewed a draft of the open space design

Key points of discussion

Construction update – The straddle carrier started operating at the end of August and will be installing the first span over Murrumbeena Road this week. The carrier is currently operating at night as Murrumbeena Road needs to be closed while the carrier and support beams are operating above the road. Murrumbeena Road will be able to remain open while the carrier operates once the spans are in place. Two of the 3 steel cross beams (‘portals’) are in place near Grange Road. The portals will support the two deck structures as they diverge in the narrow corridor.

Communications update – Communications about the operation of the straddle carrier have included media stories, social media, and videos. Communications about the carrier will continue as it progresses down the line. There has been an increased number of people coming to Murrumbeena to view the machinery in action and there will be future promotional activities to encourage people to watch the construction and to support local traders while they are in the area. The project will be distributing area updates and a project newsletter in the coming weeks.

Meeting 15 executive summary

The fifteenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG was held at a venue in Murrumbeena with a view over the work site, allowing members to see progress and ask questions about project works. Members were provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications, as well as an update and look ahead on construction and communication activities.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – The straddle carrier has been working towards Carnegie and is expected to start installing spans across Koornang Road in early November. Murrumbeena Station reopened at the start of October with over 50,000 hours of work having taken place in the precinct during the closure. Carnegie and Hughesdale stations will be closing on 14 October. Carnegie will be closing for five weeks, while Hughesdale will be closing until the new station opens in 2018. Shuttle buses will be operating at both stations for the duration of their closures.

Communications update – Communications about the operation of the straddle carrier have included media stories, social media, and videos. Communications about the carrier will continue as it progresses down the line, with a focus on taking advantage of the high visibility when it is operating over Koornang Road. Residents along the line are being provided with advanced notice of its operation and relocation is also being offered to impacted residents. The project trader engagement team have been working closely with traders at Carnegie and Hughesdale to develop initiatives that encourage people to continue to ‘shop local’ while the stations are closed.

Meeting 16 executive summary

The sixteenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications, as well as an update and look ahead on construction and communication activities. Members were also given a presentation about the design of the multi-purpose screening on the structure. A presentation was also given to the members about the sustainability initiatives in place on the project.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Carnegie Station reopened on 20 November after the straddle carrier successfully installed 12 spans in the station area – including two over Koornang Road. One of the two support beams used by the straddle carrier has returned to Murrumbeena and been turned around to allow the carrier to begin operating towards Hughesdale in addition to continuing towards Grange Road.

Communications update – The design for the open space has been released. This was met with a lot of positive media coverage. LXRP have seen a lot of interest in the design, with members of the public going to the info hubs to view the designs and other information. The group were informed about the strategy being developed to communicate upcoming rail disruptions in the new year. The group were also informed about the plan to begin hosting walking tours of works, with tours starting at the project’s 2 info hubs.

Meeting 17 executive summary

The seventeenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were briefed on the success of the Noble Park commissioning, and were updated on the removal of 3 level crossings since the previous meeting.

Key points of discussion

Construction update – Noble Park’s elevated station opened on 15 February, and supports both passenger and freight trains. Heatherton Road, Chandler Road, Corrigan Road level crossings have all been removed. The straddle carrier that is installing the new rail deck between Caulfield and Hughesdale has now installed all bridge spans between Murrumbeena and Caulfield. One of the two support beams used by the straddle carrier is now being demobilised. Murrumbeena Station has its first sections of new canopy installed, with canopy install at Carnegie Station set to commence in the coming weeks.

Communications update – The Noble Park section of elevated rail opening was met with a positive media coverage and reactions from locals. The project has held community walking tours in Murrumbeena and Noble Park with future tours being planned. The ‘Shop local’ campaign was mentioned, with upcoming strategies to further promote local trader shopping. There has been project involvement at a number of local community events recently including helping the Poath Road traders at their Family Fun Day, and sponsorship of the Carnegie Lunar Festival.

Meeting 18 executive summary

The eighteenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were briefed on the upcoming occupation that will facilitate the removal of the level crossings at Centre and Clayton Roads and the opening of the new Clayton station, the current plan for maintenance of the open space after project completion, and the demobilisation of both gantry cranes and the straddle carrier.

Key points of discussion

Construction Update – It was discussed that there are only five spans left to be installed for the elevated structure in Area 1 with plans to finish installing them all before Easter weekend. Both the straddle carrier and gantry cranes will then be demobilised, and taken off site. Clayton’s occupation will begin 30 March, and trains will be operating on the elevated rail and the station will be open to the public from 16 April.

Communications Update – Members were briefed on the continuing success on walking tours, with around 70 attendees at latest tour at Clayton. The Lego model at the Murrumbeena info hub will be exhibited at Scienceworks during the upcoming school holidays.

Meeting 19 executive summary

The nineteenth meeting of the Area 1 SLG provided an overview of upcoming construction milestones and communications. Members were briefed on the successful removal of both Clayton and Centre Road level crossings, as well as the opening of the new Clayton station on 16 April.

Key points of discussion

Construction Update – The group were informed about the upcoming demobilisation of the straddle carrier and gantry cranes, as the final spans that make up the new rail line were placed in late March, and the machinery is now being decommissioned. With that phase completed, upcoming construction activities will include viaduct finishes (including screens), track installation, and station construction. Canopy installation has now started at Carnegie Station and will soon commence at Hughesdale.

Communications Update – Members were briefed on the successful ‘viewing party’ at Clayton hotel where 150 people attended to watch the Clayton Road boom gate removal. The group were updated on the process of naming the shared use path. “Djerring Trail” is the name that received the most votes in the online poll, and the formal approvals are now being sought to make this name official.