108 Plenty Ranges Visual Character Area
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Plenty Ranges Visual Character Area VALUES THREATS • Part of the foothills of the Great Dividing Range comprising the • Land capability is influenced by steep slopes and gravel content most significant backdrop element of the City of Whittlesea • Spread of weeds and threat of bushfire • Characterised by strongly dissected steep slopes and valleys • Potential for salinity in gully lines and seasonal waterlogging on framing the Plenty Valley and Whittlesea Township lower slopes • Provides a sense of ‘wildness’ with wet sclerophyll forests, • Loss of riparian vegetation contributing to bank erosion cascades and fern gullies representing the southern-most extent • Fencing of property boundaries across watercourses in Bruces of the Great Dividing Range and Barbers Creek creates a potential barrier to wildlife • Contains the Kinglake National Park comprising Wet Forest and movement Cool Temperate Rainforests (possibly the only unlogged areas of • Development on hilltops and major ridgelines incorporating cut this type in Victoria) and fill on building sites • Undisturbed stands in the Mt Disappointment Reference Area are • Subdivision pattern is highly fragmented with few allowances for of extreme biogeographic importance for rainforest insects (semi topography, land capability or natural features aquatic species share a Gondwana history) • Potential for land degradation is high and the need for careful • Most of the area is in public ownership contained within state farm management practices is important forests and protected catchment areas with a small number of • Removal of vegetation for development or farming practices cleared residential and farming properties intensifies erosion and salinity • Most of the cleared land is used for grazing and includes some of • Siting of dwellings and structures in visually sensitive areas the most agriculturally productive land in the municipality • Contains the upper reaches of the Plenty River and a small area OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION of the Diamond Creek catchment represented by generally • Encourage innovative forms of agribusiness smaller streams and tributaries • Strengthen rural compliance to reduce illegal earthworks, • Contains the water supply catchment areas of Yan Yean and dumping, weeds and vegetation removal Toorourrong Reservoirs which comprises a platypus ‘hide’ • Maintain the vegetation backdrop in the upper slopes • Heritage elements include bluestone aquaducts and buildings • Discourage siting of dwellings and other structures in visually associated with Yan Yean Reservoir, remnant exotic gardens sensitive areas associated with Toorourrong Reservoir and early settler’s • Remediate and protect waterways, in particular Scrubby Creek residences and gardens and Barbers Creek from gully, bed and bank erosion • Wooded slopes are visible from nearly every point in the • Reposition fences away from cutting across watercourses to municipality and well beyond and provide a marked contrast to facilitate wildlife movement the surrounding plains, valleys and lower slopes • Protect riparian vegetation to create habitat links and minimise • Contains roadside vegetation with high conservation value bank erosion • Recreational values associated with the Whittlesea Golf Course • Utilise Whittlesea-Yea Road as a gateway to the region • Sites of Aboriginal cultural heritage associated with waterways • Continue to restructure Eden Park and Humevale Township and the forests • Encourage regeneration and revegetation particularly along habitat links • Ensure the protection of rural character occurs in the design and in the assessment of development proposals D r a f t W h i t t l e s e a G r e e n W e d g e M a n a g e m e n t P l a n 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 2 1 108 Plenty Ranges Visual Character Area Road visual corridor - width varies Located in the north and north-east of the (typically 250m either side) municipality, this VCA is characterised by strongly dissected steep slopes and valleys associated with the southern slopes of the Great Dividing Range. Containing the protected water catchment areas of the Toorourrong and Yan Yean Reservoir, this natural area contains wet sclerophyll forests, cascades and fern gully's less than 3 kilometres from the settlement of the Whittlesea Township. Communities Yan Yean Humevale Whittlesea Figure 2 opposite displays typical section and plan of the Plenty Ranges. Location of development within and adjacent to road visual corridor subject to preparation of a site analysis, PLAN design response and detailed siting and design plans, sections and elevations Preserve existing vegetation Avoid development Site buildings on on ridges and lower slopes, ensure major hill tops proper layout of access drive SECTION Typical section and plan are indicative only for illustrative purposes Figure 2 Location of development must be PLENTY RANGES made with consideration of fire proneness, required buffers and VCA geotechnical matters 109 D r a f t W h i t t l e s e a G r e e n W e d g e M a n a g e m e n t P l a n 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 2 1 The Hills Visual Character Area VALUES THREATS • Forms the backdrop to the surrounding plains, valleys and distant • Historical subdivision patterns have made few allowances for ranges topographical or natural features where lot boundaries typically • Four distinct sub-areas - Eden Hills, Whittlesea Hills, Eastern traverse watercourses and sites of environmental significance Hills and Quarry Hills • Unmanaged rural land leading to weeds and overall appearance • Characterised by lighted wooded rolling hills and undulating open of disrepair pastures • Development on hilltops and major ridgelines and close to major • Slopes are generally steep and include granite outcrops in the view corridors Quarry Hills • Cut and fill required for building sites • Intensive historic subdivision pattern of the Eden Hills and • Reduction in native vegetation cover associated with associated road network offers greater public access which development increase the viewing opportunities to the Melbourne CBD • Impounding water at Yan Yean and Toorourrong Reservoirs has • A high number of residential and farming properties are dotted altered the flows of the Plenty River through the hills with the Eden Hills the most extensively developed OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION • Grazing and livestock enterprises occur on the gentler slopes • Encourage innovative forms of agribusiness along with olive groves • Strengthen rural compliance to reduce illegal earthworks, • The entire area has visual sensitivity due to topography, slope, dumping, weeds and vegetation removal major ridgelines and viewing corridors • Discourage siting of dwellings and other structures in visually • Panoramic views to the Melbourne CBD skyline and surrounding sensitive areas plains • Strengthen the boundary of the Quarry Hills to clearly define • Contains the middle catchment of the Plenty River and contain the extent of urban development in South Morang, • Farm heritage elements include hedgerows and shelterbelt Mernda and Epping plantings • Maintain the significant viewing opportunities afforded by • Regional parklands associated with Quarry Hills Donnybrook Road (She-Oak Hill) • Sites of Aboriginal cultural heritage associated with waterways • Creation of an improved regional parkland at Quarry Hills to and hilltops create a green break and provide recreational opportunities • Protect the northern areas of the Plenty River catchment from intense development, runoff and erosion • Ensure the protection of rural character occurs in the design and in the assessment of development proposals D r a f t W h i t t l e s e a G r e e n W e d g e M a n a g e m e n t P l a n 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 2 1 110 The Hills Road visual corridor - width varies Visual Character Area (typically 250m either side) This VCA stretches from the Plenty Ranges in the north to the urban edge in the south. It provides a backdrop to the Western Plains and Plenty Valley with lightly wooded rolling hills and undulating open pasture. ROAD ROAD Many sites offer panoramic views across plains to the distant city skyline. A large number of rural living and farming properties are dotted throughout this VCA, with Eden Hills the most extensively developed and subdivided. PLENTY PLENTY Sub-areas - Eden Hills - Whittlesea Hills Avoid development on ridges and major hilltops and steeper slopes Figure 3 opposite displays typical section Place dwellings and buildings PLAN to maximise views out while screening from major view locations and plan Location of development within and adjacent to road visual corridor subject to preparation of a site analysis, design response and detailed siting and - Eastern Hills design plans, sections and elevations - Quarry Hills Consider views from Plenty Road corridor in design ROAD ROAD Communities PLENTY Eden Park Whittlesea Site buildings on lower slopes to minimise South Morang/Mernda/Wollert SECTION cut and fill and to ensure proper layout of access drive Typical section and plan are indicative only for illustrative purposes Location of development must be made with consideration of fire proneness, required buffers and geotechnical matters Figure 3 HILLS VCA WHITTLESEA HILLS SUB-AREA 111 D r a f t W h i t t l e s e a G r e e n W e d g e M a n a g e m e n t P l a n 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 2 1 Western Plains Visual Character Area (only partly included within the Green Wedge) VALUES THREATS • River Red Gums, stony knolls and • Soils have high rock content, slow permeability and drainage, erosion potential grassland areas are the dominant natural