Living With the Bush

Packenham Cardinia Leader: 4th September

PAKENHAM Upper resident Gloria O’Connor has no intention of cutting back the eucalypts and wattles surrounding her home to make it safer in a bushfire.

The Cardinia Ratepayers and Residents Association president says her bushfire defence will be more closely linked to being somewhere else on high-risk days.

Ms O’Connor has lived on her 2ha property for 12 years and says its greatest attraction is the abundant wildlife and native vegetation.

She said the view it was better to leave than cut was purely her own.

The association’s view is likely to be decided at a meeting later this month.

Pakenham Upper is among 52 outer metropolitan suburbs identified as high-risk fire hotspots, along with Cockatoo, Gembrook and Upper Beaconsfield.

“I am not about to get rid of any trees or vegetation as part of a fire safety plan,” she said.

“I want to preserve habitat for local wildlife and preserve the beauty of the area, which is why I came to live here in the first place.

“In the event of a fire I would choose to leave if there was a serious and life-threatening blaze.  “

“I feel the fires might result in a reactionary move to clear-fell areas which may result in opportunistic development in some parts of Victoria,” she said.

CFA Cardinia group officer Phillip Craig said while vegetation removal was at this time a personal decision - he applauded Ms O’Connor’s decision to leave early in the event of any fire.

Source: http://pakenham-cardinia-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/beauty-come...