Petition passed over

A packed public gallery, 883 petition signatures, and heated debate were not enough to change Strathbogie Shire Council’s position on the closure of Euroa’s Frost Street underpass. At last Tuesday’s council meeting on 19 August at the Euroa Community Centre, councillors formally noted that the decision to remove the underpass — taken in June at Inland Rail’s request — had already been implemented and could not be reversed. The Frost Street pedestrian underpass closed on Monday 21 July and will temporarily reopen later in 2025 before being permanently removed in 2026, when the new station underpass is opened. Two new fully accessible underpasses are under construction nearby, but residents argue the loss of Frost Street severs a vital community connection. The petition itself warned: “We want the underpass to stay open allowing safe access for the many families that use this on a daily basis… Our elderly residents, our young children and our vulnerable community members should not have to face walking into an unmanned railway station that poses a high risk of potential harm… If anything is going to divide this town… this is it!” Katie Williams, who lodged the petition with 883 signatures, asked why the community’s submission was denied and what precedent this set for community input. “If consultation was conducted primarily with those who do not use the underpass, how can council claim the decision was informed and inclusive?” Ms Williams asked. Another resident asked: “What are council’s immediate plans to have the Frost Street underpass reinstated from the Inland Rail scope?” Council said the resolution had been implemented, and any change to the scope is no longer feasible due to design, procurement, and the fact that construction has commenced. At this point in the meeting tensions mounted in the public gallery, prompting Mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy to call for order. She warned she would have people removed if the interruptions continued, reminding attendees to show respect while questions were being heard and the meeting was being streamed. Vanessa Williams also raised concerns about the temporary reopening of the underpass during construction. “If it opens for a short time, why isn’t it good enough to leave open, which would save both the underpass and the historic tree?” she asked. Oliver McNulty, Strathbogie Shire Council’s Director of Sustainable Infrastructure, replied that the temporary arrangement was “not an upgrade” and would not meet drainage or accessibility standards for permanent use. Subsequent questions from the gallery centred on the timeline of the decision and what many saw as inadequate consultation, with several residents also asking why alternative designs that might have satisfied both the community and Inland Rail were not pursued. Mr McNulty said Inland Rail had undertaken consultation and pedestrian counts since 2019, that council only approved removal once further design details were provided this year, and acknowledged communication with the community “could have been better.” Councillor Clark Holloway was the sole councillor to oppose the motion, warning that council risked “shutting the door” before all facts were known. “I believe there is a net gain to our community to wait,” he said. “The Frost Street 883 and Rising group has requested a tripartite meeting between themselves, council and Inland Rail. “To my knowledge, Inland Rail is open to this. “I urge my colleagues to view this motion in terms of risk to council.” But other councillors said Inland Rail’s confirmation that the works were already under way left no room for reconsideration. “The decision to permanently remove the Frost Street component has now been implemented, and reverting to the previous design is no longer feasible,” Inland Rail advised in correspondence read at the meeting. Mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy acknowledged the depth of community feeling but reiterated that the underpass was not Council’s project. “It was a very difficult decision and not one that we want to be in or find ourselves in,” she said. “I really want to applaud the community coming together and working together to stand up for something that they’re very committed to and they believe in. “That said, our position doesn’t change moving forward. “The reality is the decision has been made, and no one wants to hear this at the moment, but it is not Council’s project. “And it’s not passing the buck — it’s a statement of fact.” Council’s June resolution accepted Inland Rail’s request to remove the upgrade, in return for a $350,000 contribution into Council’s capital works program. That money will be allocated to future projects, with a report due back to Council by October. “I want to offer an olive branch and say this is an opportunity for us as a community to come together, to unite, and to make sure that the $350,000 has contributed to an area that ensures the people of Euroa feel connected,” she said. “The learnings for us as a council is that consultation was not up to what it should have been, and we apologise for that.” The chamber voted four to one in favour of the motion to formally note the petition response and Inland Rail’s position. Mayor Cr Ewart-Kennedy, Cr Laura Binks, Cr Greg Carlson, and Cr Fiona Stevens voted in favour. Cr Holloway opposed. Deputy Mayor Scott Jeffery and Cr Vicki Halsall were apologies and absent from the vote.

Petition passed over

Mayor elected unopposed

Mayor Scott Jeffery unopposed

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