Thank you City of Melbourne

Thank you City of Melbourne

I am writing to thank the City of Melbourne and everyone else who was responsible for the stunning fireworks on NYE and Australia Day 2017.

I was initially very disappointed to read that they would no longer be staged from the middle of Victoria Harbour but very understanding of the OHS reasons for them to be moved to Harbour Esplanade.

The result was they were more spectacular as they were closer and louder and on Australia Day – breathtaking!

Many others I shared both nights with agree.

Linda Dugan

 

Don’t feed the swans

It was very concerning to read in the Dockland News “And baby makes three” that people were feeding the black swans biscuits.

Your readers should be made aware that they DO NOT FEED swans biscuits or other such food. 

Swans happily feed themselves on their natural diet of vegetation (cf Birdlife Australia information).

The health of the swans should not be compromised by people mistakenly feeding them biscuits, bread, etc.  This applies to all native animals and birds.

The black swans that frequent the Docklands area also travel up the Moonee Ponds Creek. 

Some swans will have a white or black collar with a number on it and relate to an early study set up by Professor Raoul Mulder at the University of Melbourne. 

The very informative website myswan.org.au provides general information on black swans and data on where the particular swans have been sighted.

Kaye Oddie

Secretary

Friends of Moonee Ponds Creek

 

Bring back the fireworks

The spin that was rolled out to stop the fireworks at Docklands on NYE was total fantasy. They said families were exposed to violence and unruly behaviour as they made their way home. This is rubbish! It was never verified with documented evidence. NYE at Docklands was fabulous!

Families lined the docks, travellers booked out restaurants and cruises took guests out. It was exciting, exhilarating and damn good fun. Victoria Harbour looked like a mini-Sydney Harbour.

We participated for many years and never once witnessed any unruly or out-of-control behaviour.

We ran our business every New Years Eve out of NewQuay, catering for families, couples and groups of friends. We had an early family cruise to watch the 9.30pm fireworks.

We then had an adults cruise to watch the midnight fireworks. They were always spectacular. Our guests would also patronise other businesses before and after our cruises.

Every year now, we have people contacting us to join a NYE cruise. I have to tell them there are no longer fireworks over Docklands because Melbourne City Council believes the area has become too dangerous. The fireworks are on the tops of buildings.

I believe the large capacity fireworks are also restricted due to safety reasons.

The winter fireworks were a complete waste of money – cancellations due to poor weather and consistently poor turn outs.

Bring back the Docklands NYE fireworks and help this fantastic area revitalise.

At the moment it is becoming a deserted area with closed businesses everywhere.

Jenni Hart

Adventure Sails 

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