Monash Way Interchange set to bloom

Landscape plantings at the Monash Way interchange have almost been completed

By Latrobe City Council - 17th September 2001 - Back to News

Landscape plantings at the Monash Way interchange have almost been completed, with the final beds constructed for the project being mulched and planted out in the next few days.

Latrobe City Councillor, Darrell White, said the visual amenity of the interchange was greatly enhanced by the plantings. "In years to come the red flowering eucalypts in particular will provide those exiting the freeway at the interchange with a visually attractive start to their drive towards Churchill," Cr White said.

"This is a project that has been made possible by a State government Rural Community Development Program grant matched by Council funding. The project delivers a visual attractiveness to an otherwise flat and fairly ordinary landscape that features several industrial buildings towards the horizon.

"This is a very busy interchange with thousands of vehicles passing on a daily basis, many of which convey visitors to Monash University or Hazelwood Pondage. For many visitors Monash Way provides the first glimpse of the Latrobe Valley other than from the freeway, so it is important that the impression is a good one," Cr White said.

Council’s Development Design Technical Officer, Stephen Kurec, said eighteen landscaping beds had been created for the project and existing trees had been incorporated into the design. "After being ripped by a grader and rotary hoed the beds have been planted out with Spiny Headed Matrush (Lomandra Longifolia) and several species of trees," he explained.

"In particular we have planted a grafted variety of Corymbia Ficifolia which produces magnificent red blooms. The Ficifolia is a beautiful tree but is subject to a lot of damage when young if conditions aren’t absolutely perfect, so there can be considerable losses. However, these trees are grafted onto hardy root stock so should be able to cope with the conditions," Mr Kurec said.

"While most of the beds are amenable to the Ficifolia, some areas are subject to fairly regular inundation in Winter and Spring. In those areas we have planted Eucalyptus Ovata (Swamp Gum) and Eucalyptus Scoparia (White Gum). Once the vegetation has been planted, the beds have been mulched. In fact on this project, some 400 cubic metres of mulch have been used," Mr Kurec added.

Cr White added that the Red Flowering Gums had also been planted at the Churchill end of Monash Way. "In years to come there is the option of creating a very attractive avenue of the trees linking Churchill with the interchange," Cr White said.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: latrobecity@gippslander.com

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