'Just madness': Petition to keep Noreuil natural gains momentum

Albury resident Siana Brown started the change.org petition, Preserve the Natural Beauty of Noreuil Park, in response to proposed council plans to give the foreshore a major facelift.

The Noreuil Park River Bank Rehabilitation concept aims to restore the bank and make the river accessible for people with limited mobility.

Under the plan, the foreshore would be cut back to provide a sloping grass "beach" between the ramp and River Deck Cafe, and the concrete area leading to the river would be expanded to allow for a disabled access ramp and pathways.

Two red gums and one elm tree would be removed to make way for the access ramp.

Additionally, the river bank would be reshaped and fitted with a retaining wall to prevent further erosion.

"It seems like council has been a bit hush hush with the proposal plans, so I wanted to make sure the community was aware and that everyone could have their voice heard," Ms Brown said.

"Rehabilitation just means bringing something back to its original state, not completely redoing the whole thing.

"I want to see my kids enjoy the Noreuil Park I love, not one full of concrete."

Albury Council said they developed the concept with engineering consultancy group GHD, considering the following design criteria:

"Making the river accessible, particularly for people with limited mobility, is a major factor in the concept design," Albury Council's service leader of city landscapes, David Costello, said.

"It shows accessible paths and ramps down to the riverbank as well as other enhancements.

"We will continue to work closely with the community and access groups to better understand accessibility requirements and options and alternatives for access."

Albury's Annette Baker, an advocate against the Eastern Hill redevelopment, said she hoped the development didn't go ahead.

"With these concept drawings, the engineering company probably needs to park themselves at Noreuil for two years to work out the river levels," she said.

"If the concept gets up and is built, it will be underwater every two to five years.

"The material isn't going to be sustainable through floods."

Mrs Baker, who is married to Albury councillor Stuart Baker, also questioned whether the council had done environmental and cultural studies, which they had not done in the Eastern Hill redevelopment, which ultimately saw the project blocked.

Albury Council said it would do environmental and cultural assessments once the concept plan has been finalised and endorsed by council, after which the project will progress to the detailed design phase.

"Given community feedback to date, the Murray River Experience Master Plan review is likely to go to council in the second half of the year for endorsement to place the MRE documentation on public exhibition," Mr Costello said.

"However, it is likely we will need to develop revised concept designs for the Noreuil Park Riverbank Rehabilitation project, followed by additional community engagement, prior to presenting them to council for consideration."

Steve Panozzo, a long-time river user and member of the Mitta Mitta Canoe Club, has been doing his own stakeholder engagement, placing a whiteboard at Noreuil Park for residents to write their thoughts about the plan.

Albury Council said it held a workshop with Mitta Mitta Canoe Club when the concept plans were being drafted, and would be holding follow up consultations with the club in the coming weeks.

"There's a common thread," Mr Panozzo said. "People are concerned about the loss of green space.

"The proposal potentially to take trees out and lose a third, if not more, of the grass areas is just madness. The enormous amount of concrete is just unbelievable.

"You're literally going to have people sitting on top of each other."

Mr Panozzo said he and other river users are not against change, but want to make sure it is "the right change".

He said he agrees that the retainer wall needs fixing. However, instead of cutting the riverbank back, he argues the council should extend it, as explained in the below video.

"(In this way) we could actually increase the grass area rather than take trees, which would have seen Hume and Hovell pass through, out," Mr Panozzo said.

"It'll keep everyone happy, including the environment and wild life."

A free BBQ has been organised for 4pm at Noreuil Park this Sunday, March 24, for residents to discuss the concept plans and give feedback to the council.

The project, part of the Murray River Experience Master Plan, is open for community feedback until Friday, April 5.