Large old-growth trees
Large Silverleaf Stringybarks and Narrow-leaf Peppermint provide nesting hollows for native fauna including possums, gliders, microbats and birds
Council is exploring options to establish a Native Vegetation Offset Site at Witternberg Bushland Reserve.
An 'offset site' compensates for the loss of biodiversity caused when native vegetation is removed from other sites. It helps balance out the environmental impact of activities like building infrastructure for example a new path, building or recreation area.
While Council always aims to minimise native vegetation loss, and mitigates it with replanting and habitat logs, we are required to purchase "offset credits" when vegetation is removed, Normally, Council buys credits from other municipalities that have registered offset sites. Instead, we are now proposing to create our own offset site, to maintain and enhance biodiversity within Frankston City.
We're asking whether you want Witternberg Bushland Reserve to become a Native Vegetation Offset Site, and if so, which path option you prefer.
If Witternberg Bushland Reserve is established as a Native Vegetation Offset Site, you will still be able to visit, enjoy and walk from the Reserve's playground through to Robinsons Park.
However, please note the following:
If Council proceeds with this proposal, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) would need to approve the site and an Offset Management Plan. Following this, installation of fencing would likely commence in the 2023 – 2024 financial year.
Council conducted a detailed review of all local natural reserves to find possible offset sites.
The review identified that out of all the Council-owned natural reserves, Witternberg Reserve is the only one to satisfy the State Government rules to become an offset site.
Witternberg is one of our largest reserves supporting an important stand of remnant indigenous forest and woodland. It is notable for the following:
Large Silverleaf Stringybarks and Narrow-leaf Peppermint provide nesting hollows for native fauna including possums, gliders, microbats and birds
In spring a diversity of native plants, including orchids, lilies and grasses are in flower
The Reserve provides a critical habitat refuge and ‘stepping stone’ for mobile animals such as koalas, wallabies and the endangered powerful owl
The regionally significant Agile Antechinus (a small carnivorous marsupial) has also been recorded in the Reserve
If the offset scheme proposal goes ahead, fencing would be:
If Council proceeds with the proposal fencing is likely to commence in the 23/24 financial year.
Note that fencing may need to be upgraded to improve protection for the bushland in the future.
Creating an offset site at Witternberg Bushland Reserve would result in additional funding being directed to the Reserve for intensive weed control and other management to enhance and protect the woodland habitat permanently.
This funding would flow to the reserve whenever Council was required to ‘offset’ removal of native vegetation for its infrastructure projects. Council would enter into a formal agreement with the Victorian Government to facilitate this process. Currently Council has to purchase offsets outside the municipality as there are currently no registered offset sites in Frankston City.
To achieve this Council must commit to manage the reserve according to a detailed Management Plan approved by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). The most important task will be to reduce the large number of weeds currently in the Reserve to improve native plant diversity and animal habitat.
Share your feedback on whether the Reserve should be used as an offset site, and if so, which of the 3 access path options you prefer.
We understand there are pros/cons either way, and want to understand what is most important to you.
Chat with us at one of our community pop ups, and get a coffee voucher for Roundabout Cafe (while stocks last)!
Witternberg Reserve Playground.
Roundabout Cafe, 1/19 Shaxton Cir.
Frankston City Council acknowledges and pays respect to the Bunurong People, the Traditional Custodians of these lands and waters.
Frankston City Council is committed to protecting your privacy.
Council is using software provided by Social Pinpoint for the Engage Frankston! platform to facilitate community interaction via surveys, discussion on ideas walls and other engagement opportunities. You can choose to sign up to the page to manage your involvement and receive updates and communications on specific projects. You will be asked to provide an email address and create a password. In many cases you can provide your views on topics anonymously, however if you create a profile and participate in discussion forums, your profile name and comments will be visible to others in the discussion. You can participate in some of the engagement activities on the platform without signing up and creating a profile, however you will not be able to engage with all of the features of the site.
Check the privacy notices included with surveys and questionnaires for more detail about how personal information will be handled for that specific project.
For further detail about how Council handles your information, or to access your information,
For further detail about how Social Pinpoint comply with privacy see Social Pinpoint’s Privacy Policy.
The following Terms and Conditions govern the use of Engage Frankston (“the site”). The software platform is owned by Social Pinpoint Pty Ltd and operated by us, Frankston City.
By accessing and using this site, you are choosing to accept and comply with the Terms presented throughout this agreement as well as the Privacy Policy and Moderation Policy. These Terms apply to all visitors and users of this site. Linked sites, affiliated services or third party content or software have their own Terms that you must comply with. If you disagree with any of the Terms presented in this agreement, you may discontinue using the site immediately.
If you are under 18 years old, please ensure that your parent or guardian understands and accepts these Terms and Conditions (including the Privacy Policy and Moderation Policy).
What are the conditions with a user’s account?
While using the site, you must not violate any applicable laws and regulations. It is our duty to protect the confidentiality of content you provide on our site in accordance with our Privacy Policy. When you create an account with us, you must always provide us with accurate information. Failure to provide accurate information violates the Terms, which may result in immediate termination of your account on our service. You are responsible for protecting your own password you use for this site and for any activities done under that password. Unauthorised use of your password or account must be immediately reported to us. In some cases, we or our agents may require access to your user accounts to respond to technical issues.
We are not responsible for the content on the site that has been provided by the users of the site. Any content posted by you is subject to the rules of our Moderation Policy. Your contribution to the site may be edited, removed or not published if we consider it inappropriate (refer to Moderation Policy). Contributors should also be aware that their posts may remain online indefinitely. Where practical, you may choose not to identify yourself, deal with us on an anonymous basis or use a pseudonym.
What do we require from our users?
You must understand and agree that, without limitation:
Can your account be suspended or terminated?
We may terminate or suspend access to your site and/or account immediately, without prior notice, including without limitation if you breach the Terms. We may immediately deactivate or delete your account and all the related files and information in your account. After your account has been terminated, the content you have posted may also remain indefinitely on the site.
If you want to terminate your own account, please send an email to engagement@frankston.vic.gov.au.
Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed in accordance with the laws of Victoria, Australia, without regards to its conflict of law provisions.
Indemnification
Frankston City, its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, licensors and other partners are not responsible for any loss, liability, claim, or demand, including legal fees, made by any third party due to or arising from a breach of this agreement and/or any breach of your representations and warranties set forth above.
What content do we own?
This website contains the copyrighted material, trademarks, patents, trade secrets and other proprietary information (“Intellectual Property”) of Frankston City and its suppliers and licensors. Frankston City owns and retains all proprietary rights in the intellectual property. All intellectual property in the content of this site including without limitation to text, software, source code, pages, documents and online graphics, photographs, sounds, audio, video and other interactive features are owned by or licensed to us.
Any original content that you submit or post on our site may be made available to the public and allows users to share your content (with the end user acknowledging your contribution) under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Australian License.
Except for Intellectual Property which is in the public domain or for which you have been given written permission, you may not copy, alter, transmit, sell, distribute any of the Intellectual Property on this site.
We are not responsible for your communications or dealings, including payment and delivery of goods or services, with a third party found via our website. Any loss or damage incurred from those communications or dealings are solely between the user and the third party.
Disclaimer and Warranties
Users must agree that you use of the site is at your own risk. We make no warranty that the site will meet your requirements or be uninterrupted or error-free. Any material that the user downloads through the site is done at their own risk and are responsible for any damages to their computer system or loss of data.
What happens if these Terms change?
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time without notice. The most recent version of the Terms can be seen on this page. By continuing to access or use our site after those revisions become effective, you agree and will comply to the revised terms. If you do not agree to the revised terms, please discontinue using our site.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at engagement@frankston.vic.gov.au.
Enter your email address below. We will send you instructions to reset your password.
Back to Log in
Creating an account helps us better understand who is engaging with us, your needs and interests. As a member, you can receive updates on new projects and other engagement news, and ‘follow’ pages to receive email updates on projects of interest to you.
Sign up with email
Already have an account? Log in now
Thank you, your account has been created.
Completing the questions below helps us better understand the diverse range of people who contribute their ideas. The questions are optional.
You’re using an outdated browser.
Some features of this website may not work correctly. To get a better experience we strongly recommend you download a new browser for free:
Would you like to follow this project to receive email updates?