By Charlene Macaulay
Two archery clubs are horrified by the state of Laverton North’s Lawrie Emmins Reserve and say neither the council nor police are taking their concerns seriously.
Members from the Western Melbourne Field Archers and Werribee Archers who use the reserve say 4WDs and motorcyclists have created makeshift race tracks and are tearing up the reserve.
When Star Weekly visited the site earlier this month, there was a burnt-out car, dumped rubbish including mattresses, a couch, tyres, clothes and old TV sets strewn throughout the reserve, trees cut down and graffiti on shipping containers.
Werribee Archery Club president Irene Norman said both clubs’ archery targets had been vandalised.
She said her club had lost female members who didn’t feel safe training at the venue on their own.
Western Melbourne Field Archers president Matt Huggins said: “It’s a hoon’s paradise.”
Ken Gunn, from Western Melbourne Field Archers, said the problems were significantly reduced for a short time when the council installed a security camera on-site. The camera has since been removed.
“It’s really appalling the way the whole place is disregarded,” he said.
Senior Sergeant Aaron Riches said Werribee police had received three reports of hoon driving at the reserve this year.
“Police continue to patrol this area, knowing it to be an area of concern,” he said.
“We continue to monitor this location – and that includes the use of Victoria Police dirt bikes.”
Wyndham council chief executive Kelly Grigsby said a planned $1.6 million redevelopment of the Lawrie Emmins motocross track did not include any remediation to the wider reserve, but that a master plan currently in development would address the future of the 70-hectare space.
“The best way to deter anti-social behaviour at the reserve is to activate it by increasing its usage,” she said.
“The development of the motocross track will be the first step in this process, with the draft master plan expected to be considered by council later this year.”
