After many weeks of frustration, I finally feel like we have made some real progress on rubbish collection.
Today, Jan and I met with Lachlan Johnson (CoPP GM of Operations and Infrastructure), his Head of waste James, Councillor Christine Sirakoff and David Macnish.
It was great that they came on site and walked around and saw and understood our issues. They’ve given Reeve a priority number to call if he has any waste issues.
They have also ensured that we now have community glass and FOGO (think compost) bins in the park in front of 1 Queens Rd. More on this in the next couple of weeks – but they are there now.
The public toilet in Bowen Cres is also slated for upgrade / replacement…not until 2027 but maybe we can get it up the list!!
It is the first of December! 18 working day remain for 2023. We will be finishing up for the year on 22 December 2023. Monday is Picnic Day, so different than a RDO. Some trades will work, but not as many as a standard construction day.
Not a lot to report from the week that was. As you can imagine, we were slowed down quite a bit this week by the rain.
Upcoming major works: Toorak Road Resurfacing 5 to 7 December
The rain this week has delayed the completion of the southbound resurfacing works. These have been rescheduled to take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.
This requires an overnight road closure of St Kilda Road each night. We will complete the profiling, utility works and laying of the final wearing course.
The rain has delayed the works in this stretch, installation of plants and furniture will continue next week.
Albert Road legacy construction
We have removed the sheds at Albert Road reserve. Next week we will reshuffle the site to allow us to work on the foundation of the South African Soldiers’ Memorial. We will also continue works on the legacy road which passes the Ramsay Clinic and the Domain building up to St Kilda Road.
Soft and hard landscaping continues in the linear park.
Linear park:
Albert Road Reserve forecourt and Station Entrance (works until 1am)
The final pieces of the structural steel for the entrance are being installed today. Tomorrow and next week, the scaffolding will go up around the steel to commence the roof works. In ground services will be installed adjacent to the road, a very familiar formular. Underground, works continue for the walls and stairs of the Albert Road entrance.
Underground:
Station Fit out
Business as usual in Station fit out. Plenty of activity for the front of house and retail facilities. Back of house and B2 commissioning continues.
Eastern site – Shrine Entrance and Domain Road (Works until 1am)
For the entrance, the lift glass is in and glazed, construction on the lift cart and mechanics will kick off next week. Amongst all of the scaffolding, the gutters and the roofing are going in and will continue to do so next week.
The underground service installation is complete adjacent to the road. Earth and road works will continue next week. In December, we will shift traffic onto the new road.
On Monday night, South East Water works will take place from 10pm on Domain Road. These works must take place at night to reduce the impact of the water isolation, South East Water will contact affected customers.
St Kilda Road – Toorak Road to Bowen Lane
Northbound side (Towards City)
Works will continue behind the barriers as we install services, kerbs and prepare the garden beds. The team will spend next week preparing the site for line marking and barrier removal later in the month.
St Kilda Road Bowen Crescent to Toorak Road (Night works)
Southbound side (Away from City)
This section was slowed down by the rain, we were quite lucky to make the progress that we did this week. We will have the pipes in across the laneway and the area backfilled on day shift today, allowing us to reopen the laneway tonight.
This will leave just the kerbs and the road surface remaining. We will undertake these works overnight at the same time as the asphalting works next week mentioned at the start of the email.
We are on track to remove the barriers from Bromby Street to Toorak Road and reopen the right turn from St Kilda Road to Kings Way late next week.
Tonight – No saw cutting of the road and conduit works on SKR. There will be some guys installing lighting and traffic light conduits in front of Botanica
..so my take is
There is going to be one VERY noisy night, it is not tonight. Tonight about on a par with last night.
It is only now that I have seen the area that they will be doing tonight – it will involve saw cutting the road, excavating the road surface, non-destructive digging, hand tools and then restoring the road.
It is the area in purple on this map.
Ring 1800 105 105 and ask for relocation if you want.
Starting tomorrow night and at various times in the next few weeks, St Kilda Rd towards the city will be closed at Toorak Rd – so you will NOT be able to access the lower car park by coming along St Kilda Rd towards the city as you would normally do.
The solution is not too hard but it is NOT obvious – you drive on the wrong side of Bowen Cres and turn left onto St Kilda Rd.
Cars can no longer turn left in Bowen Cres from St Kilda Rd and so you will be able to get out as shown above.
I know it says ‘road closed’ and I know there are barriers….you can do it
It will be noisy the from Sunday night for several nights – they will relocate you if you call the 1800 number and politely request a move.
I hope you’re keeping cosy in this wet weather, perfect for a Christmas movie even though personally I do think it is a bit early in the year – I think the music selection at the shopping centres would disagree!
Thank you for your understanding as we got through the three nights of overnight works this week. The works were successfully completed last night. A break in St Kilda Road night works for tonight and tomorrow before we recommence on Sunday.
Upcoming major works: Toorak Road Resurfacing 29 November to 1 December
From Sunday night we will commence works on the Toorak Road intersection. Why Sunday night you might ask. This is because DTP won’t allow for the intersection to be closed on Friday or Saturday nights so to get a good run at it we will be commencing on Sunday. The works notification is available at the link below.
These works will be disruptive as we need to remove the top layer of road before we can lay the finished product and line mark. We will also be rectifying some under road utility conduits near Bowen Crescent and on the southern side of Toorak Road. From Wednesday night we will also be preparing the southbound section for final resurfacing in December.
What a sight to see! Pictured below is the planting between Albert Road and Park Street. I am sure the plants will enjoy the rain forecast for next week. Street furniture will arrive late next week for the garden bed closer to Park Street.
Albert Road legacy construction
We have removed almost all of the sheds at Albert Road reserve and while doing so have reshuffled the site slightly. With our new found room to move, we will soon start works on preparing the reserve for the return of the South African Soldiers’ Memorial in 2024.
Soft and hard landscaping continues in the linear park.
Albert Road Reserve forecourt and Station Entrance (works until 1am)
Like a younger sibling, the Albert Reserve entrance is following in the Shrine entrances footsteps.
You may have noticed today that the green steel has arrived for the station canopy and installation has commenced. Just as with the Shrine, once all the pieces are in place scaffolding and roofing will follow.
The Albert Reserve forecourt will also follow a similar sequence of works as the other side of the road. In ground services will start to be installed from next week along the current northbound lane of St Kilda Road.
Station Fitout
Business as usual in Station fitout.
Eastern site – Shrine Entrance and Domain Road (Works until 1am)
Majority of the services have been installed along St Kilda Road within the site including gas and Telstra. We will soon start construction on the second lane of St Kilda Road in this section. Our intention is to switch traffic onto this lane in December as to take the kink out of the road and to continue works on the traffic islands from Park Stret to Melbourne Grammar School.
On the Shrine entrance itself, the remaining scaffolding went up this week to prepare for the roof works of the canopy. We will start to lift glass and other architectural elements into place on both the canopy and the lift shaft. As always, works on the entrance continues until 1am each night.
St Kilda Road – Bowen Crescent to Bowen Lane (Night works)
Northbound side (Towards City)
The focus for this stretch has been the closure of Bowen Crescent at the intersection of St Kilda Road. Thank you to the Botanica building for enduring the driveway closure on Bowen Crescent this week as well.
We will reopen the turn out of Bowen Crescent to St Kilda Road tomorrow, with the turn from St Kilda Road to Bowen Crescent to remain closed until mid December. We will need to completely close Bowen Crescent again at some point.
St Kilda Road Bowen Crescent to Toorak Road (Night works)
Southbound side (Away from City)
The southbound lane of St Kilda Road will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday night next week while we prepare the road for its final layer of asphalting in early December.
Following the delays from last weeks incident, crews will return to the laneway from Sunday to complete the works. Works involve two days of non destructive digging, a day or so to lay the pipes and back fill, another day to trench and install the kerbs and finally another day to prepare for the final asphalt. We will be complete with fences removed in this section in a fortnight. It has been an extremely difficult stretch to work in and we very much appreciate everyone’s ongoing patience as we edge closer to the finish line.
The Botanica 
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