Community Alert: What’s Going On at Akuna Drive?

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We’ve just been advised that two workers, wearing full hazmat suits, were seen digging at the end of Akuna Drive this afternoon.

Witnesses reported they:
→ Dug into the ground
→ Called over a third person to inspect what they found
→ Quickly covered everything back up

So the questions we have right now for Level Crossing Removal Project team:
→ Why were hazmat suits needed?
→ What did they find?
→ Will what they found be disclosed to the public and Hobsons Bay City Council?

We deserve answers Jacinta Allan and Gabrielle Williams MP.

When communities are kept in the dark, trust erodes.

We believe locals deserve transparency — especially when it comes to health, safety, and major works happening near homes, schools, and parks.

We’ll continue asking the questions — and we encourage others to do the same.

If you saw anything, or have more information, please reach out.

We’ll be following this closely and asking the questions authorities should be answering.

The Age Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly 3AW Melbourne The Westsider Herald Sun

#KeepChampionRoadOpen #InnerWestDeservesBetter #CommunitySafety #STOPTheProject

Over the long weekend, the inevitable happened.

Our Champion Road sign got tagged.

But — we cleaned it up.
Spick and span. Back to good as new.

A few weeks ago?
The government’s shiny "We're Closing Champion Road" sign also got tagged.
It’s still sitting there... graffiti and all.

If you think that’s bad — just wait until they build their giant concrete bridge at Maddox Road.
Because once the tagging starts on that thing?
It'll stay.
It’ll spread.

And just like everything else about this closure — we’ll be the ones left living with it.

#KeepChampionRoadOpen
Because once it's gone, so is a little bit more of our community.

#InnerWestDeservesBetter #STOPTheProject 

Sign our petition here: https://www.change.org/KeepChampionRoadOpen

 Level Crossing Removal Project went door-knocking… but forgot to check who’s home.

Yesterday, the Level Crossing Removal Project team wandered around local businesses to finally advise of the impact the Champion Road closure and construction works will have.

Just one problem:

Many of those businesses run school-term programs.

It’s school holidays.

They were shut.

And for the ones who were open? They were told:

No compensation will be offered -
Not if you're disrupted.
Not if you lose customers.
Not even if you’re forced to close temporarily.

Oh — and the LXRP team? They’re heading off on a 10-day holiday. Just before works start after the ANZAC Day weekend.

So let’s recap:
 - Inform businesses when half of them are closed.
 - Drop the bombshell that there’s no financial support.
 - Vanish for 10 days right before works start and distruption begins. 

This is the Victorian Government’s idea of “community and business engagement”? 

It’s not consultation. It’s a cover-your-arse exercise.

And it’s exactly why we’re fighting back. And you can too by signing and sharing our petition: https://chng.it/NNK5pnDBsb

#KeepChampionRoadOpen #InnerWestDeservesBetter #STOPTheProject #SmallBusinessMatters #NoSupportNoRespect

 We’ve been encouraging our Champions to reach out directly to the people making the decisions about the permanent closure of Champion Road.

And this is the latest response from our elected Member for Williamstown, Melissa Horne MP.

Here’s what it really says when you strip away the political spin:

→ The decision to close Champion Road was made long before any genuine consultation ever took place.
→ The concerns raised by our community — for years — have been heard, noted… and ultimately ignored.
→ And now that works have started, we’re being told the best we can hope for is a few extra trees and a bike path.

But here’s the thing: Champion Road isn’t just a line on a map.

It’s a vital connection for:

- Families trying to get their kids to school
- Elderly residents needing medical appointments
- Locals visiting loved ones at Champion Road Cemetery
- Small businesses needing access to customers
- Emergency services needing to respond quickly

Keep Champion Road Open has never been against safer pedestrian and cycling connections.
Or better community spaces.
Or even Level Crossing Removal.

But we are against:
- Decisions made behind closed doors
- False claims about Champion Road being unsafe and congested
- No evidence provided to justify permanent closure
- Ignoring alternative solutions
- And completely dismissing the lived experience of this community.

Champion Road matters.

Oh — and Melissa — we’ll be holding you to this:

“I will host a community meeting and make sure you have the details.”
“I will endeavour to obtain the answers to the questions that you have collated from participants.”

We’ll be waiting.

In the meantime, we’ll keep standing together. We’ll keep demanding answers. And we’ll keep fighting for truth, transparency, and a future where Champion Road stays open. 

Let’s show them how far Champions can go when we stand together and sign our petition: 

https://www.change.org/KeepChampionRoadOpen

#KeepChampionRoadOpen #InnerWestDeservesBetter #STOPTheProject

Residents have now received official notification that works are commencing on Champion Road — yet no final plans have been released.

Let that sink in.

How can a project be:
- Costed
- Scheduled
- Sent to contractors
- And pushed to construction

…when there are no confirmed, publicly available plans?

This isn’t just a communication failure — it’s a complete breakdown in process, accountability, and respect for the local community.

We’re not against progress — we’re against reckless decision-making, rubber-stamping, and rolling out construction with zero transparency.

We want answers:
- Where are the final plans?
- How was this costed? - and what is the cost that we the taxpayer are paying for the acqusition of land and brand new warehouses?
- Where was the consultation? 

Until then, this whole situation reeks of decisions made behind closed doors.

This is our community. This is our road. And we deserve better.

#KeepChampionRoadSafe #WhereAreThePlans #InnerWestDeservesBetter #STOPTheProject #AccountabilityNow 

The Westsider Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly The Age Today Show 3AW Melbourne Tom Mitchell The Project Herald Sun

 We were there this morning—and Councillor Michael Disbury's post is 100% on the money.

Level Crossing Removal Project brought five officers to meet with seven locals, including Melissa Horne MP. We walked Market Street Reserve and Railway Parade, pointing out trees that are decades old—some likely endangered.

And yet… they couldn’t tell us which trees are being removed.

Survey marks are everywhere, so clearly someone knows what’s happening. But we, the community most affected, are being kept in the dark. Why?

We asked real questions—about moving pipelines, why the freight bridge is being built closer to homes, and how this impacts property values.

Their response? “With respect, that’s not up for discussion.”

With RESPECT—why doesn’t the Victorian Government and Level Crossing Removal Project treat the Inner West community with RESPECT?!?

We were also told that the Hobsons Bay City Council lease for Market Street Reserve will be cancelled so Level Crossing Removal Project can use the area for site offices and equipment. But there’s no guarantee it’ll be returned or maintained after the project. Another community space taken away.

Meanwhile, the brand new warehouses on Maddox Street—built only recently—are now covered in black plastic. Like Councillor Michael Disbury asks: Why? What’s with the secrecy?

And why do Level Crossing Removal Project officers keep telling us “plans aren’t finalised” when groups like Bicycle Network and other respected voices in the community are saying they are? Who’s telling the truth?

Let’s not forget—after the Werribee by-election, the Victorian Government said they’d do better, listen more, engage more with the community.

But here we are… and they’re doing the exact opposite.

They still don’t have their listening ears on.

This is not what transparency looks like. This is not how you work with a community.

We’re not buying the spin. We’re not going anywhere.

We will keep fighting—even after the project is “completed.”

Because this community will not forget, and we will hold the current Victorian Government to account.

We all know: there will be blood on their hands.

#KeepChampionRoadOpen #STOPTheProject #InnerWestDeservesBetter

 We've heard from several community members who contacted Bicycle Network today after reading their latest newsletter, which included this statement:

"Some local residents, who would have a minute or two added to their journeys, campaigned against the bike bridge solution at Champion Road."

We ask Bicycle Network, a quango (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation) that receives public funding and claims to speak for communities:

Where did this claim come from? Can you name your source?

This statement misrepresents the genuine concerns of many locals who have valid questions about safety, access, and transparency.

One resident who challenged this narrative reports that Garry Brennan from Bicycle Network hung up on them—saying: "You just need to get over the fact there’s no solution," and that he is a local who has attended meetings and is happy with the design.

But what design?
The final design has not been released to the public—or has it, and it’s just not being shared?

This lack of transparency is unacceptable from an organisation funded by public money.

- If you contacted Bicycle Network today, we want to hear from you:
- Share your experience
- Tell us what information was provided

Together, we’re stronger. Let’s stand up for truth, transparency, and our community.

#KeepChampionRoadOpen #InnerWestDeservesBetter #StopTheProject #CommunityVoices #TransparencyMatters #BicycleNetwork #QuangoAccountability

3AW Melbourne The Age The Westsider Herald Sun Today Show The Project Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly 3AW Breakfast