Mount Evelyn Aqueduct Walk facts for kids

The Mount Evelyn Aqueduct Walk is a cool walking path in Mount Evelyn, Australia. It follows part of an old water channel called the Mount Evelyn Aqueduct. This aqueduct used to carry water and actually split the town in half!

The aqueduct stopped being used on February 7, 1972. The local government, called the Lillydale Council, wanted to buy the land. But it was too expensive to buy and fill in the old channel. So, they kept putting off the talks with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW), who owned the land.

How the Aqueduct Walk Was Saved

Early Efforts to Buy the Land

In 1974–75, the Shire of Lillydale tried to buy the aqueduct land. They wanted to turn it into a central park for Mount Evelyn. The Shire offered a low price of $10,000. They argued that the town had been treated unfairly. The aqueduct had divided the town. Also, residents couldn't even connect to the water supply it carried! But the Board of Works didn't really respond.

In 1974, the Board sold a small part of the land for the Melba Centre. But the price for the whole aqueduct, $120,000, was still too high for the Council.

Community Steps In

In May 1979, David and Jean Edwards found out something important. The aqueduct land might be sold off for building houses. It could also be sold to people who owned land next to it. The Board of Works confirmed that they were asking nearby landowners for offers. This was for the "rural" part of the aqueduct, from Hazel Street to Hunter Road. Offers were due in July.

The Lillydale Council seemed very careful when asked about it. They said the Board had asked to change the land's zoning rules.

Fighting for the Park

Volunteers quickly made a petition. They took it to the shopping centre and schools. They gathered 230 signatures. These were given to A. R. Patterson, a Board member. At a Board meeting, the immediate plans to sell the land were stopped.

But the real work was just beginning. Many new people in Mount Evelyn didn't even know the aqueduct existed. The community needed to understand that this land could become a "linear park." A linear park is a long, narrow park, often following an old railway line or water channel.

Protecting the Aqueduct Land

Forming a Protection Group

The Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association (MEEPPA) held a public meeting. It was led by John Muys. Residents whose properties were split by the pipeline were told their land wouldn't be part of the Aqueduct Park.

Meanwhile, Neil Pope, who was Vice-President of MEEPPA, was elected to the Lillydale Shire Council. This meant the aqueduct park now had someone speaking for it inside the Council! A petition with 1500 signatures was given to the government. It asked for a full investigation into the linear park idea.

Changes to the Aqueduct

During 1979–80, the Board of Works continued to break up the concrete lining of the channel. They filled it with clay from sewer work in Mount Evelyn. Only the section past Nekla Street still has the original open channel.

In early 1980, the Council suggested selling or giving most of the aqueduct land to nearby landowners. Only a small part, from Wedderburn Crescent to York Road, would be kept by the Council as a "linear reserve." Other parts were planned for different uses, but not managed by the Council.

Friends of the Aqueduct Park

MEEPPA members, especially Vin Mishkinis and Jan Simmons, went door-to-door. They visited homes near the aqueduct. They told people about the threat to the land. They invited them to join the "Friends of the Aqueduct Park." Out of 359 people who joined, 222 lived in Mount Evelyn. A great 128 people offered to help with clean-up days!

The Council received many forms from the "Friends" group. They also got 37 letters and 19 signatures on other petitions. Only about 5 of these supported private use of the land. Most people wanted to keep the aqueduct as a linear park. The Council decided to buy three kilometres "in principle," but this didn't make anyone fully happy.

Political Support

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) then said their price was $261,000. The Lillydale Shire Council was divided. Some councillors wanted to sell the land.

State politics became involved with the 1982 State election. Neil Pope and Bill Borthwick were running against each other. Both of them supported the linear park idea! Neil Pope, who became the member for Monbulk, spoke to Parliament in May 1982. A lot of effort was made to sort out who would own, pay for, and manage the land. In 1983–84, the Lillydale Shire Council even built the Joy Avenue kindergarten on aqueduct land they didn't own yet!

Thanks to Neil Pope's hard work, talks began in 1984. The Shire and the MMBW discussed a price of $80,000. By 1989, it was clear that most of the land had to be bought as a whole by a public authority. It could not be sold off privately. This was a big win for the park!

Working Together for the Park

The Friends of the Mount Evelyn Aqueduct group now works with the Shire. They follow a plan made in 1991 to take care of the park.

Information for this article came from Tracks to Trails, a history of Mt Evelyn, by Newton, Herlihy and Leadbeater Phillips. You can find more details on the MEEPPA website.

Maps for the Olinda Creek Walking Track and the Silvan Reservoir Park show the Hunter Road, Mt Evelyn Forest end of the Mount Evelyn Aqueduct Walk.