Campaign against Kooyong sky rail gaining momentum for Toorak Rd

Residents of the affluent inner east are ramping up their campaign against sky rail plans, which they say will leave a “scar on the face of Melbourne”.

Marnie Rowe outside her property on Talbot Cres in Kooyong. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Kooyong residents are ramping up their campaign against sky rail, which they fear will leave a “scar on the face of Melbourne”.

Kooyong Underground, a group set up to fight the state government’s plan for a sky rail 9m above Toorak Rd, has attracted almost 200 supporters on Facebook.

A change.org petition set up by the group has gained more than 180 signatures since being set up on Monday, May 13.

Group co-founder Marnie Rowe said residents felt “ambushed” by Premier Dan Andrews’ announcement in February.

“We had no idea this was coming,” Ms Rowe said.

“We had zero consultation.”

Ms Rowe said she would have a prime view of the 9m-tall, 550m-long section of elevated track from her backyard.

She said it made no sense to have sky rail on Toorak Rd when nearby level crossing removals at Burke Rd and Glenferrie Rd had a rail under road solution.

Anti-sky rail campaigner Marnie Rowe outside her property on Talbot Crescent Kooyong. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Level Crossing Removal Authority plans reveal sky rail was chosen for Toorak Rd because it had the “shortest construction time, meaning less disruption for residents and commuters”.

But Ms Rowe said residents would be willing to put up with longer disruptions to avoid the “lifetime mistake” of sky rail.

An artist’s impression of Talbot Crescent before and after the project.

“I don’t want to walk the streets of Toorak with my grandchildren one day and they ask how did I let this monolithic piece of architecture happen?” she said.

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“It will be a scar on the face of Melbourne for the next 100 years.

“Why should anyone suffer when there is an underground solution?

“There’s nothing wrong with taking pride to protect the environment and our amenity.”

Government spokeswoman Hayley Bester, on behalf of the authority, said the community had provided more than 1200 individual pieces of feedback on the project but did not specify of what nature.

About 37,000 vehicles travel through the Toorak Rd level crossing every day.

Construction is set to begin in late 2019 and be completed by 2021.

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