Moonee Valley Council looks to buy up land along Maribyrnong River for new path

Properties along a popular Melbourne river could be snapped up by a Melbourne council to extend a walking and cycling track. But homeowners have warned they want “full compensation” for any land grab.

Land along the Maribyrnong River in Ascot Vale that could be acquired by Moonee Valley Council to extend a walking and cycling path.

Up to 40 homeowners could lose parts of their backyards under a Moonee Valley Council plan to extend a cycling path along the banks of the Maribyrnong River.

The council will begin inspecting the properties, in Fisher Parade and Kingston Ave, Ascot Vale, with the view of connecting a riverside walking and cycling path between the streets.

The properties have been included in the council’s public acquisition overlay (PAO) since 1955.

The point where the walking and cycling path ends.

It it not yet known how many of the properties would be required.

Letters will be sent to property owners notifying them of the inspections, but the council can enter a property without consent if necessary.

The market value of the land was being kept confidential.

Fisher Parade land owner David, who did not want his last name used, said he would be happy to give up his land as long as he was paid the market value for it.

“If they even take a little bit it would be the most expensive part of the land so I would expect full compensation,” he said.

“We’ve always thought the PAO was there to protect the view of the river so people don’t build a house on the river, and I fully support that.

Land along the Maribyrnong River in Ascot Vale that could be acquired by Moonee Valley Council to extend a path.

Council documents showed other options for the path to be extended had been explored, including bike paths along Fisher Parade, and bridge crossings, but “none appeared to be satisfactory from a safety and practicality viewpoint”.

David said he would have to build “a giant fence” for privacy when the path was laid.

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Councillor Nicole Marshall said it was important land owners were told the exact location of the intended acquisition.

“There might be design elements where we don’t use all the land, but we won’t know until we start preliminary investigations,” she said.

Cr Marshall hoped acquiring the land would lead to the Maribyrnong River being afforded the same protections as the Yarra.