Federal Government study to fix parking at the 1000 Steps
A plan to fix the “parking nightmare” at the famed 1000 Steps hiking spot in Upper Ferntree Gully is back on the cards — almost two years after a federal election pledge was made.
Outer East
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A plan to fix the “parking nightmare” at the famed 1000 Steps hiking spot is back on the cards — almost two years after a federal election promise as made.
Aston federal Liberal MP Alan Tudge announced $300,000 towards a feasibility study to improve parking and build a shared bridge at the popular Upper Ferntree Gully Kokoda Memorial track on Tuesday, January 22.
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The bridge would be a shared overpass for pedestrians and bicycles over Burwood Highway to link Belgrave to the Ringwood Rail Trail.
The track is popular with fitness fanatics, that illegal parking has sparked fears cars could block emergency vehicles during a fire.
But the same amount of cash was pledged prior to the election in June 2016 by La Trobe federal Liberal MP Jason Wood, with the work never done.
Knox Mayor Jake Keogh said he welcomed any extra money to help solve the parking dilemma.
Upper Ferntree Gully CFA captain Peter Smith said the area had three major locations that attracted plenty of people, but parking fell well short.
Mr Smith said people who wanted to use the 1000 Steps track were parking wherever they could, including the pub, and walking up to the track.
He said he was keen to see work done, provided it didn’t eat into the forest.
“Anything that can happen up there, without altering the park, is good,” Mr Smith said.
“We have to remember it is a national park and it’s no good to say we’ll pull down trees to make a carpark.”
Mr Tudge said everyone knew the 1000 Steps carpark was a nightmare at times.
“We need to find solutions to this problem and also finally link Belgrave to the Ringwood Trail,” he said.
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