Natalie and Lee Guest: Kalorama storm victims told they can’t rebuild on block

Yarra Ranges Council is calling on the state government to introduce a buyback scheme for storm victims who can’t rebuild on their blocks.

Natalie Guest and her husband Lee at their Kalorama block, which Yarra Ranges Council says they can’t rebuild on, due to the risk of landslip. Picture: 7 News Melbourne

Yarra Ranges Council is calling on the state government to introduce a buyback scheme for storm victims who can’t rebuild on their blocks.

It comes after a Kalorama family who lost their home in last year’s devastating storms were told by the council their block had been deemed uninhabitable, due to landslip fears.

When asked what would happen to the family’s block, Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child said the council was advocating to the state government for a buyback scheme or similar option, reviewing work undertaken by other councils in relation to landslip issues and exploring the possibility of a planning scheme amendment.

“Currently there are no state government buyback schemes in place for residents impacted by the June 2021 storm,” Cr Child said.

Natalie Guest, her husband Lee, and teenage daughter Millie’s Woodhurst Grove home was destroyed when three huge mountain ash trees crashed down on it during last June’s storm, that left a trail of destruction through the Dandenongs.

The family was determined to rebuild, but last week Yarra Ranges Council told them their block was “uninhabitable”, due to the risk of landslip.

“We cannot build even a shed to live in and our land is worth nothing,” Ms Guest said.

“We have been so poorly treated for the last 13 months by Yarra Ranges Council in them leading us to the decision they have made (last week).

“This not only completely shatters us as a family but removes our greatest asset in rebuilding

our family property.”

Damage to the Guest's Kalorama home in the June 9, 2021 storms.

Three huge trees crushed their home.

The council said the family had been advised that a council planning permit was unlikely to be approved, “due to an erosion management assessment reporting the property is at a moderate risk of landslip”.

When an erosion assessment reports a moderate landslip risk or higher, that cannot be mitigated on their site, the planning permit cannot be approved by council as it does not comply with the current Victorian Planning Scheme, the council said in a statement.

“Council must be confident that any approved properties or uses provides an appropriate level of safety for current and future residents.”

Ms Guest said they were “beyond devastated” by the news.

The family have been told they can go to VCAT to appeal the decision, but can’t afford the money and time involved.

They only have 11 months left of insurance paid accommodation as part of their policy.

Ms Guest said their geotech team was surprised by the outcome and the team employed by the council had also deemed that there was risk to them, but it was manageable.

“There was then third party involvement which has arrived at a no decision,” she said.

“We believe we have a right to know why this no was given – this is our land, we have been paying rates on for over five years,” she said.

In one devastating night last June, 177 properties were damaged, 76 of which have been deemed uninhabitable, according to Yarra Ranges Council.

Ms Guest said there were another 28 properties in a similar boat to them in the community.

She said the Otway Shire recently amended its erosion management overlay to help residents after fires destroyed local communities and questioned why Yarra Ranges couldn’t do the same.

“They are supposed to be helping us and fast-tracking our situation to get us back home as soon as possible – we have been dragged along on this journey to a big dead end,” Ms Guest said.

“We have been through enough – the trauma and grief of losing our home last year to now be told this – is unfathomable and quite frankly disgusting.”

The council said it was aware of a small number of storm-affected properties that may be facing a moderate risk of landslip, but the exact number would not be clear until individual sites did geotechnical studies to submit with a planning permit.

It said the steep slopes that some properties are on in the Dandenongs means that there is a risk of landslip – which is why an erosion management overlay covers part of the location.

“This, coupled with the extensive loss of the trees in the storm which helped bind the soil, has exposed the soil structure, further increasing the risk of landslip, that cannot easily be fixed,” the council said.