Frustrations around the beloved walking trail’s car park at Narre Warren North’s 1001 Steps remain rife, as residents once more, call for more to be done.
One resident, who, for privacy reasons, remains unnamed, said that they have been observing the car park for the last 12 months to “see if the gates are locked”.
Reading reports of the changes from the City of Casey, as well as on the news, the resident visited the car park on 20 July to see if the gates were closed by 8pm, as per the new council rules.
“Unfortunately, at 8.38pm the gates were still open, with two cars in the car park, one with their headlights on and shining at the house in front of them,” they said.
“Three cars were also parked outside the car park, parallel on the road, and unbelievably, two of them right in front of the City of Casey Parking Restriction Enforced signs.”
They also added that as they were leaving, they saw two more vehicles making their way up the hill, towards the car park.
The car park currently houses two gates, one directly in front of the car park’s entrance, near the steps of the walking trail, and another on the unnamed continuation of Quarry Road, to the top of the hill.
The trail itself is open for 24 hours, but the Bayview Car Park opens at 6.30am and closes at 8pm; the only difference is that during the daylight saving months it instead closes at 9pm.
Grevillea Ward councillor, Dave Perry, has been in regular contact with local residents in the area, additionally noting a series of complaints from other Narre Warren North residents about the behaviour in the car park.
“This is still a work in progress, so we’re putting it through council and we’re taking the residents’ concerns very seriously,” he said.
An additional letter from the City of Casey to local residents on 28 June stated that in addition to the new gate on the car park entrance, council will install new ‘No Stopping’ signs opposite the existing one on Quarry Road, just several metres before the entrance.
Also noted by Star News in previous articles were the solid yellow lines that stretch from the car park down to Quarry Road, something that residents have said does little in terms of mitigation.
Another resident said that speed humps would be a good traffic calming option for Quarry Road, especially at the intersection with Milfull Circuit.
“Last week, there was a time a car sped down from Quarry Road, and there were a few kids playing in the area, and it was some dangerous driving, you know?” the resident said.
