NEWS DESK
Champion of Western Port’s unique ecology OBITUARY
Brian David Cuming OAM, 10 January 1928–23 May 2017, scientist, environmental activist By Mike Hast SCIENTIST Brian Cuming played a major role in the protection of Western Port for more than 40 years. Dr Cuming, who died on 23 May at age 89, joined the Westernport and Peninsula Protection Council in 1978. WPPC was the peninsula’s first environmental lobby group, founded in 1971 to oppose further industrialisation of Western Port. Plans included a nuclear reactor and dry dock on French Island and heavy industry stretching from Hastings to Stony Point. Liberal Premier Henry Bolte wanted Western Port to be the “Ruhr of Victoria”, named after the heavily industrialised valley in Germany, and this sparked a long and bitter battle between pro-development forces versus scientists and conservationists. Only three major industrial plants were built – a BP refinery at Crib Point (closed in 1985), Lysaght’s steel mill near Hastings (now BlueScope), and Esso’s gas fractionation plant, which still operates. Sitting in his holiday house at Somers overlooking pristine Western Port and finding out about industrial plans for the region led Dr Cuming to join the protection council, founded by Dr Bill Carroll, Meredith and Ken Hayes, Joe Tilleard and other concerned residents. One of Dr Cuming’s first tasks was
Dr Brian Cuming to provide evidence to a government inquiry into oil spills. For four decades he undertook research, modelling and wrote submissions to government bodies about Western Port and its
need for protection. Dr Cuming had earlier done work on chemicals entering water catchments in Gippsland and his expertise was seized on by the protection
council. Key battles during his tenure included successful campaigns to halt a fertiliser plant at the old BP site at Crib Point in 1987, and Shell-Mobil’s 1992 plan for an oil importing depot. In 1985 Dr Cuming had taken on the presidency of the council after the death of Bill Carroll, a post he held until 1996. Dr Cuming was on the committee until 2007 when he retired. He became the council’s “honorary scientific adviser”. In 2015 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his environmental work. (Nanette Cuming also received an OAM, for her work in the native plant industry and for volunteering at community groups in the region.) Dr Cuming grew up in Caulfield and attended Caulfield Grammar before doing a science and chemistry degree at the University of Melbourne, and a PhD at Cambridge in England. He worked for the CSIRO either side of his Cambridge days before joining ICI Australia, where he worked for 18 years before leaving in 1977. He was a part-time chemistry lecturer at Swinburne Institute of Technology and set up an environment course, one of the first in Melbourne. The Cumings moved to five hectares at Hunts Rd, Bittern, in 1981 to expand the native plant business, and Dr Cuming helped Nanette operate it. He was a founding member of Devilbend Foundation, which successfully lobbied the government to make the decommissioned Devilbend Reservoir into a reserve rather than housing.
Dr Cuming was a member of several groups including Environment Victoria’s community reference group; Conservation Council of Victoria; Western Port Biosphere Reserve Foundation; Port of Hastings community reference group; and Greenpeace Australia. WPPC secretary Karri Giles said Dr Cuming’s “love of environmental philosophy helped develop the vision of our group”. “Brian was especially good at keeping people updated, networking and finding new allies. He was our main contact with environmental groups and bureaucrats for many years.” In 2011, Dr Cuming said: “Western Port is not and has never been the place for industry. It is one of the world’s most important wetlands, and has outstanding marine and coastal environmental values. More than 350 native plant and 330 native animal species including reptiles, amphibians, mammals, fish and birds live here.” He said even a minor oil spill would have devastating effects on the environment because of tidal movement and shallow areas of Western Port, 40 per cent of which was inter-tidal mud and sand flats. His funeral will be held at Bunurong Memorial Park, FrankstonDandenong Rd, Dandenong South, at 11.30am on Friday 2 June. Dr Cuming is survived by his wife Nanette; brothers Lindsay and Bob; children Richard, Ian, Pip (Philippa) and Rohan; and grandchildren Damon, Joel, Mayra, Ella and Jamie.
DECKING
WEATHERBOARD
FLOORING SHEETS
FENCE EXTENSIONS
T/Pine 70x22 KD ACQ ........................... $2.05mt T/Pine 90x22 KD ACQ ........................... $2.50mt T/Pine 140x22 KD ACQ ......................... $5.50mt Merbau 70x19 Random ........................ $4.40mt Merbau 90x19 Random ........................ $5.25mt Merbau 140x22 Random .................... $10.25mt
Cedar 190mm....................................... $5.50mt Primed Baltic Pine 170mm ................... $3.20mt
Yellow Tongue 3600x900mm ............... $47.50ea Plyfloor 2.4x1.2x15mm ........................ $54.50ea
2400x500 ............................................ $23.00ea
KDHW DAR SEL GRADE
2400x500 Woven ................................. $34.00ea
42x19 ................................................... $3.00mt 65x19 ................................................... $4.50mt 90x19 ................................................... $6.00mt 110x19 ................................................. $7.50mt 135x19 ............................................... $10.75mt 185x19 ............................................... $19.25mt
TREATED PINE R/S
PRIMED MDF MOULDINGS
T/PINE F7/MGP10 – LASER CUT
S/Bevel 42x15 ...................................... $1.00mt S/Bevel 67x15 ...................................... $1.30mt S/Bevel 67x18 ...................................... $1.35mt L/ Tongue 67x18 ................................... $1.35mt L/ Tongue 92x18 ................................... $1.95mt L/ Tongue 140x18 ................................. $3.25mt B/nose 67x18 ....................................... $1.35mt B/nose 92x18 ....................................... $1.95mt
70x35 ................................................... $2.70mt
FIBRE CEMENT SHEET UNDERLAY
Meranti 110x19mm ............................. $33.00ea Primed MDF 110mmx18mm .................................... $19.25ea Meranti Ext. Unassembled w/out sill ........................ $75.00ea
1800x900 ............................................ $16.75ea
CYPRESS
4.5MM
125x75 ................................................. $8.75mt 100x100 ............................................... $9.25mt 125x125 ............................................. $14.75mt 150x150 ............................................. $24.00mt 70x19 Blanks......................................... $2.00mt
1800x900 ............................................ $12.25ea 1800x1200 .......................................... $16.50ea 2400x450 .............................................. $8.25ea 2400x600 .............................................$11.00ea 2400x900 ............................................ $16.50ea 2400x1200 .......................................... $22.00ea 3000x900 ............................................ $20.50ea 3000x1200 .......................................... $27.25ea
6.0MM 1800x1200 .......................................... $23.25ea 2400x900 ............................................ $23.25ea 2400x1200 .......................................... $31.00ea 3000x1200 .......................................... $38.50ea
BLUE BOARD 2400x900 ............................................ $28.75ea 2400x1200 .......................................... $38.25ea 2700x900 ............................................ $32.00ea 2700x1200 .......................................... $42.50ea 3000x900 ............................................ $35.25ea 3000x1200 .......................................... $47.00ea
BGC DURAFLOOR 2250x600x19 T&G.................................$85.00ea
CEMENT PRODUCTS Concrete Mix 20kg .................................$7.25ea Rapid Set 20kg ...................................... $7.95ea Cement 20kg ......................................... $8.25ea
SHADOWCLAD GROOVED Shadowclad 2.4x1.2x12mm .............. $105.00ea Shadowclad 2.7x1.2x12mm .............. $117.50ea Large quantities ......................................... P.O.A.
KDHW F17 90x35 ................................................... $5.65mt 90x45 ................................................... $7.35mt 140x45 ................................................$10.75mt 190x45 ............................................... $15.80mt 240x45 ............................................... $22.25mt 290x45 ............................................... $26.55mt
TREATED PINE POLES 75-100x1.8mt ...................................... $5.25ea 75-100x2.4mt ...................................... $8.25ea 75-100x3.0mt ...................................... $11.75ea 75-100x3.6mt ...................................... $15.25ea 100-125x1.8mt .................................... $9.75ea 100-125x2.4mt ................................... $14.25ea 100-125x3.0mt ................................... $20.25ea 100-125x3.6mt .................................. $24.75ea 100-125x2.4mt Splits ............................ $9.50ea
OBHW F8 50x25 ................................................... $1.25mt 75x38 ................................................... $2.75mt 125x38 ................................................. $4.65mt
MDF CRAFTWOOD 2400x1200x3mm ................................ $11.00ea 2400x1200x6mm ................................ $18.00ea 2400x1200x9mm ................................ $24.00ea 2400x1200x12mm .............................. $27.00ea 2400x1200x16mm .............................. $33.00ea 2400x1200x18mm .............................. $36.00ea
PARTICLEBOARD 18mm 2400x450 ............................................ $13.50ea 2400x600 ............................................ $18.00ea 2400x1200 .......................................... $36.00ea
POLYESTER BATTS R2.0 12pc $29.00 per bag R3.5 6pc $25.75 per bag
ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST PAYMENT BY CASH OR CREDIT CARD ONLY E. & O.E.
PAGE 2
DROMANA DISCOUNT TIMBER
DOOR JAMB SETS
Western Port News 30 May 2017
MERBAU 90X19 SHORTS DAR
2.1mt LENGTHS
$4.00 plm MELAMINE - EDGED 16MM
TREATED PINE SLEEPERS
2400x300 ............................................ $12.00ea 2400x450 ............................................ $18.00ea 2400x600 ............................................ $24.00ea 1800x450 ............................................ $13.50ea 1800x600 ............................................ $17.00ea 3600x450 ............................................ $27.00ea 3600x600 ............................................ $36.00ea Not Edged 2400x1200 .......................................... $40.00ea 2400x1200x3mm ................................ $18.00ea
200x50
PINE LINING 140x12 VJ/Regency .............................. $2.15mt 140x19 VJ/Floor.................................... $3.50mt
PINE DAR STD GRADE 42x19 ................................................... $1.10mt 70x19 ................................................... $1.50mt 90x19 ................................................... $2.00mt 120x19 ................................................. $2.40mt 140x19 ................................................. $2.95mt 190x19 ................................................. $4.00mt 240x19 ................................................. $6.75mt 290x19 ................................................. $8.50mt 140x12 ................................................. $2.15mt
For price and availability of all your buliding supply needs please call
2.4 mt ................................................. $13.25ea 2.4 mt (Packs 50) ................................ $12.00ea 2.7 mt ................................................. $15.00ea 2.7 mt (Packs 50) ................................ $13.50ea 3.0 mt ................................................. $16.50ea 3.0 mt (Packs 50) ................................ $15.00ea 200x75 1.8 mt ................................................. $15.00ea 1.8 mt (Packs 30) ................................ $13.50ea 2.4 mt ................................................. $19.95ea 2.4 mt (Packs 30) ................................ $18.00ea 2.7 mt ................................................. $22.50ea 2.7 mt (Packs 30) ................................ $20.25ea 3.0 mt ................................................. $24.75ea 3.0 mt (Packs 30) ................................ $22.50ea 3.6 mt ................................................. $29.75ea 3.6 mt (Packs 30) ................................ $27.00ea 200x100 2.4 mt ................................................. $26.50ea 2.4 mt (Packs 25) ................................ $24.00ea 3.0 mt ................................................. $33.00ea 3.0 mt (Packs 25) ................................ $30.00ea
CYPRESS PINE PICKETS 70x19 900mm ....................................... $1.80ea 70x19 1200mm ..................................... $2.30ea 70x19 1500mm ..................................... $2.85ea 70x19 1800mm ..................................... $3.30ea
DESIGN PINE - PRIMED T/PINE 18x18 Quad/Fillet/DAR .......................... $1.65mt 42x18 DAR ............................................ $2.95mt 66x18 DAR ............................................ $3.95mt 90x18 DAR ............................................ $5.50mt 138x18 DAR .......................................... $8.00mt 185x18 DAR ........................................ $11.50mt 30x30 Int Stop ....................................... $3.35mt 57x30 Ext Stop ...................................... $5.75mt 42x42 DAR ............................................ $5.75mt 90x42 DAR F7 ..................................... $11.25mt 138x42 DAR F7 ................................... $16.75mt 185x42 DAR F7 ................................... $22.25mt 230x42 DAR F7 ................................... $34.00mt 280x42 DAR F7 ................................... $40.95mt
T/PINE SLEEPER SPECIAL
200 X 75 X 2.4mt
$18.00 each PACK LOTS ONLY
5981 0943 sales@dromanatimber.com.au
2400x500 Oriental ............................... $27.00ea
100x12 Paling....................................... $0.65mt 150x12 Paling....................................... $0.95mt 150x25 ................................................. $2.00mt 75x50 ................................................... $2.40mt
70x45 ................................................... $3.55mt 90x35 ................................................... $3.55mt 90x45 ................................................... $4.65mt 140x35 ................................................. $5.50mt 140x45 ................................................. $6.95mt 190x45 ................................................. $9.25mt 240x45 ............................................... $12.50mt 290x45 ............................................... $15.00mt
T/PINE FASCIA PRIMED 190x30 D&G... .................................... $11.00mt 240x30 D&G... .................................... $19.50mt
PINE MGP10 70x35 Long .......................................... $2.15mt 70x45 Long ...........................................$3.10mt 90x35 Studs ......................................... $2.15mt 90x35 Long .......................................... $2.25mt 90x45 Studs ......................................... $2.95mt 90x45 Long ...........................................$3.10mt
PINE MERCH 90x35 ................................................... $1.25mt 90x45 ................................................... $1.60mt
PINE F7/MGP10 – LASER CUT 140x45 ................................................. $5.00mt 190x45 ................................................. $7.25mt 240x45 ............................................... $10.00mt
GALV SLEEPER CHANNEL ‘H’ SECTION $40.00MT ‘C’ SECTION $20.00MT
1 Dalkeith Drive, Dromana Mon-Fri 7am-4pm Sat 7am-12noon
www.dromanatimber.com.au
