Community News

The magpie will only attack when protecting their nest, eggs or young from potential threats, especially during nesting time in October and November.

As native birds, magpies are a fully protected species so we should respect their needs.

Nests can be located in your garden, a park or the schoolyard. Magpies prefer a broad area of short grass with scattered tall trees for nesting and a nearby source of water.

If a magpie feels threatened, it can attack by swooping, or hovering around you and clacking its beak. Most of this behaviour is a form of a bluff, designed to scare, and the bird rarely intends to actually strike.

In a strike attack, a magpie usually swoops, hovering momentarily and then strikes. The fluttering of wings as the bird hovers can be a warning to duck and avoid an attack.

Avoiding magpie attacks

You can help to avoid a magpie attack by following these steps:

• do not interfere with, or destroy, eggs or nests
• try to stop children and others interfering with magpies
• wear a hat while working or playing in the backyard and garden to deter magpies and protect you from a strike by the bird
• watch the magpie, or pretend to watch it by painting eyes on your hat, or by wearing sunglasses backwards
• wave a stick or hat to cause the magpie to retreat
• stand your ground after being swooped and glare at the bird confidently to make it retreat to a nearby tree (this action is not recommended for children)
• avoid showing your fear as magpies can sense it and will continue to attack            Click on this link/text for more  information and pictures

We’re upgrading the intersection at Francesca Drive with traffic lights to provide you with safer and easier access to Plenty Road.

From Monday 19 October until early 2021 (weather permitting), works at the intersection will involve:

• Line marking
• Digging and removing soil
• Stormwater drainage works
• Concrete kerb and channelling works
• Asphalting
• Relocating services
• Installing street lighting and traffic signals

All works will take place between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday and 7am to 5pm, Saturdays. 

Traffic changes

At this time, all Victorians are being encouraged to stay home and save lives. If you need to leave the house for any of the reasons allowed, please observe the signs for information about speed reductions and temporary traffic changes below.

Francesca Drive

• Francesca Drive closed at Plenty Road. Detour via Pomaderris Drive and Campania Lane.
• No entry to Pipers Lane from Plenty Road, but the exit will remain open. Enter via Ashgrove Crescent.
• Bus stop changes for routes 382 and 387.

Tangelo Grove

• Tangelo Grove will reopen but there’ll be no right turn in from Plenty Road. Detour via U-turn at Campania Lane.
• Right turn onto Plenty Road from Tangelo Grove will be open.
• Riberry Crescent and Mintbush Grange will reopen with left turn into Mintbush Grange permanently closed.

Find out more about these traffic changes on our website. 

Bus stop and pedestrian changes

During the Francesca Drive closure, there’ll be changes for bus routes 382 and 387.

The Francesca Drive/Plenty Road bus stop will be closed for both routes and there’ll be detours in place. See the detour map 

on our website  to understand the changes.

What this means for you

There’ll be signed detours in place for motorists, pedestrians and bus users.

Electronic signage will be in place to keep you informed.

For the latest disruptions visit Victoria’s Big Build.

Health and safety

Works on the Plenty Road Upgrade are progressing under the current First Step restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne.

Work is continuing safely on Victoria’s Big Build, our biggest transport upgrade ever. Construction on large-scale public infrastructure projects is critical and strict COVIDsafe Plans are in place on all project sites across Victoria. 

The health and safety of our workforce and community remains our top priority. Workers on all of Victoria’s Big Build sites are required to wear face coverings unless they meet any of the criteria for exception – such as a medical condition for Occupational Health and Safety guidelines.

Physical distancing measures are in place as well as increased hygiene practices.

For more information and advice about the coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit 

coronavirus.vic.gov.au

More information

For more information about the project, visit the Plenty Road Upgrade web page or contact us on the details below.

Regards, The project team

Plenty Road Upgrade