Dam damage still lingers
THE fiasco that was the Traveston Crossing dam process in the Mary Valley continues to affect former property owners now interested in the buyback process.
Former Carters Ridge property owner Lloyd Davies is one affected and attended, what many believed was to be a public meeting, at Kandanga on Thursday.
"We thought they were attending an open meeting but when concerned parties arrived at Kandanga on Thursday, Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning representatives told them it was a one on one interview process.
"I thought we'd be told how they were going to go about the sale of land in the Valley," Lloyd Davies said.
"I demanded they talk to us as a group ... and we got that meeting, so they addressed the crowd.
"I'm not very happy with the department.
"There's still a lot of secrecy and uncertainty and that's what's upsetting everyone."
Mr Davies, who now lives in Pomona, had a house in the Mary Valley that was bought by the State Government and which, according to Mr Davies has "been trashed."
He said he asked who was going to pay for the damage to the house if he wanted to buy it back.
"I was told I had to pay for any damage," Mr Davies said.
"They own it but if we want our houses back we have to pay for any damage."
Mr Davies purchased the five acre block in 1981 and built a four bedroom split besser block home and while he said he got a fair price when the previous State Government purchased it, he was not happy about the lack of negotiations about the buyback.
He said Thursday's meeting revealed if independent valuers said his property was worth $300,000 and there was $20,000 damage, he could buy his old house for $280,000.
"Firstly, I want my house back in the condition they got it and secondly I do not want to rebuild a house I've built once," Mr Davies said.
"The day we left I expected the government to collect the key. When nobody came by 4pm, I phoned the solicitor and was told to put the key in an envelope and post it to the department.
"It was two weeks before anyone from the government arrived to check out the house."
Mr Davies said the pump for his pool and a hot water system had been stolen and the pot belly stove had been removed and was sitting outside.
"I have first dibs on buying back the house but I've been negotiating for three years," he said.
"Basically they say what the price is and we say yes or no and that's what they call negotiating."
Mr Davies said he felt "hollow" after learning he would be responsible for the damage to his former home.
"We've all gone through so much and nothing happened (about the Traveston Crossing dam).
"The trauma they put us through, the hassle with the price..."
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