Camped out: Protesters keep warm at the community garden site.Picture: Rob Carew
PROTESTERS against the McDonald's restaurant approved for Tecoma will take their plea to Yarra Ranges Council at tonight's council meeting.
The protesters will ask the council to launch Supreme Court action against the fast-food giant's permit — the only legal avenue left to try to stop the restaurant being built after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal approved its application last Wednesday week.
The VCAT decision sparked a series of protests including building a community garden at the vacant Burwood Highway site, where protesters are still staging a sit-in despite being issued with a notice of trespass.
More than 150 protesters planned their next moves in the resistance campaign during a meeting on Friday afternoon.
Davey Heller, who led the protest, said the mood was strong.
"We broke up into working groups and we've got a fund-raising arm," he said.
Police are preparing for an eventual stand-off with protesters at the site.
Work began on erecting a fence around the perimeter of the block last Wednesday after the developer of the land, Joel Freeman, told protesters to leave, saying: "You are all trespassing on private property. I'm inviting you all now to leave private property.
"I don't invade your blocks. I don't pitch tents in your front or back yards."
His words were met with chants of "Work with us, work with us" from the crowd.
Tents and tepees have been erected and campfires are burning as the protest continues.
Protesters were divided last week about whether they should oppose the site being fenced, but opted to maintain a peaceful presence.
Tecoma resident Kerry Templeton said the community had no other choice but to "go down there and do something".
"We're trying to ask for Mr Freeman's support and for him to think twice about what he's actually doing here," she said.
Sergeant Michael Hall, of Belgrave police, said the perimeter fence would not be completed that night.
"We'll have to come up with some sort of negotiating plan to get these people off," Sergeant Hall said.
The protests have so far been peaceful, with Sergeant Hall stating: "These are good local people."
He added that the owner of the land had "his rights as well".