Another ecologist has added their name to the community campaign against development on environmentally sensitive land in Brunswick Heads.
Wildsite Ecological Services Principal Ecologist Dr Andrew G Baker is calling on the federal government to immediately seek a review of the proposed ‘Wallum’ housing estate in Brunswick Heads under federal environmental law.
Dr Baker says the proposal threatens to clear 10.7 hectares of Wallum Sedge Frog habitat.
The species is officially recorded as the vulnerable Olongburra Frog and a matter of national and environmental significance.
But federal regulations only require developers potentially risking matters of national significance to refer themselves to authorities, as opposed to third party reports.
Greens member calls for ‘black comedy’ to stop
The federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is the authority in the case of the Wallum site, with Minister Tanya Plibersek in charge of overseeing the department.
Environmentalists have been calling for Ms Plibersek to use her powers of intervention under the federal Environment and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act for months but the environment minister has so far said it wouldn’t be appropriate, suggesting the NSW government is the relevant authority.
Greens Member for Ballina Tamara Smith last week said the two Labor governments were ‘passing the buck’ and the subsequent ‘black comedy’ needed to stop.
Ms Smith said she met with Premier Chris Minns last Tuesday, whereupon she raised concerns about the project.
The Greens member says she’ll be putting her concerns on official record in parliament this week.
Caught in the act: rare frog photographed mating in Bruns
Meanwhile, Dr Baker says assessment has understated the potential development impacts on the rare Olongburra Frog, which in turn affects the need for referral to authorities.
‘This approved development will clear most of the species’ habitat on the site, exacerbating the primary threatening processes for the species,’ Dr Baker said via media release.
Southern Cross University Associate Professor David Newell has been researching and advocating on the plight of frogs for nearly thirty years and says urbanisation is a key threat to this species’ ongoing survival.
‘Destruction of habitat in the name of a housing development called ‘wallum’ is a slap in the face to national conservation objectives,’ Professor Newell said via the same release.
Thirteen-year-old QLD conservationist Spencer Hitchen, who has previously featured on ABC television for his advocacy for the Glossy Black Cockatoo, visited the Wallum site this month and says he was able to take some rare photographs of the vulnerable frog species.
‘They are so quick to slip away, making them super hard to photograph,’ Spencer was quoted saying, ‘you can imagine how excited I was to manage to photograph a Wallum Froglet mating during the day’.
‘I’m pretty sure it’s the first ever!’ Spencer said.
‘Adult decision-makers and developers, you need to do better,’ Spencer said, ‘my generation and beyond will not thank you for all the extinctions you are knowingly causing’.
“The Greens member says she’ll be putting her concerns on official record in parliament this week.”
That should have Tanya trembling in her boots in Canberra!
It’s all in the name: “Wildsite “ Ecological Services Principal Ecologist,
The site called “Wallum” after the frog that lives there and is being protected by Clarence Property, check the plans check the facts check the details. Wallum is not pristine , not heathland, not wetland and definitely not “Wild”.
The land that is being built on, only 12.3 hectares of the 33.3 hectare site, has been slashed and cleared since the 1950’s.
18 hectares ( over 50%) is being set aside for existing vegetation and protection of Wallum froglet habitat.
Most of the pictures on the Save Wallum website are of this area that is not going to be disturbed, and the threatened species are not under threat from this development.
Currently the only threat to the land is from the illegal campers who are doing a good job scaring away wildlife.
Please don’t introduce facts.
They will only confuse emotive activists in their sacred cause.
Actually, our caring activists are a wide ranging, professional & intelligent bunch from all walks of life…& she is not citing facts, what she’s stating is actually not true!
I said that it would confuse and you appear to have proved it.
You get your facts right! You are so incorrect!! We are not illegally camping on site at all…& building 123 new houses, most certainly is causing damage…& it is pristine, obviously you’ve got blinkers on!!! The developer wants to offset with concrete ponds, which has no longitudinal studies to show this even works!
Jill, have been to the Save Wallum Facebook page? There you will see plenty of images of the pristine, wet heathland….yes, it certainly is pristine and not cleared at all. It’s only been slashed/mowed about once or twice a year but the resilient heathland managers to bounce back with so much diverse plant life. I’ve witnessed this myself over the many years I’ve lived here.
As I’m sure you are aware this development by investment company, Clarence Property will destroy this heathland.
This is critical habitat for vulnerable Wallum plants and animal species and artificial concrete ponds are not going to cut it and will only create a mozzy breeding ground.
Thank you to all the ecologist and environmental scientists who flagged this zombie DA and to all the wonderful people committed to protecting this precious land.
Thank you so much to Andrew Baker and Tamara Smith for your support. This beautiful ecosystem needs to become a wildlife and nature reserve into posterity. Only 1% of Wallum Heath remains in Byron Shire. Rare and endangered plants and animals depend on it for their survival. Frog ponds, streets, houses, dogs will destroy their remaining habitat. #savewallum
Save Wallum!!! Save this unique beautiful environment and species!!!! Stop over developments!!!! Australia lost its soul!
Here’s a short list of birds I’ve have photographed in the area that is to be “disturbed”. Glossy Black Cockatoos, Bushstone Curlew (nesting), Rainbow Bee-eaters (nesting), Magpie Larks (nesting), Red backed Wrens (nesting), Fairy Wrens, Sacred Kingfishers, Laughing Kookaburras, Red browed Finches, Masked Lapwings, White breasted Woods wallow, Spangleg Drongo, Olive backed Oriole, Lewins Honeyeater, Leaden Flycatcher, Yellow tailed Black Cockatoos, Brown Honeyeater, Black shouldered Kite, White winged Triller, Noisy Frierbird, Australian Figbird, Whistling Kite, Brown Cuckoo dove, Tawny Gressbird, Rufus Shrikethrush, Bar shouldered Dove, Brown Goshawk, Welcome Swallow, Variegated Fairywren, Willy Wagtail, Brown Thornbill, Black faced cuckooshrike… I’m going to pause here for now. By the way most of the nests were destroyed by the slasher late last year except the one in the scribbly gum.
How are Tamara’s “concerns on official record in parliament” coming along?
The ALP state government hasn’t fallen and Tanya is very, very quiet still.
Jill, has absolutely no idea what is going on. She wouldn’t know Heathland or Wetland if she fell over it. We lost so many species in the bushfires.. This has to be saved, to protect for future generations. Haven’t our future generations got a right to see these endangered species..Or will they just get to see them in books of extinct Native Wildlife. Money is the root of all evil. …And everyone involved in allowing this to go ahead.. I CURSE YOU ALL