The largest single housing development on the North Coast, that would seriously impact the history and culture of Lismore’s Widjabul Wiyabal people, is currently under appeal in the NSW Land and Environment Court (L&EC).
The site of the 680 to 740 lot subdivision which includes 45 roads, commercial centres and related infrastructure is proposed to be established on the Sleeping Lizard, or North Lismore Plateau. The Lismore City Council are spending over 20 million dollars on infrastructure to facilitate the development.
For over ten years Widjabul Wiyabal Elders, with strong community support, have been in a protracted legal battle over proposed development on this site that has sacred old growth trees, stone circles, linear stone arrangements and other cultural items would be impacted if it went ahead.
The Northern Rivers Planning Panel (NRPP) refused consent to the development application (DA5.2021.221.1) on 22 December, 2022 and the developer is currently seeking for the Commissioner of the L&EC to set aside that decision and allow the development to go ahead.
‘The NRPP, amongst other reasons, was of the opinion that the development was “not in the public interest” determining that the required consideration of significant Aboriginal Cultural Heritage was not undertaken in the preparation of the DA,’ said Dot Moller from the North Lismore Plateau Protection Association.
‘A further archaeological assessment to include subsurface excavation was then prepared. The extrapolation of the results from the assessment revealed that the proposed bulk earth works would irretrievably impact over half- to one-and-a-half million artefacts.’
Lismore L&EC hearing
On June 2 the L&EC will be coming to Lismore for the first day of the appeal hearing and members of the public will be allowed to attend.
‘This appeal is shaping to be a direct confrontation over the protection of one of the most significant Aboriginal sites from an inappropriate development,’ said Ms Moller.
Fundraiser
On May 25 the second Songs for the Sleeping Goanna Fundraising Concert will be held at the Lismore Bowling Club from 2pm. The Sunday afternoon concert features some of the north coasts top indigenous and non-indigenous artists including Blackboi, Mitch King, Isabella A Cappella, Monkey and the Fish and others.
If you can’t make the concert then make sure you take the opportunity to let Lismore City Council know what your opinion is on the development at Your Say Lismore.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
