Destruction across the Shoalhaven
SHOALHAVEN CITY COUNCIL - JERRINJA PEOPLE
At least four major developments have been given the go-ahead in a tiny patch of the Shoalhaven around Jervis Bay. Each of them will see hectares of delicate habitat cleared to make way for large-scale residential developments. Incredibly, they are all within 20km of each other.
The situation in this region is changing rapidly. As of October 2022, a Planning Proposal (PP-2021-406) for large-scale residential rezoning in the northern area around Callala Bay has been approved, opening up further land for the building of 400 additional homes. This land is owned by developer the Halloran Trust, which in total owns roughly 700 hectares of Shoalhaven land.
The current developments are in Culburra Beach, Callala Bay, Woollamia and Moona Moona Creek.
CULBURRA BEACH
DEVELOPMENT PROFILE
Sealark Pty Ltd, trustee company for the Halloran Trust, are developing the West Culburra Mixed Use Subdivision, a proposal for 293 homes across parts of Lots 5 and 6, Culburra Road. It is a State Significant Development (SSD 3846). This proposal is on the basis of a Zombie DA from 1985 that was brought back in 2010.
Development was originally refused in 2018 by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment due to the proposed development’s location on environmentally sensitive land that is home to endangered wildlife. The development has since been approved, despite the land being unburnt in the 2019 fires.
WHERE IS IT UP TO?
Following refusal by the Independent Planning Commission, the proposal was taken to the Land and Environment Court. It was approved on 1 December 2021, subject to the developer conducting formal consultations with the Jerrinja community, and demonstrating a “Nil or Beneficial Effect” on the water quality of the nearby Crookhaven River. If these conditions are met, the developer may apply to Council for DAs.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
- Approximate area to be cleared: 50 hectares
- Damage waterways: This area is on the banks of an important south coast waterway. Water run-off and soil erosion from the development into the Crookhaven River and estuary is a threat to marine life and the oyster industry which requires water purity.
- Loss of native bushland habitat: This development threatens to destroy the remaining pocket of unburnt habitat spared during the Black Summer fires
- Nonviable evacuation plan: Adding potentially three new housing estates to the one-road-in, one-road-out village will place a huge
- risk to new and existing residents in an evacuation scenario.
- Loss of culture: devastation for the Aboriginal community losing ties to the land
- Implications for oyster farming - would result in a decline and possible contamination in the event of flooding
HABITAT FOR:
- Glossy Black Cockatoo
- Powerful Owl
- Yellow-bellied Glider
- Gang Gang Cockatoo
WHO’S FIGHTING IT?
- Culburra Residents & Ratepayers Action Group
- Jerrinja LALC
- Burradise - Don’t go changin’
- Lake Wollumboola Protection Association
- Australia’s Oyster Coast Inc
CALLALA BAY
DEVELOPMENT PROFILE
Developer Sealark Pty Ltd, the trustee company for the Halloran Trust, has planned for R1 general residential to develop 380 lots across 40 hectares of land. This is subject to various lots at Callala Bay and Kinghorne Point. The proposal (PP-2021-406) is part of an ad-hoc rezoning: it does not fall under the Jervis Bay Planning Strategy.
WHERE IS IT UP TO?
As of October 2022, Gateway determination for the proposal (PP-2021-406) has been approved.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
- Approximate area to be cleared: 40 hectares
- Bushfire protected habitat - With 85% of surrounding forests in Shoalhaven having burnt during the 2019/20 bushfires, this spared area has now become a habitat for threatened and non-threatened species
- Ecological concerns of development - contaminated runoff to Callala Creek which is an important habitat and fish breeding area
- Water quality in the adjacent Wowly Creek could be impacted, and would require extensive work to widen and deepen the channel.
HABITAT FOR:
- Greater Glider
- Yellow-bellied Glider
- Eastern Pygmy Possum
- Powerful Owl
- Glossy Black Cockatoo
- Gang Gang Cockatoo
- Greyheaded Flying-fox
-
Bauer’s Midge Orchid
WHO’S FIGHTING IT?
- Save Callala Beach
- Callala Environmental Alliance
MOONA MOONA CREEK
DEVELOPMENT PROFILE
The development approval for 4 Murdoch Street was received in 2010 and was sold to new developers in 2019. The site is flood prone with the proposed development likely to discharge stormwater overflow into the nearby Moona Moona Creek and Jervis Bay Marine Park sanctuary zone and bordering Jervis Bay National Park.
WHERE IS IT UP TO?
Clearing began in October 2021 and stopped shortly after due to the presence of nesting Gang Gang Cockatoos . A new design was submitted to council in February 2022 requesting to modify the original DA to increase the number of units from 32 to 38 by reducing apartment size.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
- Approximate area to be impacted 1.2 ha
HABITAT FOR:
- Gang Gang Cockatoo
- Black Glossy Cockatoo
- Blackbutt and Banksia
- Sulphur crested Cockatoo
- Crimson Rosella
- Rainbow Lorikeet
- Musk Lorikeet
-
King Parrot
WHO’S FIGHTING IT?
- Our Future Shoalhaven
WOOLLAMIA
DEVELOPMENT PROFILE
Allen Price & Associates are the developer for a 12 lot subdivision for Lot 14 Edendale St Woollamia, on the edge of Jervis Bay. This Zombie DA (SF7946) was approved in 1996.
WHERE IS IT UP TO?
As of September 2022, the developer has successfully cleared the 12 building lots leaving only a few trees to define the boundary of each lot. Locals witnessed animals in distress on the site, and the woodchipping of heritage trees. Community groups are now opposing a works permit from the Jervis Bay Marine Park Authority to approve roadworks through the estuary.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
- Approximate area to be cleared: 2 hectares
- The site supports Bangalay Sand Forest, an Endangered Ecological Community, and several tall, mature, hollow-bearing habitat trees, each between 150 and 300 years old.
- The site is a floodway and flood storage area that flooded three times in 2022; new homes will be vulnerable and building will displace flood waters onto more than 50 existing nearby homes.
-
There is only one way in and out via a single-lane bridge, posing a fire and flood evacuation risk.
Access roadworks are planned through an adjoining tidal estuary, which is rich habitat for marine life and flows into local wetlands.
WHO’S FIGHTING IT?
- Our Future Shoalhaven