The internet can be a dangerous thing, in the right hands
The recent management practices of this proposed development site, and the failure of all parties involved to identify and assess the endangered vegetation community (above) that covered the majority of the site 2 years ago and prevent or detect it's (alleged) systematic destruction
Google Maps 1/1/2009
The Yellow Line is the boundary of the Sanctuary Park Wetland Reserve. The golf course public land annexation in 2002 by the same developer (still to be accounted for) is shown. The green line is part of a manifestly inadequate land swap settlement that is currently on the shire table. The orange polygon shows where the slasher has since incurred into the public land. The area on the left of the picture is 92 Elizabeth avenue with the illegal cultivation visible
Nearmap.com 10/10/2010
"Unlike the situation only ten years ago the majority of the interested community recognise the importance of the wetland ecology, of swamp biodiversity, of it's flora and fauna values, it's natural flood retardation value, and of it's value in improving water quality in the bay. The problem now is that such acknowledgement needs to result in action and commitment of resources, especially in the part of agencies and Council"
Draft Chinamans Creek Catchment Strategy - Pat Condina & Associates, 1997
The northern end of the swamp is under intense pressure from existing land use and sub-division plans, all from a less enlightened age. A great place for an industrial estate, and we mustn't ignore the elephant in the swamp, a major freeway embankment, cutting the swamp in half and eliminating the remaining grassland
A Colchester Road industrial estate subdivision would obliterate substantial areas of several endangered EVCs including Tall Marsh and Swamp Scrub
Some possible objection
1. A single title with a plan for 36 houses
2. The land is classed as subject to flooding under the planning scheme's new amendment C150
3. Was home to endangered South Gippsland Plains Grassland EVC 132 which has been degraded by repeated close mowing in a purported act of vandalism towards the developer in 2010. Says they...
4. Becomes part of an Island during years of flooding, and or can be inundated in years of excessive flooding.
5. Is surrounded by bioregionally endangered wetland vegetation communities and one presumed extinct in the bioregion, Brackish Wetland 656, occupies the boundary of the title.
6. The land is covered by Environmental Significance Overlay ESO 19, which is at complete odds with the residential zoning of the block.
7. The ecology report has missed or misidentified many plant species on the block and has misidentified wetland EVC's. Fauna survey component was poorly devised and inadequate.
8. Terrible zoning practices by this shire. Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve was zoned Residential Zone 1 until only very recently when the was a vote taken at a council meeting for the reserve to be changed to PPRZ, a barely more appropriate zoning (council meeting February 13th 2012).
9. Is encapsulated within Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve West Rosebud.
10. Home to endangered and other animals (inc White-footed Dunnart, Swamp Skink
etc.), it also provides wildlife refuge during flood events
11. The EPBC Act. listed Australasian Bittern was photographed 100 metres from this site.
12. Has never been filled or developed in any way and was intact original vegetation until recently.
Sample letter
We are extremely concerned by Community Villages Australia's proposed development on their property encapsulated within the Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve in Tootgarook Swamp.
We have a number of objections;
1. A single title with a plan for 36 houses
2. The land is classed as subject to flooding under the planning scheme's new amendment C150
3. Was home to endangered South Gippsland Plains Grassland EVC 132 which has been degraded by repeated close mowing in a purported act of vandalism towards the developer in 2010. Says they...
4. Becomes part of an Island during years of flooding, and or can be inundated in years of excessive flooding.
5. Is surrounded by bioregionally endangered wetland vegetation communities and one presumed extinct in the bioregion, Brackish Wetland 656, occupies the boundary of the title.
6. The land is covered by Environmental Significance Overlay ESO 19, which is at complete odds with the residential zoning of the block.
7. The ecology report has missed or misidentified many plant species on the block and has misidentified wetland EVC's. Fauna survey component was poorly devised and inadequate.
8. Terrible zoning practices by this shire. Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve was zoned Residential Zone 1 until only very recently when the was a vote taken at a council meeting for the reserve to be changed to PPRZ, a barely more appropriate zoning (council meeting February 13th 2012).
9. Is encapsulated within Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve West Rosebud.
10. Home to endangered and other animals (inc White-footed Dunnart, Swamp Skink
etc.), it also provides wildlife refuge during flood events
11. The EPBC Act. listed Australasian Bittern was photographed 100 metres from this site.
12. Has never been filled or developed in any way and was intact original vegetation until recently.
Sample letter
We are extremely concerned by Community Villages Australia's proposed development on their property encapsulated within the Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve in Tootgarook Swamp.
We have a number of objections;
- The proponent, Community Villages Australia has already excised public land from the reserve destroying endangered native vegetation adjacent to their private golf in the Village Glen.
- The development's size in no way complements the open space of the reserve, and its extremely high flora and fauna values.
- The development already puts at risk Brackish Wetland, a vegetation community that was previously thought extinct in the bioregion, it crosses into the boundary of the private property within the reserve. On top of this is that all the vegetation surrounding the development is also endangered within the bioregion.
- Dangerous effects and impacts from the development on the reserve would come from possible acid sulphate soils, flooding, removal of endangered vegetation, stormwater runoff, water quality, noise and light pollution, increased weed invasion, predatory pest animals such as cats, and the need for fire protection by creating firebreaks in the reserve.
- Fauna within the reserve itself holds extremely high value with the federally protected Australasian bittern being recorded 20 times since 2008. Fauna of state significance have also been recorded in the reserve such as the Swamp Skink, Glossy Grass Skink, White footed Dunnart, Southern Toadlet, Lewin's Rail, Nankeen Night Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Eastern Great Egret, Australian Shoveller, Latham's Snipe, Pacific Gull and unconfirmed reports of Baillon's Crake.
- Currently the entire Tootgarook Swamp is being investigated by the shire into its future protection and also that of a catchment reference group. Shire should not allow further infill development in the meantime
- Last year a moratorium of infilling land within the swamp was asked for by members of the community and community groups. Yet infilling continues
