The South West Environment Centre (SWEC) has, and continues to, actively campaign to oppose the clearing of bushland in the Greater Bunbury Region, based on Objective 5 of SWEC’s Strategic Plan 2012-2014, which reads as follows:
Objective 5: To Support a Complete End to Land Clearing on the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP)
Strategies:
5.1 Lobby and liaise with Government and relevant natural resource agencies for the better management and protection of bushland on the Swan Coastal Plain
5.2 Put forward possible alternatives to the current planning regime of endless urban sprawl and relatively unrestrained development on the Swan Coastal Plain
Objective 5 and its strategies were developed mindful of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) document ‘A Strategy for the EPA to identify regionally significant natural areas in its consideration of the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme portion of the Swan Coastal Plain’ (August 2002). In that document it was recorded (p.7) that: 78% of the original vegetation along the Swan Coastal Plain has been cleared (p.3, Beeston et al, 2001), and The Greater Bunbury Region is comparable with this as 77% of the original vegetation has been cleared and clearance has occurred in the same general pattern.
There are a number of areas of bushland in the Greater Bunbury Region, as part of the Swan Coastal Plain that are currently threatened by land clearing:
PRESTON INDUSTRIAL PARK (NORTHERN PRECINCT)
The Western Australian State Government land developer – LandCorp – is proposing to seek endorsement for the clearing of approximately 75 hectares of native vegetation (~185 acres) on land in the Preston Industrial Park (Northern Precinct) in the City of Bunbury. Of grave concern and immediate urgency is LandCorp’s inclusion in their proposal of 46 hectares (~113 acres) of native vegetation, identified as “Investigation Area 5” by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in Bulletin 1282: “Advice on areas of conservation significance in the Preston Industrial Park” (March 2008). SWEC Submission on the PIP (Northern Precinct), 20 January 2012 – PIPNPSubmn120120.pdf
LOTS 304,195 & 9003, LAKES PARADE, BINNINGUP
A structure plan prepared for the land developer MIRVAC would cause catastrophic loss of the important ecological and biodiversity values associated with Lots 304, 195 and 9003 Lakes Parade Binningup, in the Shire of Harvey, and potentially result in the local extinction of endemic species. The Federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities (SEWPAC) has declared the MIRVAC proposal a “Controlled Action” under the Environment Protection& Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and there is serious unease that the community may not be permitted to be involved in any SEWPAC process.
DALYELLUP BEACH ESTATE
The ‘Friends of Dalyellup Bushland’ have ongoing concerns about the behaviour of developers in Dalyellup, in the Shire of Capel. Environmental conditions imposed upon the land developer Satterley have been skirted and further development of areas south of the housing estate will further reduce or obliterate environmental values. EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY / TAFE. It is understood that the ECU Governing Council is moving to divide and sell bushland adjacent to its current ‘active’ campus in the City of Bunbury. At the same time ECU’s neighbour, TAFE, is considering the future of its bushland, perhaps for the establishment of a heavy machinery training depot. The bushland in question provides an important ‘northern link’ in the Ocean to Preston Regional Park.
COLLEGE GROVE
There are areas of bushland in College Grove in the City of Bunbury that are still unsecured.
KEMERTON
The expansion of SIMCOA and the prospect of further heavy industrial development in the Kemerton Industrial Park, in the Shire of Harvey, is an ongoing threat to bushland. There are undoubtedly other areas of remnant bushland under threat in the Greater Bunbury Region and along the entire Swan Coastal Plain. In the sat photo shown above, it can be easily seen where land clearing has occurred in the South West, particularly along the coast line – the lighter areas shows cleared land and the darker (green) areas are vegetated. The wheatbelt also suffers badly from land clearing. The white plume is a major bushfire that occurred some time ago (when this photo was taken) to the north east of Perth.