THE clearing of banksia woodland in Jandakot for a proposed surf park has drawn anger from local environmental groups, despite the developer gaining governmental approval. 

Three hectares of banksia woodland, listed as “endangered” under federal environmental laws, and one hectare of “conservation category” wetland was cleared last month to make way for the surf park, which will be built by specialist developer Aventuur. 

Save the Black Cockatoos coordinator Paddy Cullen says the clearing is representative of the state government’s “wanton neglect and wilful blindness” towards WA’s dwindling banksia woodland, despite an 8000-signature petition presented in protest. 

“Many people in Perth feel the government is not listening to the people as we sell off the crown jewels of this global biodiversity hotspot to become the city with the greatest urban sprawl and lowest tree canopy anywhere in Australia,” Mr Cullen said. 

“The attitude of the government that bushland and wetlands are worth nothing until they are covered in concrete and bitumen has to change if we want to save endangered species like black cockatoos. 

The Chook spoke to a Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage spokesperson who says the Metro Outer Joint Development Assessment Panel “granted conditional approval” for a mixed-use development in March 2023. 

Approval

“The approval included advice was to be obtained by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation prior to the development taking place,” the spokesperson said. 

“The site is zoned ‘industrial’ in the Metropolitan Region Scheme and ‘development’ in the City of Cockburn’s local planning scheme…in 2018, the WA Planning Commission approved the Cockburn Central East Structure Plan, which identifies the site as suitable for ‘mixed business’. 

According to an Aventuur spokesperson, “all necessary approvals” have been granted for the Surf Park, and the Environmental Protection Authority has not identified “a significant environmental impact”, including to black cockatoos. 

“Further, our expert environmental consultants found no evidence of black cockatoo foraging or roosting on the site, and no trees on site that had nesting hollows in them,” the spokesperson said. 

“There was no mid or understory vegetation suitable for cockatoo foraging, and the density of banksia trees on site was extremely low compared to a typical banksia woodland. 

“As part of the project’s approvals and consistent with WA state government policy, [the] Department of Water and Environmental Regulation requires Aventuur to revegetate around 13.8ha of land… this land, located in Bibra Lake, is managed by the City of Cockburn and will be conserved in perpetuity.” 

Aventuur will be “retaining as much banksia and existing vegetation on site as we can”, as well as saving, preserving, and reintroducing existing grasstrees once the building is completed.

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER