Pubic meeting opposes bushland sale

Sunday, 01 December 2002 10:00

Total Environment Centre (TEC) Urban Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said "This parcel of former defence department land is an urban bushland jewel. Any sale of the land for development will destroy its unique environmental values and result in serious degradation of the adjoining Georges River National Park".

The land is a former military reserve between Alfords Point and Sandy Point on the Banks of the Georges River. It adjoins the Georges River National Park and has been acknowledged by the federal Government as being in excellent condition with high conservation value. The land has now been transferred to the Department of Finance and Administration for 'divestment' at full market value.

The meeting has called for the land to be preserved in public ownership, and included in the Georges River National Park, just as lands around Sydney Harbour have been included in the Federation Trust.

Ms Sharyn Cullis of the Georges River Environmental Alliance said "In March last year the Federal Government preserved seven parcels of former Defence and other Commonwealth lands on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the Federation Trust. There is no reason why people in the Georges River area should not be entitled to the same deal".

The meeting also called on the State Government to prevent development of the land by refusing to provide any infrastructure to support residential development and continue pressing for its inclusion in the National Park.

"The State Government has a key role to play in blocking the sale of the land. It must send a clear message to the Federal Government and prospective developers before the State Election that it will not provide any support for residential development", Mr Martin said.