Feds urged to save bushland jewel

Thursday, 28 March 2002 10:00

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 land in question is home to Quolls, Koalas and other threatened species, as well as significant Aboriginal Heritage. It is obscene that the Federal Government would even contemplate selling it to developers", Mr Martin said.

TEC has called on the Finance Minister Senator Nick Minchin and Environment Minister David Kemp to stop the sale and transfer the land to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service who have formally requested that the land be included in the Georges River National Park.
"This is publicly owned bushland. As it is no longer needed for defence purposes it should be retained in public ownership and its outstanding conservation values protected by inclusion in the National Park", Mr Martin said.