Bells Rapids

Extract from Hansard:

Members will be aware that I enjoy using the adjournment debate to talk about issues in the East Metropolitan Region, and tonight is no exception. As members know, Perth is a growing city, and this rapid growth brings with it a number of challenges. After all, everyone wants to live somewhere, and I am no exception. The great Australian dream is that people are able to own and perhaps build their own homes. Successive governments have worked very hard to try to address these challenges. Most recently we have seen Network City and now Directions 2031. Although both of these more recent plans have identified the need for urgent increases in density, particularly in the city—a move that the Greens certainly support—there is sadly a significant lack of recognition for our remaining urban bushland and the areas in which families and individuals choose to recreate and enjoy on the weekends or in their leisure time, which is also part of the great Australian tradition.

I have mentioned before in his house my personal love for the Perth hills, and the many fond memories that I have had there and that I continue to have with my own kids. On that note, I wish to talk tonight about the proposed third stage of Brigadoon in Upper Swan, above Bells Rapids. Many members may have their own fond memories of trips out to Bells. It is a great place to picnic, and a good spot to watch the Avon Descent. It is just beautiful around there, although very busy. More energetic members might even have gone hiking or kayaking up there, although I must say that I am not one of those more energetic people. It really is one of Perth’s last remaining beautiful inland assets. The bush above Bells Rapids is also the last area of intact bush that abuts the Swan River in the metro area. It is not in the public interest for this area to be developed. The majority of the bush is still classified as being in either good or very good condition, and there are even some areas that have been classified as excellent or pristine.

Brigadoon has changed a lot over the past two and a half decades. Development started there more than 25 years ago, when stages 1 and 2 were developed on previously cleared land. The developer at that time was the Bond Corporation, which went into receivership in 1993, before stage 3 started. The state government at the time bought the land to the west of the river, known as Jumbuck Hill, and turned it into a public park, which was a good idea. The 800 hectares on the eastern side of the river now belongs to Peet Ltd. Peet plans to develop this land, turning approximately 450 hectares on the top of the hill into 214 lots.

Members probably will not be surprised to hear that there is a long-running community campaign against this inappropriate development. Many people have supported the campaigners over the years, from both sides of the political fence. Many former and current members of this house and the other place have a desire to see Bells Rapids preserved for future generations, as it should be. I share the concerns of the community about developing this site. As I have already mentioned, it contains the last substantial plot of intact bush above the Swan River. For that reason alone it is worth saving, but it is also a well-known foraging site for Carnaby’s black cockatoo, and contains a number of trees suitable as nesting sites.

In addition—this is one of my key concerns—most of the development site is considered to be an extreme fire risk area. It is ironic that we have just finished debating a bill addressing fire safety at the same time as there is the prospect of a development such as this being approved in an area of extreme fire risk. The key measures to reduce the fire risk of the area that we will need to engage in if looking at developing the site are clearing through the removal of vegetation and burning off for fuel reduction. Clearing native vegetation is defined in the Environmental Protection Act as killing or damaging, including through fire, or destroying some or all of the native vegetation in an area. The Environmental Protection Authority’s appeals committee has estimated that the clearing required for this proposed development is at least 180 hectares, not including the expected damage due to the fuel reduction measures that will be needed over most of the site. The bush remaining on the site will be devastated and vulnerable to weed infestation.

The developers claim that they will be clearing only 75 hectares, but they are not counting more than 100 000 plants that need to be removed as part of the building protection zone. That amounts to 97 hectares of clearing that the developers do not want to admit to. After removing over 100 000 plants, the intention is to revegetate. Seedlings will likely be given to individual householders for planting, and these householders are the same people who will need to abide by the fire hazard reduction plan by clearing huge swathes of their land. It is quite ridiculous to believe that householders will be able to keep and grow the seedlings to a size and age at which they will suffice as foraging trees for the Carnaby’s cockatoo. Peet will have to look at planting the seedlings in the 393 hectares on the steep rocky hillside to be ceded to the state government. It believes that this land can be revegetated, but the community is not convinced and really needs the Department of Environment and Conservation to confirm that this is the case.

The original decision to zone this land for residential purposes was made in 1984. Since then we have seen a huge continuing loss of urban bushland and a massive destruction and fragmentation of habitat for our endangered cockatoo species. With this development’s requirement to clear for fire safety reasons, we are facing the loss of our last intact bushland directly abutting the Swan River.

This development is not a good one, and the residents know it. We know that a minimum of 180 hectares will be cleared, but the federal government requires that no more than 80.5 hectares be cleared. The final responsibility for environmental management has been passed to the Fire and Emergency Services Authority, which will understandably—I certainly hope—prioritise the safety of human life. In order to make it safe enough for people to live there, the bush will be trashed and vital habitat will be lost. There is plenty of already cleared land available to build on in Perth. There is no need for this development, which, in the scheme of things, is actually relatively small but very precious. I am pretty sure the fire management plan will trump any environmental conditions put upon the development. We should be looking at the final fire management plan and assessing the environmental impact of the destruction it will require, rather than approving the proposal without a complete understanding of what the environmental impacts will be. This site should be public land and should be able to be used by all. The environmental value of this particular site will be irretrievably damaged by the need to alter the vegetation to reduce the risk of fire. This is our very last chance to have intact bushland on the river available as parkland for all. We should not waste it.