By NIKKI TODD
TWEED Shire Council will make a last ditch attempt to save the Tweed Coast’s remaining koalas by urging the Federal Government to ban dogs from the new development of Kings Forest.
Councillors last Thursday voted by a majority of five-two (Crs Warren Polglase and Phil Youngblutt against) to prepare a submission for the Federal Government urging a ban on all domestic dogs in the estate apart from Guide Dogs.
The council’s decision is the latest in a long saga involving Kings Forest with similar appeals for planning restrictions lost when the NSW Government was examining the development application.
Final approval for the first 500 blocks of the estate was granted by the Planning and Assessment Commission last August, with the Federal Government currently examining its environmental impact in what is expected to be the final hurdle in plans to develop the 880-hectare site.
If passed, the first blocks of the estate are likely to be placed on the market by the end of 2014.
Mayor Barry Longland, who proposed the dog restrictions last Thursday despite voting against such restrictions last year, said his change of heart came after the marsupial was granted additional protection status federally, necessitating application of the precautionary principle.
A study by the council last year revealed the remaining koala population on the Tweed Coast to have dwindled to around 140 – necessitating urgent action to improve their long-term sustainability.
Deputy mayor Michael Armstrong said the symbolic importance of the koala could not be underestimated and councillors were obliged to do all they could to save them.
“No-one can deny the importance of the koala to the psyche of the Australian people,” Cr Armstrong said.
“We have a choice to sit on our hands or we can do everything possible to make sure our children and their children at least have a chance to see koalas living in the Tweed.”
Team Koala president Jenny Hayes, who has fought hard for restrictions on dogs at Kings Forest for years and has gathered thousands of signatures in support, said she was overjoyed with the result.
“I was just jubilant,” Ms Hayes said.
“This is all about the community coming together in a big way – people are so united on this issue.
“Koalas have compromised so much to the extent where if you start with a piece of clothing they are down to a G-string now and are just hanging on by a thread.”
Ms Hayes said all the community wanted was for restrictions similar to those at Koala Beach in Pottsville to be implemented to protect the Kings Forest colony.
But Leda Development regional manager Reg van Rij said the company had an excellent koala plan of management in place and remained confident the estate would be passed without dog restrictions.
“This is a submission that will be considered in the assessment process along with all others and a decision made based on scientific merits,” Mr van Rij said.
“Leda looks forward to this outcome as a final step in the lengthy development process to which Kings Forest has undergone.”
Mr van Rij said any restrictions on dog ownership would challenge the financial viability of the project.
“No dogs will mean no Kings Forest – it’s a commercial fact,” he said.
The exhibition period closes on December 6. To view the plan visit
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=referral_detail&proposal_id=6328
