Rare shrub a hurdle for Killalea plan
By SARAH ALLELY
A RARE shrub has thrown up a new barrier to the proposed tourism development at Killalea State Park.
The lease of the park land is due to be granted on Monday by NSW Lands Minister Tony Kelly to Killalea Coastal Investments.
But the development will have to be referred to the Federal Government for approval, because the Commonwealth-protected shrub Illawarra Zieria is found in the area.
Although NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor is the consent authority for the development, once the development application process starts, the plan must first be referred to the federal Department of Environment and Water Resources to check if it will have a significant impact on the Illawarra Zieria.
Killalea State Park Trust deputy chair Mark Luchetti said the members were aware of the protected plant, but it did not threaten the proposal.
"As far as I know, nothing that's happening in the park is anywhere near these plants," the Wollongong real estate agent said.
There have been demands among the Illawarra community for more information before the multimillion-dollar lease is granted to construct strata "ecotourist" accommodation, the first such deal in NSW.
Balgownie resident Simon McIntyre, who has formed an action group with Warilla surfer Brian Jones, said he had been inundated with calls from people keen to stop the lease.
A Shellharbour City Council submission to the park's trust said there were several "endangered ecological communities" listed in the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act, present in the park.
"It is of concern that there is no reference to the impacts to these communities discussed at all," the submission stated.
Illawarra Zieria, or zieria granulata, is also listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act.
The council was not satisfied that the trust's amended plan of management adequately addressed the protection of the species, with just one paragraph about the rare shrub in a 58-page document.
Recovery plans prepared by the State Government that specified required management actions should have been incorporated into the document, the council submitted.
But Mr Luchetti said the trust had adequately addressed Illawarra Zieria.
But Minnamurra property owner and lawyer Susan Bunting said it was not for the trust or the developer to determine whether a plan might have a significant impact on an endangered species.
On referral, the Environment and Water Resources Minister would decide if approval was required under the Act.
A home-grown shrub
Facts on Zieria granulata, commonly known as Illawarra Zieria (courtesy of NSW Department of Environment and Conservation) (DEC):
Listed as an endangered species under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act and Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The tall bushy shrub or small tree with white flowers can grow to 6m.
Primarily occupies coastal lowlands between Oak Flats and Toolijooa.
Extensive clearing of Illawarra lowlands since European settlement destroyed much of the habitat, and remaining habitat is limited and highly fragmented.
A recovery plan was approved in January 2005.
sallely@illawarramercury.com.au
Illawarra Mercury - 27 April 2007
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