New threat to Wamberal Lagoon – send this letter now

By Wamberal Community Group on November 24, 2013 • ( 1 Comment )

Living close to Wamberal Lagoon is a fantastic experience and privilege.

It is one of the best and healthiest coastal lagoon systems in New South Wales with:

Black-hailed Native hens. Credit: Eric Yan

A diverse and healthy marine life
Nationally important wetlands.
A breeding ground for internationally endangered migratory birds.
Numerous endangered plants and birds.

But Gosford Council wants to rezone rural land at Forresters Beach to allow residential housing – 27 hectares of residential housing radically increasing the size of the suburb.

This could create a massive increase in polluted water and silt running into the lagoon.

AND there is no provision for an “environmental buffer” or corridor around the site especially along the boundary with Forresters Creek, the major stream that flows into the lagoon. Drainage channels and watercourses carry run-off across the site to the creek and into Wamberal Lagoon.

It is an area of very high environmental sensitivity: a strong environmental buffer is essential to protect the health of the lagoon.

On left: Marsh Crake. On right: Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis plumbea. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But we only have until Wednesday 27 November to lodge any objections. There are 17 documents and Council’s report in favour of the proposal is 50 pages alone! It is truly daunting.

We are asking you to let every Councillor know you want the rezoning to be rejected until there is an adequate and substantial environmental buffer and proper flood studies have been completed.

This development will affect you.

Attached is a letter that you can fax, post or email to Council to voice your concern. Also, please consider calling the Councillors or writing a letter in your own words.

Just one note of caution, please do not use original signatures or information you do not want the public (or criminals) to know such as mobile phone numbers etc as Council act very irresponsibly in publishing them.