THE natural environment of Salamander Bay, including the Mambo Wanda Wetland Reserve, have been under developmental pressures for decades to the point where these bushlands may soon be regarded as mere remnants of a former ecosystem.
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Though confronted with detailed community knowledge and protest, the assault on these areas continues unabated driven as they are by the purveyors of high growth to the detriment of our natural assets.
These densely vegetated swamp sclerophyll forests host a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna providing the solitary environments on which wildlife are totally dependent for life support and survival.
EcoNetwork Port Stephens, now comprising 26 community groups and eco-businesses, was established in 1993 with the purpose of empowering communities in defence of their neighbourhoods against poor planning and the onslaught of uninformed, insensitive and inappropriate developments.
Lots 560 to 566, being a substantial six hectare part of this so far conserved natural asset, must be retained intact and enhanced to continue its obvious contribution to the Mambo/Wanda ecosystem.
It is well documented that further human encroachment of any scale, including with eco-tourist facilities, would permanently damage environmental values and expose its wildlife to a potentially terminal condition and local extinction.
The reserve and its surrounds is known to have been host to a breeding colony of up to 40 plus koalas, these having been observed, monitored and supported by community groups for decades including with koala food-tree plantings and by making the Port Stephens Koala Plan of Management possible.
This highly valued ecosystem has been conserved not only to protect our biodiversity and habitats but also as a natural pollution filtering system before the huge volumes of water that the system accumulates finds its way to the productive waters of the Port where diverse forms of marine life including seagrasses are dependent on quality water.
The rationale for the selling-off of Lots 560 to 566 is being challenged by our communities, strongly supported by our parliamentary representatives. However, new and negative factors now need to be considered in the NSW Government’s proposal to also repeal the Native Vegetation Act 2003 the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.
