Soon’‘Soon’ Is Now Later P.O

Koalas in the Lower Blue Badgerys Creek Airport would cause “very substantial and permanent changes” Mountains The Badgerys Creek EIS process has finally Clancy the Koala was thrown up the last in a long line of documents: ‘The rescued by Blue Environmental Assessment Report’ prepared by Mountains WIRES at Environment Australia, Environment Minister Robert Lapstone in September Hill’s fiefdom. Dated July 1999, it has taken until 1998 and released with a November to reach the public. endangered or vulnerable radio collar in the The Executive Summary makes interesting flora and fauna, National Park at reading for Blue Mountains residents: “The direct watercourses and steep Glenbrook four months later. cumulative impacts of the construction and operation slopes. While it is part of This is the first confirmed sighting in the longer history of moves of an airport on the western Sydney region would be towards strengthening 30 years for the lower mountains. A very substantial ... The presence of an airport would team of volunteer uni students and local Council’s environmental also attract development and act as a catalyst for the legislation, Amendment 25 residents tracked and mapped Clancy's spread of urban development that is already movements and habitat use until itself can be traced back as encroaching into the essentially semi-rural area far as March 1997 and has September, when he dropped his radio bounded by Penrith to the north, Camden to the collar. Significant findings include use been endorsed by Council south, Liverpool and Fairfield to the east and the at three separate meetings. of Shale Sandstone Transition Forest and Blue Mountains escarpment to the west. It would preference for a particular soil type. A Despite the Judge’s cause very substantial and permanent changes to the decision, Blue Mountains paper detailing this work was presented character of the area ten to fifteen kilometres around to the Annual Conference of the Conservation Society is the airport site. These effects would spill over into pleased that BMCC’s Australian Koala Foundation at Philip the World Heritage nominated Greater Blue Island, Victoria in September 1999. Acting General Manager, Mountains Area and to adjacent parts of Sydney.” Robert Greenwood, has said A second Koala (named Norman, Number 49 of the 52 recommendations says: after Norman Lindsay) was rescued from “Council is still committed “The potential impacts on the World Heritage values to achieving the a dog at the head of Springwood Creek of the Greater Blue Mountains Area must be near Birdwood Gully. This animal was environmental protection identified and taken into account in all elements of aims that Amendment 25 tagged and released, and has since the planning and operation of an airport at Badgerys tried to address” (BMG reappeared on Springwood Golf Course. Creek.” “.... taken into account” — how reassuring! 15/12/99) and that Council Approaches have been made to the There is still time to voice your objections to this has recommenced the re- RTA and BMCC to erect Koala warning proposal before the Blue Mountains falls victim to exhibition process. road signs in the area. The Minister for the fall-out from those “very substantial and the Environment, Bob Debus has permanent changes” predicted in the Environmental Membership committed funds to find the core habitat Assessment Report. Why not remind both Howard for the remnant Koala population, with a and Beazley (address Parliament House, Canberra) Involvement view to managing the area to protect the that the next federal election could be won or lost in The Society needs help! Koalas from bush fires. the western Sydney seats of Parramatta, Macarthur, We can always use extra Local environmental consultant Lindsay and Macquarie. Colin Anderson, Co- members on the Danny Wotherspoon has been involved Management Committee, or ordinator, Mountains Against Badgerys Creek one of our many Sub- in the Koala tracking project. He will be Airport (MABCA) presenting the Clancy story and updates Committees. The Annual at our General Meeting on 28 January failed to give proper notice to adjoining General Meeting is coming 2000. The meeting will be held at the Councils about the Amendment, and that up in March, so why not come to a Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls and the final plan ended up being different Management Committee Meeting as an will commence at 7.30 pm. Visitors will observer, see what we are up to, and from that which was exhibited. maybe stand for a Committee position in be very welcome. Widespread public support has been The Australian Koala Foundation March. Our next meeting is on at 9 am on consistently expressed for protection of Sat 22 Jan 2000 at the Mid Mountains conference paper and current Koala news sensitive vegetaftion, habitat for rare, can be found on the net at Community Centre Lawson. We would www.mountains.net.au/wilderness. “Hut News” , the newsletter of Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc. ‘‘‘Soon’‘Soon’ Is Now Later P.O. Box 29, Wentworth Falls, 2782. Phone 4757 1872. Fax 4757 1753 Despite assurances that Amend- Email [email protected] Web page: http//www.pnc.com.au/~bmcs President: Imre Gahl, Ph:4784-3286 Second Vice President: Meredith Brownhill, Ph.4782.4823 ment 25 was nearing approval as a First Vice President: Heather Coster, {Ph:Work 4759-1247, Home 4759.1837 legislated change to LEP 1999, a Membership Secretary: Ross Coster {Fax 4759-1095, Email: [email protected] recent Court decision overturned Correspondence Secretary: Heather Coster (contact details above) this expectation. In December Meetings Secretary: Heather Hull, Ph.4739.1493 Email [email protected] 1999 Judge Cowdroy of the Land Land Use: Robin Mosman, Ph. 4757.1354; Treasurer: Les Coyne, Ph:4757.3327, Fax:4757.2820, Email: [email protected] and Environment Court ruled that Bushwalks: Jim Wallace, Ph:4784-3305 Plant Nursery Manager: David Coleby, Ph/Fax:4784- Blue Mountains City Council had 1395 Projects: Marion Hawley, Ph:4784-1933; Kathy Gott,Ph:4739-8124; Helga Esamie, Ph:4787.7690, Email: [email protected] Publicity: Position Vacant Bushcare: Laura Hays Ph:4782.7692, Email: [email protected] Education: Catriona Gillies Ph:4782-1235, Email: [email protected] Bushfire Rep: Hugh Paterson, Ph:4751-2303, Email: [email protected] Newsletter : Christine Davies, Phone 4787-7246 Fax 4787-7777 Email: [email protected] Hut News , No. 150, January 2000 — Page 1. Don Morison. Colleagues at the Total Environment Centre, Colong Foundation and National NPWS Restructure Parks Association fear that we are seeing Many members will have read in the a new 'economically rational' NPWS that Blue Mountains Gazette recently about will put money ahead of nature my 'war of words' with Local Member conservation. While we have no and Environment Minister Bob Debus. It evidence of this, it is interesting that the was never my intention to upset Mr Plans of Management for Blue Mountains Debus, for whom I have great respect. It and Kanangra Boyd National Parks have was necessary however to raise the plight not yet been gazetted, nor has the Grose of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Wilderness, and that a Regional Manager Grumpy Greenie Plays With His Service. Crystal Ball has yet to be appointed for the Greater The NPWS is currently being Blue Mountains Region. Some think that balancing Australia’s restructured to 'flatten' the management population with our environment in the When he (or she) is appointed, be structure, with the intent of reducing assured that the Society will make 21st century is going to require resisting layers of management overhead and clamouring third world hordes trying to immediate contact to re-affirm our putting more staff to work running the position that nature conservation is the enter our continent and further promoting parks system. While I commend the of family planning. I dispute this. primary role of the NPWS. intention of the restructure, it has taken Also be assured that we will continue I believe that this is a century where far too long and caused far too much many third world peoples will achieve to lobby Bob Debus for more funds for angst among NPWS staff. the Blue Mountains National Parks, in more comfortable lifestyles and lower Three local rangers have elected to birth-rates, similar to what Australia is particular for walking tracks. To quote take voluntary redundancies and leave the Jim Smith, 'our walking tracks are in now experiencing. Environmentally service. Staff morale is crushed to the these changes could be good or bad, crisis' and they urgently need funding point where some officers have told me injections to make them the world-class depending on how responsibly resources that 'the service has been destroyed and are used. tourist attraction they should be, while will never recover'. minimising environmental impact. Unless our nation changes consider- The budget for Blue Mountains ably, fewer immigrants will look in our If anybody has a 'fire in their belly' District has been cut (again). about the National Parks system, contact direction for economic salvation, and, on No working track works have taken our record of the late 20th century, we Don Morison (4759-2471) about our place in recent months, and the only new National Parks Additions Sub- ourselves will have little guidance to works in the next few years will be offer on how to use resources Committee. I'm sure he would welcome around Echo Point as part of the your help. Ross Coster, Membership responsibly and little spiritual or cultural revitalisation of Katoomba. enrichment for newcomers. Already the Secretary. handful of ‘boat’ people, with whom media and politicians are obsessed, are Vale David Thomas 1925-1999 served on the management committee.

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