GINNINDERRA FALLS AREA OVERVIEW

Ginninderry NSW Proposal

The Ginninderry residential development proposal by Riverview Projects Pty Ltd is located across the north-western ACT border at Parkwood. The site is indicated on the adjoining map by the arrow pointing to a triangular area between two rivers just north of the Molonglo and adjoining the district of the ACT.

The rises in the Snowy Mountains, flows along the south-western side of the urban district of (Kambah Pool on map) and north through Yass Valley to Burrinjuck Dam. It then turns westward towards the Riverina and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area before reaching the Murray River. Canberra is the only large city in the Murray Basin.

The Planning Proposal to rezone land at Parkwood on the NSW/ACT Border for urban settlement and environmental conservation (5,000 dwellings/1,000 jobs) was first reviewed from 27 Jan 2015 and approved at Gateway on 16 Apr 2015, with RPA for implementation. A revised application was forwarded by the Yass Valley Council to the NSW Government on 25 Oct 2017. An extension of time was issued for completing the LEP on the 27 April 2018. The new timeframe for completing the LEP is 16 April 2019. According to the Ginninderry website, “Subject to rezoning, no development will occur in NSW until at least 2033”.1

The current proposal includes a conservation zone incorporating the steep gorge sides along both the Murrumbidgee River and . It is intended that this will be managed by a Conservation Trust funded from a percentage of land sales. The conservation edge is surrounded by an Asset Protection Zone. The conservation zone has been extended slightly to allow for certain endangered species but concerns remain that larger species are not considered in accommodating their foraging range. Likewise, species sensitive to urban proximity have not been adequately considered. It is likely that, despite the considered attention to native species, there will still be loss of important flora and fauna once development begins.

The Ginninderra Falls Association questions the necessity of rezoning most of the Parkwood land from E3 Environmental Management to R1 Residential so far in advance of expected initial works. This raises owner expectations, making future boundary adjustments extremely difficult.

1 https://ginninderry.com/planning-and-community/parkwood-planning-proposal/ History of the site The proposed Ginninderry urban area is sited on the blocks marked ‘VR’ and ‘C. Sturt’ in the bottom left of the map at right (an excerpt from the original map drawn in 1837). This is land granted to the explorer Captain Charles Sturt in 1835 and the area to the west, marked VR for Victoria Regina (Crown Land). It is bounded by the Molonglo and Murrumbidgee Rivers, and Ginninderra Creek on the north. Note: The property marked ‘Ginninderry’ is located where the current CSIRO Research Station of Ginninderra sits near the Barton Highway in the ACT. This is also proposed for conversion to residential use. The ACT border passes diagonally through the Sturt grant, limiting the NSW portion of Ginninderry to a small section of grant land. The majority is land originally designated as Murrumbidgee River Molonglo River Crown Land and reserved for public use.

The relevant border is the straight line on the map on right, showing the “proposed Federal Capital Territory and tenures of land within same”, which was compiled, drawn and printed at the NSW Department of Lands. The map was signed by Charles Robt. Scrivener, 22nd May, 1909.

The NSW part of Ginninderry is bordered in purple on this 1909 map of the Parish of Weetangera (now the district of Belconnen ACT). The Sturt land grant is visible tinged in pale green, while the former Crown Land reserve is shown in beige. This reserve land was purchased from the State by James Kinloch Kilby in 1895, including Ginninderra Falls.

Historically, the main use of the Crown Land reserve portion has been for grazing. Steep slopes along the river, vertical along parts of Ginninderra Creek, however, have prevented ingress by cattle and preserved natural habitat and wildlife along the river and creek. This protection was reinforced in the 1980s, when a significant land area was zoned for Environmental Management. The steep slopes also isolate this NSW portion from the rest of NSW, making it reliant upon the ACT for access and the provision of essential services. A further effect of the steep slopes is the generation of extreme fire behaviour, as experienced in 19052 and more recently in 2003.

General Issues

The current E3 (Environmental Management) zoning in the NSW portion, shown on the map at right, has protected native species to some extent in the Ginninderry area (centre bottom) over the years and allowed a range of movement for larger animals and birds. The conservation zone now proposed for Ginninderry restricts the area available for protection of the natural flora and fauna, and prevents regeneration and restoration. Noise, light and human presence will potentially impact on vulnerable species.

Rezoning to R1 Residential in the NSW portion needs considerable justification, especially being so close to the Murrumbidgee River. It will set a precedent for similar developments to occur elsewhere in E3 and other areas along the river in future. Murrumbidgee River with Ginninderry centre bottom

The diagrams below show the current conservation boundary promoted for the NSW section of Ginninderry (left) and a boundary similar to E3 on the right. This latter includes the area upstream of the Ginninderra Falls which is important for aboriginal initiation ceremonies. It also removes housing from the extreme fire danger associated with the gorge walls and prevailing north-westerly winds, and it removes housing from proximity to vulnerable species.

Riverview’s proposed conservation area (in green) GFA’s proposed conservation area provides space with narrow section around the falls and no for grassland regeneration and wide-ranging species protection of upstream sites. such as Rosenberg’s Goanna.

2 Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Saturday 7 January 1905, page 5; and Queanbeyan Age, Tuesday 3 January 1905. Environmental Issues

A range of experts from ANU, UC, UNE and Pelican Lagoon Research Centre (Kangaroo Island) have provided advice that retention of the E3 zoning as land managed for conservation along with some additions will greatly reduce the risk of impacts on threatened species. The Ginninderry proposal has been judged by these experts as likely to result in the local extinction or decline of a significant number of species. Even with the more precautionary scenarios presented to the expert (e.g. retaining E3 and beyond for conservation), there will be impacts on some species if development goes ahead.

The misrepresentation of the consultant's reports that have been commissioned by the developer as 'the science' is worrying and shows a lack of science literacy by the proponent. There is a large body of science that indicates that the proponent's proposal will result in poor ecological outcomes for threatened species and the natural values of the area.

An important missing element is the large movement range required by larger animals such as Rosenberg’s goanna. Many bird species also have a wide range, such as the Little Eagle. Presence of houses and associated urban activity will inevitably lead to the loss of large native species in the area. There is an opportunity to create an environmental/ecological park that would support many low-impact recreational and educational opportunities. Sightlines are also important as the sight of urban activity will discourage some species from the area.

Aboriginal Issues

The presence of initiation sites and other significant places and items of aboriginal culture warrants the preservation of the entire creek and river corridors for protection and education purposes. The waterways constitute historically important pathways. A comprehensive report was commissioned from Kate Waters by Ginninderry.

Fire risk

The fire risk assessment performed for this development applies Australian Building Standard AS3959 which is based on radiation thresholds determined by research into grassland fires and their rate of spread through low-lying vegetation. This standard does not reflect the current state of the science for bushfire risk. The topography of this area requires an examination of the risk implications of dynamic fire propagation based on a consideration of fuel weight, drought factor, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and topographic slope.

Extreme bushfires spread as highly dynamic events arising from highly complex interactions. The pertinent factors include: vorticity (driven lateral spread), eruptive fire behaviour and mass spotting. Highly turbulent fire produces embers that can be driven large distances. A calculation indicates that bushfire embers could create disastrous fires near the gorges, declining in intensity with distance but extending well into the ACT (http://ginninderra.org.au/node/634).

The slope of the gorge walls along the Murrumbidgee River is such as to create a major fire hazard in the right conditions. Research following the behaviour of the 2003 fires has shown that an “upslope wind” can lead to escalation of fire behaviour. Bushfire risk, as calculated according to the current Standard, may be significantly underestimated for this particular case.3

3 Melanie E. Roberts, Jason J. Sharples, Andrew A. Rawlinson, Incorporating ember attack in bushfire risk assessment: a case study of the Ginninderry region (2017). Cross-border agreement

Serious discussion is needed about the complexities of any cross-border agreement and the necessary interaction between Yass Valley Council and the ACT for provision of services by the ACT to new urban areas within Yass Valley that will be, effectively, dormitory suburbs of Canberra. Residents will work, shop and play in the ACT, resulting in little connection to Yass Valley.

Left: LOCATION MAP

Showing the current E3 corridor in Yass Valley along the eastern edge of the Murrumbidgee River (green) and the proposed urban zone (red) near the junction with the Molonglo River in the south.

The straight yellow line at the bottom of the diagram is the NSW- ACT border.

Pink lines are very high tension 330 kilovolt power lines radiating from the Transgrid substation (pink square).

Suburbs near the substation are Holt and Macgregor in west Belconnen. The only power lines crossing existing Canberra suburbs are 132 kilovolt and lower.

The tree symbol indicates Ginninderra Falls and the bed symbol is the Ginninderry Homestead B&B and function centre.

Contention

The landscape values of this land were recognised as worthy of preservation from the beginning of European settlement. It was originally reserved as Crown Land but alienated into private ownership sixty years later. Subsequently, it was protected by E3 zoning which limited how owners could use the land and, thus, preserved the natural character of the land along with the flora and fauna to some extent around the river and creek. Rezoning to urban for residential use would be a total contradiction of the principles and aspirations demonstrated over the past 190 years. Once urbanised, the decision can never be reversed and the opportunity to preserve the character of the Murrumbidgee and its immediate surroundings is lost forever.

Further, it will set an example that will encourage similar developments along the Murrumbidgee.