WWF-Australia today called on the Australian Government to permanently protect the nationally important bushland at Jandakot Airport, Perth. The site contains high quality habitat for dozens of native species and is a Priority 1 water source protection area.
Despite fierce community opposition, the site is under threat for the second time in two years following a proposal by Jandakot Airport Holdings to clear 220 ha of high quality remnant bushland.
In March 2008, the Australian Governmentâs Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts recommended that a similar proposal on the same site be rejected on the basis of its unacceptable environmental impact.
"It may sound surprising that an airport has important environmental values, but the Jandakot Airport site is one of the last remaining large and healthy areas of bushland in Perth," said WWF-Australia’s Southwest Australia Policy Officer, Katherine Howard.
"The bulk of the land to be cleared in this proposal is for non-aviation commercial development such as shops and showrooms. Essentially this means a few large businesses will profit at the cost of our rapidly disappearing natural heritage."
Jandakot Airport’s draft Master Plan 2009 proposes to clear 167ha of banksia woodland for a large commercial development, and also internal roads and infrastructure, runway extensions and a fourth runway. A further 53ha, currently classified as a ‘Conservation Precinct’, is already slated for development in the future.
However, even if this proposal is rejected, under the Airports Act 1996, the operators can prepare a new Master Plan every five years and revisit the proposal to clear this bush again.
"It is deeply concerning that local residents may be forced to defend this vital natural heritage area from commercial development every five years," said Ms Howard.
"This land is actually owned and controlled by the Federal Government. We are calling on the Australian Ministers for the Environment and Infrastructure to show leadership by permanently protecting this important bushland for the sake of the environment and the local community."
The bush at Jandakot Airport has been identified as regionally significant under the WA Bush Forever policy, and described as one of the best remaining examples of banksia woodland on the Swan Coastal Plain by the Register of the National Estate.
The site offers high quality habitat for dozens of native plants and animals, including the nationally endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoo, grand spider orchid and glossy-leaved hammer orchid. It also overlies the shallow Jandakot Groundwater Mound – a Priority 1 water source protection area which is highly vulnerable to contamination. WWF believes that development of already cleared or degraded land is more appropriate than clearing good quality remnant bush.
The draft Master Plan is currently being assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) 1999. An Australian Government representative will meet with concerned locals this week about the imminent decision from Minister Garrett’s office.
More information
Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia. Ph: (02) 8202 1259. Mbl: 0410 221 068. Email: [email protected]
Katherine Howard, Ph: 0423 516 430. Email: [email protected]
Notes
The Jandakot Airport Draft Master Plan 2009 is no longer available from the Jandakot Airport website since the period for public comment closed on 30 October. Relevant sections of the draft Master Plan including maps are available upon request.
Images of threatened Carnaby’s black cockatoos are available upon request.
The documentation of the referral of the Draft Master Plan to the EPBC Act including a summary of public comments to the draft Plan can be accessed here: http://www.jandakotairport.com.au/Preliminary_Draft_Master_Plan_2009.asp
The EPBC Reference Number is 2009/4796. Further information on the EPBC assessment can be accessed here: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4796
The following table is a summary of Jandakot Airport Holdings’ proposal to clear 167ha of good to excellent quality remnant bush under the Draft Master Plan 2009:
| Purpose | Area to be cleared | Area as percentage of total to be cleared |
| Fourth runway | 30 ha | 18% |
| Potential runway extensions |
32 ha | 19 |
| Internal roads and services |
8 ha | 5% |
| Commercial development | 96ha in the next 5 years, another 53 ha described as a Conservation Precinct but proposed for possible future commercial development (NB Further 53ha have not been included in calculations) | 58% |
| Total | 167 ha | 100 |
JAH submitted a Draft Major Development Plan in July 2007 that proposed the clearing of 102ha of native vegetation. In March 2008, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts provided his Department’s recommendation (EPBC 2007/3599) to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government that the 2007 Draft Major Development Plan be rejected on the basis of the significant negative environmental impact it would involve.
- Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Recommendation Report: Commercial Development on Jandakot Airport (EPBC 2007/3599) http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/notices/pubs/recommendation-report-07- 3599.pdf
- Jandakot Airport Holdings/Transport – air and space/16 km south of Perth/WA/Jandakot Airport Expansion, Commercial Development and Clearing of Vegetation (EPBC Reference Number 2009/4796) http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi- bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4796
- WA Department of Planning. Bush Forever Volume 1 – Policies, Principles and Processes. December 2000.
http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/Publications/99.aspx - The Register of the National Estate is a list of natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places throughout Australia and contains sites such as Perthâs historic Kingâs Park. http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/publications/about/pubs/national-estate.pdfM/a>