Point Peron Marina Public Environmental Review

At a time when climate change will dramatically impact our coast, with increased frequency of storms and rising sea levels, our public coastal assets should be preserved, not transformed into private canal developments.

The public submission period for the proposed marina at Point Peron is currently open. Public submissions are due by 23 April 2011. Once our team assesses the volumes of material generated by the developer, I will be providing fact sheets on my website to assist people in preparing submissions asking the Government to reject this proposal.

This proposed project is a huge waste of public money and amounts to little more than a cynical land grab of land bequeathed by the Federal Government to the people of Western Australia. It will turn about 77 hectares of public land into a private marina. This is a land grab of the worst kind. It also stands out in stark contradiction to the planning directions for this area.

The area of the proposed development contains a listed Aboriginal Heritage site which is part of a mythological songline associated with the Waugal. Two of the five Aboriginal groups consulted said that they would oppose the development because the marina channel would break the path of the rainbow serpent spirit.

Dredging will directly impact nearly 6ha of sea grass beds. This will reduce fish stocks and reduce the area of feeding habitat for the Little Penguin. The impact of 500 additional boat pens will disturb these penguins and increase the risk of collisions.

The project risks the fragile ecology of Lake Richmond which contains two threatened ecological communities and Cedar Woods also propose to clear 44 hectares of vegetation, much of it in a Bush Forever site.

The proposal presents a shocking example of misuse of public land, the co-opting of decision makers, the disregard of aboriginal heritage, the risk of ecological damage and environmental degradation, and disregard of cultural values.

The Greens support tourism in the vicinity of Richmond Lake and Point Peron. A wonderful opportunity exists to develop low impact ecotourism and recreation, with diving, kayaking, interpretive historical sites from WWII, and environmental and aboriginal heritage education.

Point Peron and Lake Richmond are valued by tourists from far and wide, and by school children who for decades have visited on school excursions. Fond memories of Point Peron will draw much attention to this proposal – and we hope, opposition to development of this type and scale so perilously close.

Both major parties are on record supporting a marina development at Mangles Bay – the people must speak up in every forum to stop this from happening. Submissions are open for 10 weeks.

Read the public environmental review documents
Make a submission