THE plan to drain and fill the agricultural dam at the corner of Teviot Road and Greenbank Road, Greenbank, has sparked widespread community concern, not only about the wildlife reliant on the body of water, but also the impact the loss of the dam will have on the region.
Logan City Council Division 11 Councillor Trevina Schwarz has lived in the region for 30 years, and she spoke to the Times this week about her reaction to the plan by developer Mirvac to build up to 3300 residential homes on the site.
“It is an iconic landmark, and the Anderson’s property is an absolutely beautiful property,” she said.
“Mr Anderson regularly let me and some friends ride through there and take our horses for a swim in the dam.
“His old grey horse used to be in the dam regularly, eating the lilies out of the middle.
“It’s a beautiful place to be and it’s very, very sad the developers want to sell that end for development.”
Environmental values
According to Cr Schwarz, there are many facets to the development that she brought to Mirvac’s attention.
“Everyone knows the dam. It’s been around since the 1950s, so for many people it’s been there their whole lifetime. The environmental values would be immense,” she said.
“Council doesn’t have any control over the environmental significance, because it is a state government development.
“The developer is well aware of my sentiments and my thoughts surrounding the dam, and my passion to protect it. They have been very forthcoming with me, but unfortunately it appears they still want to proceed with the plan for filling the dam in.”
Cr Schwarz said the believed Mirvac was aware that the dam is quite a sensitive topic with the community.
“I do have to commend them for that, but ultimately I do want to preserve and protect that land. It’s a prime location. I greatly believe it would be advantageous for a high-profile park that would benefit the community and the environment, and the development.”
Councillor Schwarz said she was “deeply upset” about the prospect of the dam being destroyed.
“I believe they should reconsider those options.”
Undoing the decades
According to Cr Schwarz, Mirvac has plans for a waterway area at the site.
“In all honesty, it’s a drainage reserve that they’ll be creating to support their development, but I don’t believe they’ll be maintaining the existing dams in the form that they’re in,” she said.
“I think it’s very difficult to recreate something that’s been in existence for sixty to seventy years, let’s just be frank about that.”
Cr Schwarz said it’s possible some wildlife will relocate and risk being killed on adjacent roads, and she underlined that legislation does require wildlife spotters to attend the fauna at the dam prior to the draining.
“But there is no way any legislation can protect the undoing of sixty to seventy years,” she said.
“Council doesn’t have any jurisdiction or powers to do anything about it. Mirvac have taken the community on numerous engagement processes, and I think the community has spoken loud and clear about their sentiments.
“Mirvac, I believe, should listen to the community on this and protect and preserve that particular dam in honour of the community, I think that would be the right thing to do.”
