MORE than 25 residents from Greenbank and surrounding suburbs gathered to protest about the impending de-watering of a dam on the old Anderson farm to make way for a housing estate.
The 481 hectare site, on the corner of Greenbank Road and Teviot Road, will accommodate up to 3300 homes once complete.
The developers Mirvac set aside 85 hectares for conservation parkland, but this has not put the protester’s minds at ease about the potential impact on wildlife and environment.
Logan and Albert Conservation Society president and Munruben resident Anne Page said the voices of wildlife carers and concerned residents were being taken for granted.
“You can’t expect a site of 481 hectares to do the same job as 85 hectares,” she said.
“The ultimate development of this will have negative effects on the environment and community.
“The community has voiced concerns about this for a long time but we have been ignored. We get lip service and nothing else.”
Residents worry about the loss of an iconic body of water and the impact on affected fauna and wildlife.
Mirvac has the approvals it needs to proceed with the development. It describes in a fact sheet how a Department of Heritage and Environmental Protection accredited fauna spotter would relocate affected fauna to release sites that included Logan River and Oxley Creek.
Logan and Albert Conservation Society member and North Maclean resident Kathy Faldt said the results could be devastating if turtles, frogs, eels or other creatures from a still water system were moved to the running waters of Logan River and Oxley Creek.
“That will not work. It is as bad as killing them.”
Ms Faldt said it was too late to stop the development, but said the community would not let it proceed quietly.
“It is too late to stop the major development, however, what I am hoping it might achieve is to raise community awareness,” she said.
“We need to ask our politicians to keep us informed and engaged with this.”
Wildlife carer Alma Searle has expressed concerns for more than 60 species of animals she has seen in the area.
Flagstone wildlife carer Bob Wiley said he was impressed with the protest turnout.
“We will keep at it and let all developers know the community will not stand around and let things happen. We want to be heard,” he said.
“I’m thrilled with the number of people that turned up and the number of apologies I got from those who couldn’t turn up. We will continue to crank this up.”