Landmark rally in WA’s longest battle

A large rally is being planned in Mundaring on Sunday February 5 following the anticipated release – in early February – of an amended Satterley proposal to create a townsite for more than 4,000 in an Extreme Bushfire Zone in North Stoneville.

If, like many Hills residents, you’ve followed WA’s longest running local community battle – that pitches North Stoneville residents against Australia’s biggest land developer – you’ll want to be at a Save Perth Hills Rally advertised in this issue. “If approved this plan will open up urbanisation of our Hills. North Parkerville is next – and on it will go…” warns a poster for the rally at which speakers include Greens founder Bob Brown.

The Satterley proposal to urbanise 555-hectares of bush/forest/ rural land (owned by the Anglican Perth Diocese) has previously been comprehensively rejected by the community, Mundaring Shire, the WA Planning Commission, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, but the developer has appealed to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

Save Perth Hills Chair, Peter Brazier, said the community will be urged to ‘Say No - Again’ because there can be no compromise on any urban plan that knowingly puts thousands in harm’s way. “We remain opposed to urbanisation of the ‘North Stoneville’ land given increasing bushfire risks, and the permanent and proven Extreme Bushfire Zone surrounding the site, which includes ember-attack reach of John Forrest National Park,” he said. “Additionally, on Satterley’s estimates, huge volumes of extra traffic would be generated … including 11,000 extra traffic movements on Stoneville Road every day, and increased traffic down Brooking Road, both of which feed onto Great Eastern Highway.

“We call on our Community to please join SPH on February 5 for an hour, and then to ‘Say No – Again’ when public submissions open in February. We are hoping for at least 1000 submissions against the revised plan from the community - that is one of the prime purposes of the Rally.”

Save Perth Hills will be at the first meeting this year of the Darlington Ratepayers and Residents Association at Darlington Hall on Thursday February 9 at 7.30pm.

SPH says the North Stoneville site is rated ‘high to excellent conservation’ value and that Satterley wants to bulldoze more than 200-hectares, including the clear-felling up to 60,000 trees, home to Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered Black Cockatoos, and other Endangered Hills’ wildlife. One of the speakers will be endangered bird expert Simon Cherriman.

Stoneville-Parkerville Progress Association President Jo Sheil says Satterley’s timing of the amended plan is insulting to the local community. “Satterley’s intention to re-launch this plan on January 31, at the height of our bushfire season, and on the eve of the second anniversary of the Wooroloo Bushfires, illustrates a complete lack of understanding of our community’s bushfire risks and realities.”

The Rally at Mundaring Sculpture Park is at 10am. There is more info on the SPH website: www.saveperthhills.net

Bridge Club

Welcome to our new Review member, Glen Forrest Bridge Club. People in Darlington and surrounds who are keen to play, or learn to play, may now attend Glen Forrest or Kalamunda Bridge clubs.

A study at the University of Stirling in Scotland concluded that playing bridge keeps people smarter, happier and more social and that people who played bridge had higher levels of wellbeing than those that didn’t. So please read their notes to find the times and days that you might attend!

Another new Review member

Welcome to Tania Lawrence our Federal MP for Hasluck, an already familiar face who resides in the Hills and attends Darlington local events such as Darlington Arts Festival.