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Friends of Grasslands (FOG) and Conservation Council ACT Region (the Council) have today called on Federal Minister for the Environment, Tanya Plibersek, to rescue the Canberra Grassland Earless Dragons from the Canberra Airport Group (CAG) by revoking development approval of a road running from Fairbairn to the north of the Airport (see map below). This road will destroy essential habitat for the Dragon. When first approved in 2009, the road’s route went around significant habitat. 

President of FOG, Professor Jamie Pittock said “After 15 years it is time for the Federal Minister to kill off the “zombie” development approval for the proposed road around the north end of Canberra Airport. If built this road would slay Canberra’s Dragon.”

“In 2022, the Minister identified the reptile as one of 110 endangered species nationally to be recovered under her new Threatened Species Action Plan,” Pittock said 

At that time the Minister asked CAG to demonstrate the road could be built and operated without increasing the risk of extinction for the Dragon population, without destroying habitat that is critical to the Dragon’s survival. Instead, the proposal does the exact opposite.” 

Chief Executive of the Council Dr Simon Copland said: “Canberra Airport have had 15 years to demonstrate that they can build the road without slaying our Dragon. Enough is enough. It is time to cancel this approval.”

“Canberra Airport is home to one of just three Dragon populations known to remain on just 40 hectares of habitat in the Majura and Jerrabomberra valleys, in the eastern Australian Capital Territory and outskirts of Queanbeyan. The Dragons are charismatic small lizards that live in spider burrows in endangered natural temperate grassland ecosystems. They should be protected, not face extinction due to this unnecessary road.”  

Canberra Airport claim that the proposed new road is essential to their business. Professor Pittock said: “They have had 15 years to build the road but haven’t. Clearly the proposed road is not essential. The Federal Government should not allow this questionable, zombie approval to stand.”

Executive Director of the Conservation Council, Simon Copland; President of Friends of Grassland, Jamie Pittock, and our resident 'dragon', Matt Whitting, standing outside the proposed site for the North Canberra Airport Road. Photo: Hedda M. 

Executive Director of the Conservation Council, Simon Copland; President of Friends of Grassland, Jamie Pittock, and our resident ‘dragon’, Matt Whitting, standing outside the proposed site for the North Canberra Airport Road. Photo: Hedda M.

Background – the Dragon

The Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon (Tympanocryptis lineata) was only identified as a separate species in 2022, when taxonomists split the former (threatened) Grassland Earless Dragon into four species. The Canberra Dragon species is now only found on 40 hectares in three small locations in the eastern Australian Capital Territory.

Dragons are the ‘goldilocks’ indicator species for healthy grasslands as they need enough space between tussocks to hunt insects but also enough grass to hide from predators. This ‘just right’ grass cover is the ideal habitat for a number of endangered animal and wildflower species on natural grasslands.

Earless Dragon in grass. Photo: Bernd Gruber

Earless Dragon in grass. Photo: Bernd Gruber

Background – the Northern Road

In 2009, a delegate of then Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett granted a conditional approval to the Canberra Airport Group for its ‘Northern Road’. At the time, the road was approved to go around the habitat for a significant population of Dragons living on and adjacent to the Airport (see enclosed diagram). 

The condition said, before a final approval would be granted, a strategy was needed to demonstrate the road could be built and operated without increasing the risk of extinction for the Dragon population.

During the Black Summer in 2019 – 20, a fire burned near the southeast corner of the Airport. Canberra Airport Group went to the media saying the road needed to be “sorted out” for the safety of people working in Fairbairn. Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison got involved.

Five months later, in May 2020, a delegate of then Environment Minister Sussan Ley gave the final go-ahead. A more direct route was approved, right through the middle of the Dragons’ critical habitat. A strategy based on observations (labelled “equivalent research”) was approved. 

Incredibly, Dragon habitat was said to no longer exist between two parallel lines (see map) that today are the road reserve; yet, at the same time, the delegate accepted the road would not fragment the Dragons’ habitat. Both things cannot be true. The strategy that was approved does not account for the increased risk of Dragon mortality due to collisions.

In August 2022, the Federal Government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee published a consultation paper on a proposal to recognise there are not one but four species of Grassland Earless Dragons. Canberra Dragons occupy a small area centred on the Majura and Jerrabomberra valleys. There are just three small populations.

Based on this new information, in September 2022, Professor Pittock asked that the Northern Road approval be revoked on the basis the Canberra species is not, as previously thought, widely distributed with tens of populations. Since then, there has been a promise to re-examine the case.