Over 100 Canberrans rallied outside The ACT Legislative Assembly today, calling on the Government to Save Our Western Edge.
The ‘Western Edge’ is 9800 hectares, which contains beautiful and critically endangered ecosystems to the west of Canberra – bordered by the Murrumbidgee River and the regions of Weston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Belconnen. The ACT Government is currently ‘investigating’ this area for potential future suburban development, but community members are coming together to call on the Government to scrap these plans.
“Developing on the Western Edge would be an environmental catastrophe,” Conservation Council Executive Director Simon Copland said. “This is an area of significant environmental values, hosting endangered ecological communities and threatened native species.”
“While we understand that Canberra needs new housing, further sprawl is not the answer to this problem. Sprawl creates unsustainable, car-dependent and expensive suburbs. Canberra is the same geographical size as metropolitan London. We should not be further expanding, but instead look at gentle density as a way to house our future population.
Local ecologist Rainer Rehwinkel highlighted the ecological values of the area:
“The landscapes of the Western Edge are critical for ecological connectivity. The one currently formally reserved area in the landscape, Bluetts Block, is a focus for connectivity between the Western Edge and north Canberra, but development to its west will severely impact on these connectivity values.
“The landscape is habitat for critically endangered Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands and Natural Temperate Grassland. The landscape hosts such iconic species as Gang-gang Cockatoo, Superb Parrot, Scarlet Robin and Pink-tailed Worm Lizard, as well as less well known species such as White-winged Triller, Speckled Warbler and Flame Robin. Additionally parts of the Western Edge still support viable and productive agricultural landscapes. This brings into focus the critical importance of food security that has been highlighted during the current energy crisis.
“Bluetts Block is already providing a focus for nature-based recreation, but with the expanding suburbs in Molonglo, there will be a future need for even more areas where people can find respite in nature,” Rehwinkel concluded.
Simon Copland concluded by saying the time is now to stop this proposal and start planning for a more sustainable future for Canberra.
“One year ago, the ACT Government promised to set a hard urban boundary for the ACT. A year on, however, and Canberrans are still in the dark as to where this line will be drawn. While the ACT Government announced new policy direction on this issue today, we are calling for them to rule out development on the Western Edge and instead focus energies on how we can achieve sustainable infill in our city.
“We cannot sprawl forever, it’s bad for people and the planet, we must draw the line now.”
Images of the rally and recording of speeches are available here.