Property developer Peter Wu apologises in court for destroying native Truganina grasslands

A property developer involved in destroying 19ha of native grasslands in Truganina has apologised in court for ruining the protected area with asbestos contaminated soil.

Soil covers land previously home to native grasslands at a conservation site in Truganina. Picture: Adrian Marshall

A property developer involved in destroying 19ha of native grasslands in Truganina has apologised in court for ruining the protected area with asbestos contaminated soil.

Peter Wu and his company Centrelands Agriculture Pty Ltd, who owns the land, pleaded guilty to damaging the grasslands in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

In December 2021, Wu asked contractor Adam Ibrihim to work on clearing a fire path for vehicles on his Mt Atkinson Rd property.

The native grasslands on the property have been completely destroyed by the asbestos contaminated fill. Picture: Adrian Marshall

Ibrihim, who owned a demolition and excavation business before it went into liquidation in April 2023, took it upon himself to level a 19ha area of the property by scraping and filling the area with soil.

Wu told the court Ibrihim initially levelled the area without his knowledge and continued to destroy the area even after Mr Wu instructed him not to.

He also apologised for the destruction and said he was “incredibly embarrassed and ashamed”.

Seeds and weeds from the fill have rooted in the native grasslands. Picture: Adrian Marshall

Melton City Council told the court the 19ha of the “pristine” native kangaroo grass had been completely destroyed by the fill and soil dumping due to the fill being contaminated with asbestos from building rubble.

Seeds and weeds in the fill had also taken hold in the grassland, which further destroyed any chance the grassland could be recovered.

Wu was fined $70,000 and his company was fined $100,000 for their offending.

Neither Wu or his company was convicted.

They were also ordered to pay $90,000 in costs to Melton City Council.

Ibrahim was previously fined $150,000 when he pleaded guilty to the destruction in June last year.