Protesters vow to return to Lee Point after police clear DHA blockade

Protesters say they’ll be back at Lee Point after a day of protests at the controversial Defence housing project. SEE THE VIDEO.

Protesters have vowed to return to Lee Point after a day of demonstrations against a housing development in which three picketers were arrested.

Up to 50 protesters blockaded the entrance to the former CRU2 Defence facility at 577 Lee Point Road to stop Defence Housing Authority’s proposed 778 lot mixed-use development at the former Commonwealth site.

Critics of the project say it will damage ecosystems at Lee Point, that clearing at the site is unsustainable and will have lasting environmental impacts. They have accused DHA of breaching Section 2 of its application permit around implementation of a shorebird monitoring program and want the NT government to investigate.

Three protesters at the site of Defence Housing Australia's development site in Lee Point were arrested. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Dr Amanda Lilleyman, an ornithologist, said protesters stopped earth-clearing machinery in the site before the blockade was eventually cleared by police and the equipment moved in.

Dr Lilleyman said the protesters wanted sustainable development around and preservation of the biodiversity precinct that links Lee Point with Casuarina coastal reserve and for the proposed development to be relocated.

A woman is loaded into the back of a police vehicle. Picture: Sierra Haigh

“The Northcrest estate already has services in and cleared blocks and it has not been fully developed. There’s been blocks sitting empty for five years,” she said.

Dr Lilleyman said protests would continue but declined to say in what form.

Protesters at Lee Point listed environmental and cultural reasons for their objections.

Tanya Hasse said she and her daughter bird watched at Lee Point.

Louis Boyle-Bryant protested for more than an hour at the site of Defence Housing Australia's development site in Lee Point. Picture: Sierra Haigh

“It’s a lovely thing to do with my girls, and I’m really sad that that will be gone,” she said.

Louis Boyle-Bryant said changes made by the federal government to mitigate damage at Lee Point did not go far enough.

“I just think it’s a crying shame that this government can claim to be protecting the species and taking action on protecting threatened species and at the same time greenlight the bulldozing of habitat, which they know is home to threatened species,” he said.

Tracey Farrar said her family has been accessing Lee Point for decades and the development would break that connection.

“My ancestors have been coming to this area for at least 60 years, the precious species are going to be destroyed,” she said. “I don’t believe that our residents, Planning Action Network, the Larrakia people, the City of Darwin and a majority of people have not been heard.

“We just implore our ministers and our politicians to listen.”

NT Police struggle to get crowds of protestors under control at the site of Defence Housing Australia's development site in Lee Point. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Residential development at Lee Point was first approved in 2015 and objections to the development began to emerge two years later.

Despite calls for change successive federal governments have ignored protests against the project, but this changed last year with the arrival of the Gouldian finch at the site.

A new wave of protests kicked off soon after and Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek shut down the project without telling the NT government in September for further consultation.

A 63-year-old woman is handcuffed by police. Picture: Sierra Haigh

She announced a revised plan for the Lee Point project last month.

Police said three people have been arrested for blocking the entrance to the work site. They will each be issued with an infringement notice for cease to loiter and have been released from police custody.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the Commonwealth had reviewed the project through the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

“Defence were always clear that they would need it for housing and for over a decade have identified that as a site for a housing project, which they are leading,” Ms Fyles said.

“But it is not only providing Defence housing but there is the opportunity for Territorians to buy houses there.”

Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlewaite said the Commonwealth had introduced biodiversity corridors at the site after an intervention by Federal Member for Solomon Luke Gosling.