The commonwealth has yet to decide on the future of the Lee Point housing project

The federal government is continuing to hold up a significant Northern Territory residential development as it impinges on the habitat of a colourful native bird.

The federal department responsible for the environment is still assessing the viability of the Defence Housing Authority’s Lee Point development.

Six-months after the NT News first reported the project had been halted following the arrival at Lee Point of the Gouldian finch, a review into the development remains under way.

The multi-coloured bird’s conservation status is near threatened, with its population defined as stable.

This publication has obtained a letter dated February 14 sent by an officer from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in Canberra to NT resident Brittany Hayward-Brown, convenor of BirdLife Top End, confirming the review into the project was ongoing.

A sun-kissed evening at Lee Point Beach where the finch resides. Picture: Pamintha Rathnayake.

Ms Hayward-Brown wrote to the Department on September 18, 2022 seeking clarity around the Lee Point project.

The bureaucrat’s letter, which references Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, said the DHA had received approval in 2018 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to construct “the master-planned urban development” at Lee Point.

The second stage of DHA’s Lee Point development involved clearing 130ha of land to construct about 780 homes at the site.

The approval was granted pending a comprehensive assessment process and was “subject to conditions to mitigate and manage the impacts of this approved development to the environment and its values”.

It said this included “migratory species”.

Gouldian finches getting their fill. Picture: Graeme Sawyer

The letter said the department “has received several items of correspondence regarding the presence of the Gouldian finch at Lee Point, and the impacts the development may have on this species and migratory shorebirds in the surrounding area”.

“The department is carefully reviewing all available information in relation (to) this matter, including the results of additional surveys for Gouldian finch in the development area commissioned by DHA,” the correspondence said.

Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek will be advised about the development. Picture: Gary Ramage

“The department will provide Minister Plibersek with advice on an appropriate response in due course.

“DHA has agreed to suspend clearing of Gouldian finch habitat in the development area until the department’s assessment is complete.”

Ms Hayward-Brown welcomed the suspension of works.

She said the arrival of the Gouldian finch “is a special occurrence” for Darwin’s northern suburbs and was a magnet for birdwatchers.

“We look forward to this matter being resolved in favour of the community and recognising the special social, avi-tourism and ecological values of the site.”

She called for DHA to release the methodology that will be used to underpin the additional surveys “to ensure compliance with best practice” and to ensure they are “capturing accurate information”.

Protests against the development began soon after approvals were finalised and their intensity increased with the arrival of the Gouldian finch, with the first sightings of the bird at Lee Point in 2022.

The impact of the bird on the development earned it a Top 10 berth in NT News’ most powerful list for 2022.

The NT government was blindsided by the decision to suspend the Lee Point development and did not respond to a request for comment.