Battlelines drawn to protect NT’s rural region
Water and lifestyle concerns are key as residents shape up for a fresh fight against a major development in rural Darwin — but will they be heard? LAUREN ROBERTS writes
Lifestyle
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THE battlelines have been drawn in Darwin’s sprawling rural area with infuriated residents fighting against a proposal to bring 4200 new properties to the bush.
Plans for Noonamah Ridge were first announced by Melbourne-based developer Intrapac in November 2014, and were met instantly with fierce opposition from rural residents.
But despite this, signs point to the major housing project progressing — and progressing fast.
“I have never met anyone, apart from interstate Intrapac employees, who support this development,” community advocate Pauline Cass claims.
The proposed site is about 36km southeast of Darwin and, if built, will include 4200 rural and lifestyle lots, a new local town centre and associated services and infrastructure.
If the development goes ahead as planned, the site will need to be rezoned from Zone R (rural) and RL (rural living) to a specific use zone — which allows for much smaller blocks.
In July 2016, Intrapac applied to rezone the land — an application which both Power and Water and the NT Environment Protection Authority refused to support.
However, in November this year, the NT EPA released its assessment report recommending approval of the Noonamah Ridge Estate proposal to forge ahead.
“We thought the Noonamah Ridge proposal had disappeared after the mountain of opposition it faced from residents and service providers at the rezoning hearing in July 2016,” Ms Cass says. “Noonamah Ridge is located in the midst of an established rural area.
“People have bought properties in this area with the understanding that it would retain its rural zoning and future developments would occur in the Weddell area.”
The area of Weddell is about 48km outside of Darwin, on the opposite side of the Stuart Hwy to the proposed Noonamah Ridge development.
Ms Cass says the community is frustrated the Noonamah project continues to push ahead despite opposition — while the Weddell site is left barren.
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A FACEBOOK group called ‘Say NO to Noonamah Ridge Estate’ has 298 current members, and was created by Noonamah resident Geoff Baker.
And the website’s creator remains adamant — the housing project will encroach on an otherwise unspoilt landscape.
“This is going to significantly impact us,” Mr Baker says.
“When we moved out here we moved out here to get away from all of it — we don’t want neighbours.”
Mr Baker says his main concern was the sustainability of water for the area. “It is not possible or sustainable for any of us to survive out her if they are drawing the bores,” he says. “There’s no bore issues in Weddell.”
Mr Baker has lived in the area since 1996, and says he knows the land “intimately”.
He believes the land on the proposed Noonamah Ridge Estate site isn’t appropriate for the development.
“It’s all swamp, or rocky ridges,” Mr Baker said.
“No-one’s going to buy them, because the land’s crap — it should be at Weddell.”
This appears to be a common mantra in the rural area.
The Weddell sentiments are echoed by local MLAs — independents Kezia Purick and Gerry Wood — who say if the development goes ahead as planned, the only appropriate place for it is Weddell.
If developers want to use the proposed Noonamah Ridge site, Mr Wood insists it needs to fit with the community’s rural lifestyle.
Ms Purick says it appeared the developer was committed to the project — but failed to appreciate or recognise opposition voiced by residents.
She too is worried about the sustainability of water, and the prospect of a sudden population influx of people to the area.
“I can’t understand why the government is so quiet on Weddell. Weddell was planned, it’s already got roads, power, water,” she says.
Lloyd Creek resident Emma Sharp’s fence backs onto the proposed Noonamah Ridge Estate site.
Similar to Mr Baker, Ms Sharp says the long-term sustainability of water in the area is her main concern.
“The development requires vast quantities of water to be pumped from groundwater bores, some to a central water tower-type storage, and many other bores for individual or shared properties,” Ms Sharp says.
“This will have an impact on the immediate surrounding area for water supply and quality for residents who have already paid a substantial amount of money to drill and maintain their own water supply.
“What happens to existing residents in the surrounding area who have already spent tens of thousands on supplying water to their homes independently, when water is no longer coming up from the ground and has literally ‘dried up’?
“They must spend big money to drill again, potentially deeper, with no guarantee they will find water.”
A Power and Water spokeswoman says the organisation is still working through issues flagged last year with Intrapac.
“Power and Water Corporation stated it would not support the planning application made on July 15, 2016 until a number of issues had been addressed relating to Power and Water’s requirements for water supply and sewerage services, including infrastructure and long-term development planning,” she says.
Ms Sharp, who attended the July meeting, says in the last 16 months, no one has reached out to residents to discuss potential water concerns.
“The developer often publishes updates stating they have consulted extensively within the community. I don’t feel this is the case,” she says.
“The issues with water supply and quality for existing residents has not been addressed appropriately to this day — water is essential for life, and access to clean, sustainable drinking water is every person’s right.”
Ms Sharp, unlike other rural residents, isn’t sure shifting the proposed development to Weddell is the answer.
“I understand it has been pushed for many, many years, however I feel there may be similar issues that could occur with this development also,” she notes. “I am not against developing the rural area in a sustainable and appropriate way, that considers the people, culture, environment, and wildlife of the surrounding area — this development has not done so.”
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IN July 2016, NT EPA’s then-chairman Bill Freeland said, given the information he had, he didn’t believe it was appropriate for the area to be rezoned.
Dr Freeland spoke at Intrapac’s rezoning application meeting, and said he was concerned about the fate of four threatened species in the area and the use of groundwater.
Last month, the NT EPA released its assessment report recommending approval of the Noonamah Ridge Estate proposal.
Current NT EPA chairman Dr Paul Vogel said it identified potentially significant environmental impacts and risks associated with the proposal.
The NT EPA made 11 recommendations to avoid and mitigate impacts.
“The key environmental factors considered in the report were: terrestrial flora and fauna, hydrological processes, inland water environmental quality, and social, economic and cultural surroundings,” Dr Vogel says.
“The NT EPA considers that provided the proposed recommendations are implemented the proposal would be environmentally acceptable.”
The NT EPA provided its assessment report to Intrapac and NT Environment Minister Lauren Moss for consideration.
The report has now also been passed on to the NT’s Planning Department, with the proposal to rezone the area still being looked over.
“Once assessed ... the proposal will be provided to the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (Nicole Manison) for determination,” a department spokesman says.
“The minister will then take into account all considerations, including the NT EPA report, feedback received from the community through the rezoning exhibition (by the previous minister), water science and increased demand for groundwater in the rural area.”
Ms Manison’s spokeswoman said the minister was yet to consider the Noonamah Ridge development proposal in full.
Intrapac Property chief operating officer Max Shifman says he’s happy to have received a recommendation from the NT EPA for the project to move ahead.
Mr Shifman says the organisation had spent four years conducting detailed technical investigations.
A timeline on Intrapac’s website indicate early works may begin in July 2018.
“We have previously held two community consultation sessions, attended by over 300 people, which provided vital feedback which has been incorporated into our masterplan,” he says.
“We are now working towards setting up an advisory committee for locals to be able to contribute to the next phases of the project, including designing the first stage.”
Mr Shifman didn’t answer direct questions about considering Weddell as a potential development site.
Dianne Tynan, who lives on Elizabeth Valley Rd, says she’ll be a 10 minute walk from the village centre of Noonamah Ridge it if goes ahead as planned.
“It makes me sick — we bought out here to live out here,” she said.
“It’s a bit of a worry that it just seems to be plugging along — with disregard for the feelings of the people that live out here.”
Ms Tynan says she wasn’t opposed to development, but the Noonamah Ridge development did not fit the rural lifestyle many moved out of the city to enjoy.
“It’ll be the suburbs — Palmerston living in the bush,” she says.
“I haven’t met anyone yet who lives out here that thinks it's a good idea.”
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