‘Reduced to ash’: Council considers DA as eagle concerns raised

A council has considered a DA after allegations that a tree on a development was burned down with an eagle’s nest in it. LATEST. >>

A controversial development in Swansea has been knocked back by the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council.

The application, submitted by the owners of Milton Vineyard, proposed subdividing the land along the Tasman Highway at Swansea into four 100ha rural lots.

The balance would continue being used for the farm and Milton Vineyard and cellar door.

But representations against the development said a tree had been disposed of which housed a wedge tailed eagle’s nest – something the developer strongly denies.

Wedge-tailed eagle. Picture: Bronwyn Scanlon.

A spokesperson for the department of natural resources said it investigated the allegations, clearing the developer of wrong doing.

They said there was no evidence to substantiate the claim but that the nest had been submitted as a record to the natural values atlas, the state database on Tasmania’s natural values, but was never verified

Councillor Keith Breheny Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Councillor Keith Breheny said whether or not there was a nest was “practically irrelevant”, aside from one thing.

“Whether the tree has been removed or not and I’m certainly not making any comment about that, people can say what they like, if they have proof it’s fine, if they don’t have any proof, there’s no point,” Mr Breheny said in the meeting.

“But the fact is there was a notation on the natural values atlas of a wedge tailed eagles nest on this site, that would, if that is the case, preclude any development within sightline, within a distance of 500m anyway”

Developer accused of burning tree with eagle nest

A developer hoping to subdivide agricultural land has been accused of deliberately burning down a tree with an eagle’s nest in it.

The application, submitted by the owners of Milton Vineyard, would subdivide the land on the Tasman Highway at Swansea into four 100ha rural lots.

The balance would continue being used for the farm and Milton Vineyard and cellar door.

In the natural values report for the development, it was noted the eastern quoll and Tasmanian devil had been sighted within 500m of the property and that it was highly likely to contain suitable nesting and denning sites.

Milton Vineyard is located at 42 Degrees South on the dry sunny Freycinet Coast of Tasmania. Picture Rob Burnett

Wedge tailed eagles had been recorded within 5km of the proposed development area.

The report said the site did not have suitable nest trees and that there was no evidence of raptor nests or hollows for masked owls.

But representations against the development said there was one tree in particular which housed a raptor nest, which mysteriously disappeared.

“There is a recorded Wedge Tailed Eagle nest within the proposed subdivision area,” one representation said.

“We understand the tree which contained the nest has been destroyed recently and this is being investigated by the relevant authorities.”

The developer has denied the accusation.

Another said the proposal should be rejected, accusing the developer of disposing of the tree.

“About three weeks ago it was reported to us that this nest tree had been burnt down entirely,” the community member said in their representation.

Wedge-tailed Eagle. Picture: Mike Potter

“Just a single tree in isolation completely reduced to ash.”

Another representation expressed surprise the tree was not mentioned in the report.

“There seems to be blatant neglect of these natural values because a registered eagle’s nest has not been mentioned in the report,” it said.

“Even worse I am distressed to hear that this nest site has apparently now been entirely incinerated, in isolation of all the surrounding vegetation.

“Is this an attempt to downgrade natural values to ameliorate the subdivision process?”

A spokesperson for the department of natural resources said it investigated the allegations but despite the existence of the nest being reported to the department, the developer was cleared.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania received a complaint earlier this month that a tree near Swansea that contained an eagle’s nest had allegedly been burned,” the spokesperson said.

“The department’s investigations and enforcement section investigated the complaint but found no evidence to substantiate the claim.

“The nest had been submitted as a record to the natural values atlas, the state database on Tasmania’s natural values, but had not been verified.”

The DA will go before the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council on Tuesday.

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