DAL - Environmental threats spotlighted, not necessarily protected

Nationally significant threatened animal species may live in areas across Phillip Island, which need to be protected through planning controls.

Meanwhile climate change poses a major threat to Phillip Island’s tourist attractions.

Those are the findings in supporting documents of the state government’s draft Bass Coast Statement of Planning Policy (SPP), currently out for community feedback until April 29.

However, commentators say their preliminary reading of the massive SPP document indicates while environmental concerns were highlighted, any “suggested” planning controls were not binding under planning rules.

Bass Coast Environmental Opportunities and Constraints Assessment, one of the SPP’s documents, examines the ecology of three study areas in the shire – Cape Woolamai, Newhaven and Grantville – and suggests what needs to be protected from future development.

The assessment found species such as the orange-bellied parrot, growling grass frog, and swamp antechinus were “likely to occur and make significant use” of these areas.

Eco Logical Australia (ELA) was engaged by the government to undertake the environmental study, examining areas including the Phillip Island Coastal Reserve adjacent to Phillip Island Road, Newhaven Swamp and the Cape Woolamai State Faunal Reserve.

It recommends that if urban development occurred around these environmentally sensitive areas there should be controls including buffer zones and a detailed ecological assessment. It also recommends domestic animal control in new settlement areas to reduce the risk of injury and death to native fauna.

“This may include prohibiting pet ownership, cat and dog curfews between dusk and dawn and on-leash areas for dogs on beaches,” the assessment states.

Island Voice’s Linda Marston said her early reading of the thousands of pages in the draft SPP was that not all recommendations were mandatory. “At this point it’s disappointing only the objectives in the draft are binding and the strategies are not,” she said, referring to the SPP’s supporting documents.

Climate change

The draft SPP details a range of other environmental issues, including climate change.

In coming years, the area is forecast to experience higher average temperatures, more extreme heat events, less rainfall, longer droughts, more frequent extreme storm and flood events and rising sea levels, which will increase coastal erosion and decrease water security.

It states increasing numbers of tourists combined with climate change will put greater demands on infrastructure and greater pressure on the environment “and the lifestyle that attracts visitors to the region”.

“The declared area’s coastal assets and attractions (such as the Phillip Island Penguin Parade) are major tourism drawcards that are threatened by climate change impacts: rising sea levels and extreme storm events in particular,” the SPP states.

However, the draft only offers suggested planning controls.

“To protect the local economy, management of these assets and attractions must include rehabilitating habitat, revegetating, controlling weeds, monitoring the health of wetlands and managing bushfire risk,” it states.

“Encourage tourism and commercial development to include net-zero carbon infrastructure (such as electric vehicle charging stations).”

By 2070, the vision for the Bass Coast is to have net-zero emissions, extensive revegetation, public transport investment, water conservation and adaptation to climate change.

“Settlement planning should direct development away from high-risk areas and include bushfire protection measures to reduce risks.”