We hear about these dreadful things that are happening in our world  – fires, floods,  droughts,  earthquakes,  war,   oil / gas disasters, species extinction, habitat loss,  increasing pollutions and nuclear threat, but often, we are so busy in our own little world, that all these things seem far away from the safety of our homes here.  Living safely in our homes, we also forget that there are many homeless families and individuals in Australia.

Homeless Persons’ Legal Service .

youhaveafriend.org.au – sign the petition here to help the Tweed get a drop in centre for homeless people. The Tweed district has the highest per capita homeless rate in NSW, Australia. “homeless forced to camp on the street” article in Tweed Shire Echo 7th October 2010

The ACE Study – “Bridging the gap between childhood trauma and negative consequences later in life” Adverse Childhood Experiences Study & Score

Public Interest Advocacy Centre :- “The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is an independent, non-profit law and policy organisation that works for a fair, just and democratic society, empowering citizens, consumers and communities by taking strategic action on public interest issues. “

Below is a poem about a mother and her young son. In the poem, the mother is looking after her son with love and care, teaching him all she knows…..but harsh circumstances prevail  upon her and and, uprooted from her home, she endeavours to find a new place to live with her son….

I will protect you and teach you……..

(an environmental advocacy  poem )

“For you, little young one, as you sleep with your dreams
cradled in arms of protection, it seems
that your future on earth faces heat, drought and less
than the past futures made by “them” leaving this mess.”

“I cry for your children, your hopes dreams and cares
As mysterious moneymen count ill gotten fares.
The userers wallow in time stole from you
Masked wasters of life , toxic moneys accrued.”

“You stir as  the night owl glides from its tree
And the howling of dogs surrounds you and me
My arms close  about you, ancestral strength
I’ll protect you and feed you,  I’ll teach you at length”

“Now waken my dear one, the night closes in
And it’s time that we moved through this forest -so thin
We’ll find a tall tree where the shelter is safe
To keep us till morn – ”

They moved on in good faith.

Following tracks, the mother  showed son
what she’d learnt and had followed when she had been young
But tracks, trees and wetlands – were now tarred concrete
It went on for miles,  it hurt their bare feet.

“For you, my dear young one, hold fast on my back
I promised to lead you, but I’ve lost my old track
The morning approaches, dogs bark -  so near
My darling – please waken – I smell a great fear”

The mother and child then ran for their lives
straddling a fence and cut by the wires.
The fierce dogs chased them and hounded them hard
as a tall tree loomed up – unfenced in its yard

Scrambling treeward  they climbed, then looked down
three dogs barked out loudly with dark dogged frown
Up in the tree, confused,  bleary eyed
Mother cradled her child -  with full strength of the wild.

.  … ….    ….   .   ….    …. …  .

It was a crisp winter’s morning……..a young child woke up and looked out of her window.

(She had woken suddenly from a nightmare, where, as she played in a faery glade,  large fierce dogs came to attack her.  In her dream, she had run into a tall building where smiling business suited men , dripping with oil and tar, offered her suitcases filled with plastic money . )

The young child cried out to her mother,  “Oh Mother – look see – a Koala is in our tree!! Oh, Mama, I think it has a baby with it!!!”

Concreting the Coastal 2003 : Clearing and Development Pressures on the NSW Coast 2003 Total Environment Centre PDF – this compiled resource by the TOTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE show problematic development, land clearing activity, approvals and proposals in coastal nsw 2002 -2003. It looks at the larger, more controversial, uncompleted developments at that time – (not the smaller, under the radar ones, nor the already completed ones). This is an excellent recent historic resource.

“I will Jail you and Feed you” – Balance of Faeries article at bluecray.wordpress.com – includes links to help you understand SEPP’s for NSW Koala Plan of Management.

Clearing the habit of Habitat Clearing .

“Koala warning ignored in assessment” article at Tweed Shire Echo 30th September 2010 which states:- “A draft habitat study which warned about the plight of the Tweed’s dwindling koala population had been kept secret by Tweed Council while the state government assessed the controversial township of Kings Forest which it recently approved”

SEPP 44 koala plan of management – search results bluecray environmental search

State Environmental Planning Policy 44 - Koala Plan of Management – NSW  Consolidated Regulations

Below is some Koala Legislation, policy, koala advocacy, habitat management information for NE NSW and SE QLD, Australia:-

(not exhaustive, but includes links to some current (2010)  ways in which the governments of Australia steer people and their industries  to save the Koala on the east coast of Australia from increasingly localised Extinction -  habitat clearing and koala corridor destruction-  death and illness.)

• Spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat use by koalas: the checkerboard model .   William A.H. Ellis, Alistair Melzer, Fred B. Berkovitch  Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology Volume 63, number 8,1181-1188, DOI: 10.1007/s00265-009-0761-2.           find at http://cat.inist.fr/ or   SpringerLink .  Published online 31st March 2009 – the keywords are :-  foraging strategies , koalas , phascolarctos, resource use, spatial ecology, home range.

• Bluecray now has a number of Koala Articles and LINKS to Koala info, and so searching the KEYWORDS and using the Bluecray Environmental Search Engine may turn up more info to help you understand.

joint submission prepared by the North Coast Environment Council and the NSW Nature Conservation Council:- Re: Phascolarctos cinereus (Koala) – Assessment of Koala’s eligibility for listing as a threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) EPBC Act nomination to list as a threatened species , ( link disappeared!.. like the Koala?)  at Australian Government Department of  the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts.  FIND  the KOALA info the Australian Government makes available…..

by searching for KOALA listings  at the Australian Government Department of  the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts.

• Threatened Species Scientific Committee assessment of the koala – Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett Interview with Annie Gaffney ABC Sunshine and Cooloola Coasts         25 May 2010

NCC of NSW = Nature Conservation Council of NSW – their Assessment of Koala’s eligibility for listing as a threatened species under EPBC Act 16th June 2010

KOALA at Qld Government Department of Environment and Resource Management .

KOALA Response Strategy at Qld Government Department of Environment and Resource Management – this link has the following information, mostly  in PDF format :-

• South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision

• State Planning Policy 2/10: Koala Conservation in South East Queensland

• Offsets for Net Gain of Koala Habitat in South East Queensland Policy

There is also the following information:-

• The  State Government Supported Community Infrastructure Koala Conservation Policy .
• Koala Habitat Mapping .  This section deals with the 2009 SEQ Koala Habitat Values Assessment map & the GHD Report: SEQ Koala Habitat Assessment and Mapping Project .
• Koala Habitat Programs :- This Koala Habitat Program is focusing on the Koala Nature Refuges Program.

I am not sure as to what “on the ground IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS ” to the plight of the Koala all these initiatives are creating.

The information about koala habitats and the capacity to create useful extension tools and outreach programs for KOALA GUARDIANS and koala future wellbeing has been about for decades. Whilst new techniques, scientific studies and all typesof “credentialled experts” and authentic Koala HABITAT guardians have contributed to this “new approach” from the Qld Government, the fact remains that Koalas are and HAVE disappeared from many KOALA HABITAT areas in SE QLD and NE NSW. KOALAS are, right NOW, and in the near forseeable future, GREATLY AT RISK

The above poem about habitat destruction and its consequences on wildlife mothers and their young shows us that the education of young wildlife by their parents can be very stressful in a constantly changing environment. This is especially so when the native fauna habitat is destroyed or altered dramatically. Non environmentally sustainable development and its related infrastructure nightmare in SE QLD and NE NSW are two of the many factors destroying habitat for native Australian wildlife.

BIODIVERSITY LINKS : -  some useful  links for Biodiversity, Flora, Fauna, Koalas, Ecology and Catchment Management  (NE NSW and SE QLD – Mt Warning Caldera Region)

Animal Law Centre :- nice animal advocacy site – giving an overview of Animal Law in Australia – references and links to Australian and State legislation. Includes animal law and the Australian Constitution, enforcements and threatened species laws in Australian States

KOALA SCHOOL

Biodiversity Certification :  enabling ” local government in areas with high development pressure to provide for the protection of biodiversity, including threatened species at the strategic planning stage. These are likely to be mainly urban and coastal areas.

Certification can switch off the need for threatened species assessment under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, providing more certainty for local government, development applicants and other stakeholders. Biodiversity must be improved or maintained for certification to be conferred. ” from environment.nsw.gov.au  – biodiversity certification”

More plans, more paperwork, more “expert opinion” and re-hashing of studies, more re-arrangements of habitats and ecosystems to justify heavy machinery handling and toxic lifestyles???? hard to say, but more than likely it is going to be the same as it always is……. better to focus on education of our young in environmentally friendly ways of living… then, instead of  regulations, paperworks, endless time and money spent on professional “spin”, people may just end up walking gently with the earth….

PLANNING GUIDELINES FOR KOALA CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY – C McAlpine – 2007:- search results bluecray environmental search engine

Advocacy for Animals at Encyclopaedia Britannica and Kangaroo Culling .

Wildife – Native Australian Wildlife Advocacy at (We)  can do better .

Meanwhile, at Kingscliff,NE NSW:-  large developments (that will further fragment our native wildlife habitats) are planned nearby (Kings Forest, Cobaki Lakes ) and the sea is moving inwards – “Hungry Mother Nature bares her teeth” -  infrastructure damage at Kingscliff on the NSW North Coast -  by coastal erosion (2010): SMH article by Saffron Howden

Kingscliff battles beach erosion (story 11th august 2010):- at ABC local + other local beach coastal erosion stories from NE NSW (Tweed and Byron shires)

the above environmental advocacy images by al at bluecray

Tread lightly, honour the earth – it is the only home we have.

..                             and now,

for some philosophical freedom food

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blogs + philosophy + podcast+ videos +philosophical conversations….

“The Bomb in the Brain”

Human Contraptions: Episode Guide - “Academy Award-winning animator and political cartoonist Bruce Petty takes us on an anarchic journey for five minutes each” topic.

Ideas Serving Knowledge and Vision .  Some astrobabble for the anarchist – Includes Australian Federation Astrological Chart.

The EDO (Environmental Defenders)  has highlighted that  Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 has resulted in “The limited capacity for members of the community, or even other environmental agencies, to have their voice heard and the reduced rights to seek justice in the Land and Environment Court also suggest that the NSW Government considers that development ranks ahead of the environment, whether that development is sustainable or not”.

It is interesting to think that government decisions that condone inappropriate, non sustainable engineering would exist today given that so much law is being created, money and effort being spent in preserving our crisis ridden environment and its critical disappearance of biodiverse habitats.

I should think that, if one NSW Government Minister/ Director General has the right to veto or modify or condone non sustainable development  at Kings Forest, then this can happen anywhere in the State of NSW.  What will this upcoming decision mean for NSW?  - for Australia? – for the biodiversity of the world?

Stateline NSW : “NSW planning laws under further scrutiny” 2nd Oct. 2009 and the Stateline NSW archive .

Well, if the Minister/Director General vetos, halts or otherwise restricts development in Kings Forest, then State Significant Sites, such as Kings Forest will remain that – Significant.

A precautionary word here.  Should the Minister/Director General and hence, NSW Government, chose to let inappropriate and very damaging land clearing, habitat destruction and inappropriate residential development occur, then clearly, will it be those individuals who are directly responsible for the damage?

Where does the legal responsibility lie here?  How do courts even manage to test this case, if it is not able to be tested in a court of law? Where does the responsibility lie? If not in the courts, does this mean that it is the direct responsibility of the Minister/Director General  alone?

And what type of government is not accountable to the people who elected it?  Surely this NSW Government is accountable somewhere, for it’s development approval decisions.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine
• Duty of care and the precautionary principle : search results at bluecray environmental search engine.

Development is something that will always occur, given the social and economic structure of the world. Developers will always be part of this society and economy, as it goes. Not all developments are “bad”, non sustainable or destructive to the environment.

The Kings Forest Residential Development  ( Tweed Shire ), as seen by the planning documents, is extremely inappropriate and threatening to already threatened species.  The Kings Forest Residential Development, as stands, IS indeed potentially very damaging.  21 threatened species, their restricted and already fragmented habitats, their vulnerability, their capacity to survive intense non sustainable development practices testify to this.

The Kings Forest planning documents show little ” fact”  to convince me that sustainable outcomes (for those 21 species of  threatened native fauna and the vital part they play in the fragile network of threatened species within the NE NSW Region and Mt Warning Caldera Region) will be realised by such a development. This development is on a large scale. Kings Forest IS a State Significant Site. It contains a very large number of threatened species in an already fragmented habitat situation.

Development assurances only on paper, caring “motherhood statements” by developer paid consultants, inability to have standard legal avenues open to protect and advocate for these threatened species – all these things need to be addressed.

The   Caldera Environment Centre in NE NSW, Australia shows insights,  in their submission to the NSW Government and objection to the planned Kings Forest and Cobakai Lakes Development , summing up  the King’s Forest Project situation very clearly. You should have a read of this Submission HERE.

Kings Forest is a powerful place, and development within this area has been historically hard to implement.

The Australian Government, in its wisdom, chose to not list the Koala as a threatened species, although documents show that the Koala is increasingly under pressure within the North Coast region of NSW.  Why did Australia chose to be part of the Agenda 21?

Kings Forest is  a powerful place. Generations of spiritual  guardians, and land custodians have held this place in a natural heritage beauty and sustainable biodiverse capacity and resilience for thousands of years.  The taking away of even small biodiverse components from an area, so fragmented and isolated now, and, as other developments increase within and about it, will result in an immediate lack of biodiversity and cultural heritage significance.

However, I suspect, that bigger wheels are in play here. And while the big wheels of government and money turn powerfully, the biggest wheel of all is nature.

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act1979 – New South Wales Consolidated Acts at AustLII (Australasian Legal Information Institute - A joint facility of UTS and UNSW Faculties of Law)

News Article referring to Kings Beach Development Proposal as a “world standard” environmental management plan by Leda Development’s Regional Manager- Mr Van Rij , December 2008

Ecological communities - their importance, linking, laws, learning at NSW Government of Environment & Climate Change – Threatened Species & Ecological Communities

“A preliminary investigation of the distribution of koalas and their potential habitat in the Tweed Shire, and implications for management”  by Judy Faulks . Find article at – Australian Zoologist, June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2)

search for  Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search

Ian Cohen media release :Kings Forest 11th March 2010

Engineering and developments that cause land to become bare, vegetation to become fragmented and biodiversity to lessen for long, or even relatively short periods of time hold no place in this modern world of stress and foreseeable biological disaster.

The precautionary principle,  “Where the possibility exists of serious or irreversible harm, lack of scientific certainty should not preclude cautious action by decision-makers to prevent such harm. Management needs to anticipate the possibility of ecological damage, rather than react to it as it occurs”, is one legal principle that can lead to Courts helping biodiversity being saved in a region.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine
• Duty of care and the precautionary principle : search results at bluecray environmental search engine.

However, it is up to each and every individual to work to help this planet today. Development Groups such as Leda make much money from large scale development at the cost to nature, valuable regional resources and biodiversity health, well being and sustainability of natural resources. This type of development (Kings Forest Residential Project)  flies in the face of current government trends to create policy and Australian and Global legal treaties to protect biodiversity at a regional level.

Little Bat finds NE NSW Coast Lifestyle, near Kings Forest to much to survive in

This little Bat in the above photo is a consequence of development – dead on the doorstep of a duplex in the housing development west of Pottsville, Tweed Shire. With 21 threatened fauna species threatened even more byLeda and the development proposed, what will be the costs, if all that stands between them, and survival, is documents written, verbal provisions made and “intentions”  outlined, when the bulldozers and engineering machinery move into Kings Forest and further develop this area?

Bluecray – previous article on Kingscliff – Kings Forest Development by Leda

Kings Forest Kingscliff  Tweed Development Planning Documents for perusal and comment ( due 2nd March 2009)

Development project threatens second largest Koala Colony in Tweed Shire - candobetter.org ** this is a good article to help you understand this development, with contact details for the project and some great Koala info

Australian Native Vegetation Policies at Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts – “This Framework is a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments, and is designed to provide a mechanism through which the native vegetation management commitments agreed to by all Australian governments can be progressed.” - 2001, the Native Vegetation Framework or NVF

NSW Woody Vegetation Change Report 2006-2007 Google HTML Doc of PDF Report at   NSW Government Department of Environment & Climate Change (Native Vegetation Management : Information Sheets & Publications)

Friends of the Koala – article about Kings Forest Development and Koala Concerns in the Far North Coaster online (Online Magazine for Far North Coast of NSW)

Sydney Morning Herald article –  an  historical news item re Kings Forest (November 8th, 2004) – “Development yeilds nothing but a crop of Litigation” by Anne Davies

• Some Australian Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search

Below are a few more threatened species that will suffer from the increasing non-sustainable development on the Tweed Coast:-

Rose-crowned Fruit- Dove (Ptilinopus regina) – and images .

Grass Owl (Tyto capensis) – and images

Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) – and images

Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis) – and images.

Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus ) – and images .

Bush stone-curlew  (Burhinus grallarius) (Aust. Govt) and at NSW Govt- and images .

Bush-hen (Amaurornis olivaceus) – and images .

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) – and images .

Eastern False Pipistrelle (Falsistrellus tasmaniensis) – and images .

Yellow-bellied sheathtail Bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris) – and images .

Common blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis) - and images .

Common Planigale (Planigale maculata) -  and images .

Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) – and images .

Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica) – and images .

Grey-headed flying-fox(Pteropus poliocephalus) and images .

Olongburra Frog (Litoria olongburensis) and images .

Wallum Froglet (Crinia tinnula) and images .

Glossy Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) and images .

ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY : Coastal Cypress Pine Forest (Callitris columellaris Forest) ****ENDANGERED****- and images

There are many more species threatened by this development (State Significant Site under the NSW planning law and Part 3A), and the developments that have already been occurring on the Tweed Coast. The above list is incomplete, but will give you an indication of what type of losses can occur, should this development be allowed by the Director General and Minister for Planning in NSW.

**FOR People wishing to find useful community submission information please see this article: – January 2012 SUBMISSIONS for Kings Forest INFORMATION**

Acid Sulfate Soils Background Information

• ACID SULFATE SOILS are a component of the Kings Forest Project Development, Kingscliff. I have recently added some ACID SULFATE SOIL (ASS) links in bluecray’s  Ecosystems Links PAGE . 

I have recently (Dec. 2011 – Jan 2012) updated some of this article, to include more specific points regarding this highly environmentally degrading development that should have never, in the first place been allowed, in its current form,  by the Australian Government, NSW LABOUR Government and the Tweed Shire Council.

Kings Forest Proposal and Submission Information

• The Proposal Information and ongoing submission stages of this State Significant Site can be found at:- http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au.
• The Caldera Environment Centre has valuable information for any person wishing to make submissions on this ecologically degrading and shameful Part 3A development that is occurring in the Wetland Catchment Area of the Tweed Coast. (December 2011)
• Kings Forest Submissions 2012 – article at bluecray.org – helpful community submission information
• Australian Government’s Ecologically Sustainable Development website and information about Ecologically Sustainable Development

below are some  other bluecray articles regarding this Kings Forest Development and the surrounding / adjacent areas:-

• Kings Forest Investment Property – Wetland Habitat Destruction on the Tweed Coast (bluecray’s article on Kings Forest (25th Dec. 2011)
• Illegal Clearing Cudgen Nature Reserve – a balance of faeries revisited (17th Nov. 2011)
• Kings forest development threatens 21 threatened species of fauna (28th Feb. 2009) - this article gives a list of some of the Threatened Species at risk from this non ecologically sustainable, intense development. Bluecray recommends that this Kings forest development should have detailed species (for flora and fauna and ecological communities) “management” plans, for each and every species and community that is under threat from this development. Bluecray also recommends that on site monitoring and ongoing evaluations by local wildlife and vegetation / ecological “experts” should be included in every stage of this development. this should be done at the cost to Leda (the developers).
• Endangered Ecological Community and Kings Forest Development, Tweed Coast, NE NSW. (7th Oct. 2009)  (this is one of the ecological communities of the Tweed area that is NOT considered in any of the plans – due to timing of its listing)

** A NOTE to the thousands of readers who have visited or are currently visiting bluecray’s articles on KINGS FOREST, Kingscliff, Tweed Shire. ( 12th December 2011) , cheers, Alison Polistchuk 

• **Due to the ongoing ignorant and at times ruthless battle that is stirring concerning the Kings FOREST KOALAS and other  Endangered (threatened species), the CONTINUED degradation of Australia’s disappearing wetlands,  and lack of care by individuals & corporate entities towards the people of  NE NSW and SE QLD:-  bluecray has decided to tag, point out and consolidate historical investigations, documents, and evidence. (oh, and by the way, I suggest to any that may be involved in considering threat /nuisance toward both bluecray and the author, that there are, as I write, higher entities concerned, who are watching.) Please, to ALL involved…. why not stay in the light, work with creative love and integrity! When under pressure, creative loving educational solutions are much stronger, than brute force, ignorance, back room agendas and subversive threats and bullying tactics.  

If you are searching for information that may be helpful in EDUCATING  Tweed Shire Councillors , individual men and women running and employed by (either directly or indirectly) the Leda (property development group) and the NSW Government, try searching for “ESD Strategies at the Local Government Level”  (environment 21) . This will lead you to a  a Case Study of the City of Newcastle by Darren McKay and Ray Rauscher from the University of Newcastle. This document is a good recent historical educational study on ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT as conducted via international agreements, Federal / State law and policy procedures and the Role of Local Government. It will bring you up to speed on the background surrounding Ecologically Sustainable Development in Australia. Some of the document’s references to policy and law have changed, (eg. the Federal Labour Government ratified the Kyoto Protocol in late 2007) since it was published, but, it gives a concise historical perspective on many of the issues facing local councils in implementing Ecologically Sustainable Development.

Some general info about KINGS FOREST

• Kings Forest Development includes areas of cleared land that could be (and could have been) regenerated to enhance the wetland  habitats and nearby ecological units. This “State Significant Site”  has a long history of community, technical and scientific concern about it’s future. In the hands of developers – currently  the Leda Group, it is being scrutinised by the Tweed Shire Council and the NSW Department of Planning.  Kings Forest requires as much public input as possible to ensure that its habitats and the vital “corridor” role that it plays for vulnerable species such as Koalas and other native flora and fauna in the Mt Warning Caldera Region are protected and enhanced.
• The areas about the Kings Forest site  are already under much development pressure, as is much of the Tweed Shire Region, which is contained completely within the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW, Australia. These development pressures already include INFRASTRUCTURE and  AIRCRAFT noise components. The  Gold Coast Airport’s Key Flight Tracks detail flight tracks for aircraft both arriving and departing. Information clearly shows many regular nearby & overhead daily flights of large aircraft. The Aircraft Noise Maps for the Tweed Coast can be found here.
• Sensitive nature and wetland areas are adjacent to Kings Forest. Wetlands have been cleared and almost totally destroyed along the entire Tweed Shire and adjoining Gold Coast Coastlines. Kings Forest is no exception. It deserves much scrutiny and attention by planners and other government authorities and agencies. Wildlife that is still currently surviving by running before the bulldozers, will go into surrounding bushland, where further stresses on Native Wildlife Habitat will occur. Drainage and CATCHMENT ALTERATION will also create stress for Migratory  and other wildlife relying on current water table and wetland habitats, as they try to adapt to a rapidly changing and degenerating ecosystem. This development is full of “Motherhood Statements” and disgraceful “Smoke and  Mirrors” and Machiavellian Scenarios.  The KINGS FOREST Development, Kingscliff  holds many stories. Some are still unfolding. The documents attached to this development are expansive. Take the time to research, as there is much more to this development than meets the eye.

• Koala Corridors and Buffers Zones should be part of the WHOLE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH. The area being developed for human settlement and infrastructure SHOULD include a whole plan approach, whereby the KOALA and ITS HABITAT is integral and 100% incorporated into the whole design. This should be so for ALL the native wildlife species that rely in part, or totally on the Kings Forest area for SURVIVAL. To do this, the number of houses/ size of urban stages must be dramatically decreased and designed in a way that more open natural space and connectivity is promoted. 

• This is the same for ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRINCIPLES :-  water storage for each house; SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT and WASTE MINIMISATION – throughout both the construction and urbanisation phases; improved and enhanced wetland and INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT & integrated native wildlife  habitat  enhancement throughout the entire development; sensible covenants on fencing, dogs, cats, rabbits, vegetation; energy efficient materials/design and development procedures & processes; local and regional environmentally sustainable employment opportunities; local food & local sustainable industry creation or mentorship (not just tokenism); fire, flood, noise, environmental and noxious weeds awareness. Town Planners know these lists more comprehensively. Tsunami and FLOOD evacuation procedures should also be incorporated fully into the design, as well as fire evacuation. This is particularly so for children/youth community and aged facilities.
• SOCIAL INCLUSION and COMMUNITY RESOURCE areas – especially for young families, youth, disadvantaged and the aged. Comprehensive Educational information for all prospective and existing settlers to the REGION can be of great value also – particularly for ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, and SOCIAL WELLBEING. TRANSPORT should be state of the art Environmentally Sustainably Networked and Implemented, by both the developer (who profits and thus should care where and how his/her profit arises) and the Governments (who should CARE and show diligent leadership).
• SHADE:- in a time of increasing Sun Cancers, the level of integrated shaded pathways, roadways, parkways, parking areas and recreational areas is important. Energy efficient Shading comes in the form of landscape/Habitat Trees. Eucalypts are not good nor safe landscape trees for this use, due to limbs constantly dropping.
•  Concerning the road linkages (that are proposed to go through the KINGS FOREST DEVELOPMENT) from the Pacific Highway through to the Tweed Coast Road and other coastal roadways servicing the urban developments on the nearby coastline (Kingscliff through to Wooyung), the question is:-  will this Major Linkage Collector Road have to cater for even more traffic than local residents?  YES, it will. The Kings Forest Stage 1 Project Application “Traffic engineering assessment” (prepared for Project 28 Pty Ltd 2nd March 2011) and the Tweed Shire Council predicts a tripling in traffic along the Tweed Coast Road eventually. Thus FOUR LANE Major Roads and COLLECTOR ROADS will carve up and destroy much more of the fragile remaining ecosystems,  creating Noise and stress  for all residents (non, 2 ,4, 6 and 8 legged).
• I would rate the  ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY of this project – on a scale from 1 to 10 as about a MINUS 5.
• Healthy minds, educated people, these days, try to do the right thing by our beautiful endangered species and their homes. However, money and power in the hands of ignorant and unwise people has time and time again created more and more destruction. The Tweed Coast attests to this. This is called “living a lie”, and it makes people sick and delusional  until they wake up and create a change for the better – both for themselves, and for others.
• The buffer zones indicated in the planning documents are highly inadequate. again, a whole development approach is required.  I recommend that Mr Ell and his team need to go back to school – primary school, and receive some education – where many small children can tell them how to make the world better, rather than making it horrible. It is never too late to change.
• There are many, many good people in Government and Industry who want to make the world a better place…. whilst compromise is  an essential part of  negotiation, things such as rapidly disappearing wetlands, native wildlife, socio-economic well being, environmentally sustainable practices dictate that a whole new game be presented to this uneven playing field. A playing field called  - Leda and the Kings Forest series of ridiculously stupid mistakes.

And now, back to the original article……………(

(This posting was originally commenced in 2009)

The extended public submissions for the Kings Forest Project in Tweed Shire, near Kingscliff, were  accepted until 2nd March 2009.

Proposed and gazetted State Significant Sites : NSW Department of Planning (I updated this above link on 26th October 2009)

The Proposal Information can be found at:- http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au.

and more information can be found in the links below.

• **Kings Forest, Kingscliffe, Tweed : 06_0318 Residential Community – Preparing Response. This is the page you can view to find out the specific details for your submission/response to the Kings Forest (coastal area subdivision) Development by Leda, on the NE Coast of NSW, near Kingscliffe.   “Subdivision to create new lots for future development; Construction of the entrance road to the site and associated intersection works on Tweed Coast Road; Subdivision and associated infrastructure works for the first stage of urban development; Bulk earthworks and planting for the proposed future golf course; and a service station and fast food outlet.” (Project application description at NSW Department of Planning)
• According to the Tweed Border Mail, the **Tweed Shire Council has raised concerns about threats to wildlife, and stormwater, sewerage and roads provisions proposed for the almost 10,000 homes that will be included in this, the Kings Forest Project, and the nearby Cobaki Lakes development, that is also being proposed by the developers.

• The development is by Bob Ells’ Leda group.
• Sydney Morning Herald Feb 8th 2003 ”The Trick in the Tweed : take a good look at the Lie of the land” – some interesting history about the Kings Forest site 1970′s-2003
• Gold Coast City Council – 9th Nov 2007 “ Leda ordered to remediate illegally cleared land” - “Gold Coast City Council yesterday secured orders in the Planning and Environment Court compelling companies owned by Gold Coast billionaire developer Bob Ell to revegetate land that had been illegally cleared in November and December last year.City Planning Chair, Cr Ted Shepherd, said the Court had judged that Leda Developments Pty Ltd and Leda Developments No. 2 had cleared major portions of a holding of about 100 hectares at Pimpama without the relevant development permits from the Council.” view article to read more

• **  If you follow the links below, you will get to the Planning Documents for Kings Forest (Residential Community Development 06 0318 ) :- START HERE : NSW Department of Planning Home » Development Assessments » Major Project Assessments »THEN click on Major Projects Part 3A then,  Coastal Areas » Subdivisions  . You should find the Kings Forest Documents by this time.  Good luck!!!! Failing that, just click HERE : **Kings Forest, Kingscliffe, Tweed
• Environmental Assessment Exhibition – Major Project – Kings Forest (MP06_0308) Residential Community Development – Council Submission – this link now gone or moved
• Kings Forest – on Google Maps –
• Kings Forest and Development –  North Coast, New South Wales, Australia aerial photos at airviewonline.com.au
  
• The   Caldera Environment Centre in NE NSW, Australia shows insights,  in their submission to the NSW Government and objection to the planned Kings Forest and Cobakai Lakes Development , summing up  the King’s Forest Project situation very clearly. You should have a read of this Submission HERE. Well, the submission and position statement of the Caldera Environment Centre WAS there, but now, well, it is gone or moved.
• Northern River Guardians
• Big Scrub Environment Centre – Kings Forest - (http://www.bigscrub.org.au/newsletters/e-journal4.html#kings) – link gone
• Total Environment Centre – Kings Forest
• Tweed Shire Echo - has some articles relating to the Kings Forest Development

• Bluecray SEARCH results : Regional Environmental News – Mt Warning Caldera Region – Kings Forest NSW Planning
• Kings Forest and the NSW State Government **State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Projects) 2005 – Kings Forest as viewed by the NSW Government currently, under planning policy
• **Koala Priority Actions : NSW Department of  Environment & Climate Change
• Koala fact sheet NSW Government
• Development project threatens second largest Koala Colony in Tweed Shire - candobetter.net ** this is a good article to help you understand this development, with contact details for the project and some great Koala info
• 6 Threatened Flora species and 21 threatened FAUNA species have been identified at the Kings Forest SITE. Summaries and conclusions from the Threatened Species Management Plan for Kings Forest conclude that these threatened species will continue to persist on the site following this future development. Read this document (to be found here)
• Kings Forest Development threatenes 21 Threatened Species of Fauna . This article includes a list of some of the Threatened species that are at risk from Bob Ell’s Leda development at Kings Forest, (including the Koala -Phascolarctos cinereus ), with links to find out more about some of them.

• Convention on Biological Diversity – Treaty signed and ratified by Australia for Convention on Biological Diversity :-
• **”Conservation of biological diversity is the subject of Chapter 15 of Agenda 21, which was adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in 1992, in Rio de Janeiro. At the same Conference, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which has subsequently entered into force, was opened for signature”   (United Nations – Division for SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs)
• **Tweed Shire Council Flora and Fauna Management ( there appears to be a typo on this page – it says “flora and flora” management… but I guess they mean flora and fauna!!!!) There is plenty in here to show that Kings Forest is indeed both regionally important, and important to Australia and the world, given the pressures of development on and within the region.  Koalas are only one feature of this regional importance that Kings Forest holds…. there is much much more – have a good look!!!!
• Submission on the Proposed Biodiversity Banking Scheme February 2008 – Environmental Defender’s Office and Total Environment Centre submission:-“Our concerns regarding the variation process are outlined in a letter to DECC, which can be found at: www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/policy.php. In summary, our main concerns are:………………………………………………………..As a result of widespread development throughout the Tweed Coast in the last decade, many species have had their ranges significantly reduced. Kings Forest is a regional stronghold for many species such as the Long-nosed potaroo and the planigale. This area contains the only viable areas of native vegetation faunal communities across the Tweed Coast. Large parts of this area have been flagged for development in the Far North Coast Regional Strategy because of lobbying by the development industry.”

• Tweed Development and Employment – with particular reference to the Leda Development at Kings Forest – ( Hansard Transcript – NSW Parliament 18th october 2006)
• Tweed Daily News – “Developer’s Plans Open to Public” – 16th December 2008   “ BILLIONAIRE property developer Bob Ell’s company, Leda, has lodged formal applications with the NSW Government for Tweed’s biggest yet residential developments — Cobaki Lakes on the Queensland border and Kings Forest inland of Casuarina Beach…….”  read rest of article
• Tweed Daily News 17th February 2009 “Developments Uncertain” by Peter Caton

• Biolink Ecological Consultants – they did   Kings Forest Koala  Plan of Management for Leda Devlopments
• Revised Koala Management Plan – by Ecoindig Resources – Frank Carrick superceding the above report – (Development Footprint and Native Vegetation Clearing Assessment google HTML DOC) – sorry, couldn’t find the actual report – this planning document retrieval is a nightmare!!!! but highly educational
• Landpartners – Threatened Species Management Plan Kings Forest couldn’t get their web page to work, but Google HTML doc about Landpartners is here
• Everick Heritage Consultants Pty Ltd – they did the Cultural Heritage Assessment for Kings Forest Development 2008
• Planning Workshop Australia – Kings Forest and some other State Significant Sites’ work for developers.
• Geolink Environmental Management and Design- Strategic Planning Project Planning – Kings Forest
• **jbaplanning.com.au – JBA Urban Planning Consultants : On Exhibition – Kings Forest Environmental Assessment
• Assessment of Off-Site Impacts Associated with Development inAccordance with theKings Forest Concept Plan – jbaplanning.com.au
• Threatened Species and Ecological Communities – Australian Government
• Biodiversity Assessment NE NSW – Mammals
• Bats – Australian Museum - what threatens them, photos and more
• Little Bentwing Bat (Miniopteris australis) – Little Bentwing Bat profile at NSW Threatened Species website
• The Importance of  Tree Hollows estimated 50-100 years for Hollows to occur in vegetation communities
• Little Bentwing-bat – Northern Rivers: Distribution and vegetation associations in the Northern Rivers – Threatened Species NSW
• The Little Bent-wing Bat Miniopteris australis roosting in a tree hollow -  ”location of M. australis in a tree hollow indicates that timber harvesting and land clearance may also affect roost sites at certain times of the year.“

• Phantom Koala and the Roadworks at  Bluecray Blog “A Balance of Faeries”
• A Balance of Faeries – a story about the effects of clearing vegetation in a stressed landscape bluecray.org

Little Bat finds NE NSW Coast Lifestyle, near Kings Forest to much to survive in

This little Bat in the above photo is a consequence of development – dead on the doorstep of a duplex in the housing development west of Pottsville. With 21 threatened fauna species threatened even more by Leda and the development proposed, what will be the costs, if all that stands between them, and survival, is documents written, verbal provisions made and “intentions”  outlined, when the bulldozers and engineering machinery move into Kings Forest and further develop this area?

NSW Native Vegetation Map .

“A preliminary investigation of the distribution of koalas and their potential habitat in the Tweed Shire, and implications for management”  by Judy Faulks .  I can no longer find this article/ reference to it on the internet, but you may have more luck by looking for it. I originally found it  at – Australian Zoologist, June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2). You may find it here at the Royal Zoological Society of NSW in the Journals. Alternatively, try this google search : australian zoologist June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2)

• search for  Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search
• “A Balance of Faeries” – 1989 by al at bluecray.org : a story about Koala Habitat clearing and the consequences