By Mikayla van Loon
Environmental concerns have reared their head yet again for a property development on Swansea Road, near the Olinda Creek.
The Australian Platypus Conservancy (APC) made a submission to Yarra Ranges Council expressing the impact the residential retirement village at 375 Swansea Road Lilydale would have on the platypus population currently calling the Creek home.
Geoff Williams, who made the submission on behalf of APC, said in 2019 when the original plans were lodged and ultimately refused by the council and VCAT, APC had raised concerns then about the possible environmental degradation because of the build.
“The APC is highly concerned that the Biodiversity Assessment Report for this project prepared for Lilydale Development Pty Ltd by Ecology & Heritage Partners in March 2023 appears to completely omit any reference at all to the platypus – one of Australia’s most iconic species – and ignores the existence of a population of high conservation significance in Olinda Creek adjacent to this proposed development,” the submission reads.
In the report by Ecology & Heritage Partners, it mentions that “the VBA contains records of 18 nationally significant and 40 state significant fauna species previously recorded within 10 kilometres of the study area” but does not name the platypus.
It also recognises that eight other species have the potential to occur in the locality but have not been sited before – these have also not been identified.
The environmental report submitted as part of the development application of the land focused mainly on vegetation removal and the impact on native flora, with an offset target of 0.071 general habitat units and six large trees.
Given the nationally ‘Near Threatened’ identification by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the 2021 ‘Vulnerable’ listing under Victoria’s Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, Geoff said the responsibility of protecting this native mammal falls partly onto Yarra Ranges Council.
“It is important to note that the platypus population in upper Olinda Creek –upstream of Lillydale Lake – has long been recognised as being at particular risk of local extinction,” he said.
A report commissioned in 2009 called A Platypus Conservation Plan for the Shire of Yarra Ranges, authored by Williams, G.A and Serena, M, “noted that the platypus population in Olinda Creek had been declining [and] totaled less than 30 resident animals”.
Geoff also used Melbourne Water’s The Platypus Strategic Management Plan for Melbourne’s Catchments report as evidence in his submission, stating “it listed Olinda Creek as one of three high priority areas in the metropolitan region for protection and enhancement of platypus habitat”.
“Increasing urbanisation of the surrounding catchment was identified as a large concern for the future viability of this population.”
David Road resident Maree said she and her family have witnessed the platypus living in Olinda Creek and she doesn’t want to see anything damage the habitat.
“If you’ve ever taken the time to walk along that part of the Olinda Creek where the estate is, it’s just beautiful,” she said.
“There’s six platypus that live in the creek behind where the development is planned to go ahead and I am concerned their environment is going to be destroyed in some way, shape or form.
“You cross over the bridge and you walk along the little track there and and often we’ve seen the platypus in there.”
Not only concerned about the environmental impacts but living on the road directly opposite the proposed site, Maree said as a parent taking children to school in Lilydale, she knows the dangers of turning onto Swansea Road.
“The traffic is just going to be horrendous because the entrance to the village they’re wanting to build is going to be Akarana Road. So Akarana Road is Bellbird Park,” she said.
“So they’re wanting to use that driveway of Bellbird Park as the entrance. So you’ll have cars coming out of Akarana Road and cars coming out of David Road which runs directly opposite.”
Maree said the subject site, also being a known floodplain, was another point of concern with the movement of the land to excavate and remove vegetation potentially exacerbating the effects of flooding in the future.
The APC called for the council to exercise the use of other experts before making a decision on the proposed plan to understand the potential impacts to the surrounding area.
“Given that the 375 Swansea Road development is so close to Olinda Creek it is imperative that any potential impact on platypus should be examined in detail and that consideration of approval of this project should give priority to platypus conservation requirements,” he said.
“The APC therefore submits that council should consult with Melbourne Water and DEECA in this regard and commission appropriate experts specifically to assess likely impacts on platypus of this application and ensure that all possible measures are taken to avoid any negative consequences for the platypus population in Olinda Creek.”
