October 2021
Work has commenced on Sub-division Plan SP 71, please see attachment below. 86 mature trees have been felled and work on 19 housing lots has started.
​
My concern has always been to protect the wetlands, wildlife habitat, long neck tortoise population and some 38 species of birds, many whom are now nesting on the lake.
As you can see the Lake is to be filled in with huge amounts of landfill. Why is it not to be incorporated into the housing estate?
​
How can they build on Wetlands? How can we save these Wetlands?
​
Two petitions have been submitted to the WA Parliament, the Mundaring Shire asking for the WAPC (WA Planning Commission) to incorporate the lake and wetlands within the new SP 71 Estate, both have been ignored.
The Habitats of Wildlife need to be protected for our future generations and the longevity of their species, soon there will be no natural habitat left in the Metropolitan area.
​
The future for Helena Valley needs to be more environmentally friendly and adopt a bio-diverse strategy, conserve existing natural assets and local natural areas for future generations.
The WAPC needs to adhere to their own policy "Water resources Liveable Neighbourhood" they should be integrated seamlessly into the urban form and infrastructure where possible improve, maintain and restore ecological systems.
​
Careful consideration should be given to preserve mature tree canopies, they should not be decimated as in previous housing subdivisions. The fall of the land, existing waterways, wetlands and wildlife have to be protected, they are a fundamental part of the natural environment. They support abundant wildlife, provide habitat refuge, breeding grounds and food sources for animals.
​
Wetlands are arguably the most valuable of all ecosystems.
We as humans need to protect them before they are extinct, we are responsible for 80% of wetlands having been lost due to European settlement.
Wednesday 10th November 2021
The picture above shows several of the tortoise traps deployed around the perimeter of the lake in an attempt to trap and remove the long neck tortoises.
Close up of one of the long neck tortoise traps
Friday 12th November these traps have now been removed
Photos Below August 2017
The urban vandals have moved in, destroying 125 of the 284 mature trees, below are pictures taken only a few days ago "August 2017" Below those are pictures taken during "Spring September 2016".
​
As yet our little lake stills remains untouched however if nothing is done the remaining 159 mature trees and the lake will be lost forever, what price a few more building lots? these greedy individuals should be ashamed of themselves
This dislodged magpie nest stands nearly 1m tall
Photos Below Spring September 2016
WA Planning Commission Commitee Meeting.
August 2016
Local structure Plan SP71
At the recent meeting WAPC voted for the SP 71 plan and requested the density coding of all the R30 land be changed to a minium of R20 this relates to the aircraft noise contour Australian Noise Exposure Forecast.
A preliminary plan will again have to be submitted to WAPC, measures will be taken, to control mosquito breeding.
The wetlands and lake have not been formally recognized.
WA Wildlife Protection will again be approached to protect the long neck tortoise population and numerous birds and wildlife.
These wetlands and provide refuge habitat in a drying climate especially for waterbirds,frogs and tortoise.
80% of wetlands have been destroyed since European settlement saving this ONE helps redress the balance.
27th Jan 2016
Council meeting Mundaring Shire at 6.30pm.
Agenda
Structural Plan 71 lots 2,3 +6 Helena Valley Road Helena Valley
The Mundaring Councillors voted for the structural 71 plan unanimously to go ahead with the following recommendations:
Modifications required to be made:-
-
Plan requiring subdivision approval to require mosquito breeding to be controlled.
-
The rural block component will now take over the POS that was submitted in the 1st plan.
-
Deletion of 4-5 building blocks to save some of the lake and wetlands.
-
The lake and wetlands become part of the Public Open Space.
-
The trees, not much hope, depends on developer’s new structural plan.
-
More interest is noted in the re vegetation of Kadina Brook and its surrounding POS.
-
The roads, no firm decision, only notation “road network will be configured accordingly”
-
The environment and management strategy re swan coastal plain lakes 1992 policy no longer protects this waterbody as from November 2015. (We will be looking into this for protection of wetlands.)
-
Of all the submissions received for the” Save the Wetlands and Lake in Carabeen Ave” 80% opposed to the reclamation of the waterbody.
-
We have not yet saved the lake and wetlands, these are recommendations only, it now goes before the WA PLANNING COMMISSION.
This is just a brief summary of the meeting on Wednesday Night.
In my address to the meeting, I did make it noted about the long neck tortoise population, the wildlife habitats and the protection of the wetlands.
20th Nov 2015
Today we presented our petition containing 884 signatures to the Shire Mundaring on behalf of the rate payers of Helena Valley calling upon the council to support us to
Save Our Lake and wetlands
Helena Valley Wetlands
A big thank you to our local young girls Ashlyn & Taylah for creating these wonderful posters that they arranged to be displayed at the local Helena Valley IGA store & the local bus shelter, very well done wonderful posters, thank you for your support.
Hello, I live in the Helena Valley lake, can you help me please, If they fill in the lake my family & my friends will be homeless
Will someone please help us? Please save our lake
