Petition for DHA project

ABOUT 1200 people have signed a new change.org petition calling on the Toowoomba Regional Council to not allow the Defence Housing Australia project at Mount Lofty to go ahead.

The petition was started by members of the Save Mount Lofty group, a group that has for years campaigned against the housing estate plans.

“This land has escaped the developers only because it’s an ex-rifle range and has been owned by the Department of Defence for over 100 years,” the petition read.

“But now our Federal Government wants to clear all the land that’s flat enough to build on, including 38 hectares (that’s 76 football fields) of critical koala habitat. They’ll bulldoze the forest and cram the bare dirt with 342 houses and villas, on blocks down to 300m2.

“Few of these houses are for the defence force. An independent consultant says most of them will go to investors and second homeowners.”

At time of print the petition had 1264 signatures.

“Our environment is essential. How can we be known as the garden city when developers are allowed to destroy so much,” Rachelle Oconnell said on the petition.

“We need to protect our koala habitats, particularly after the devastating bushfires across our country which destroyed so much of their habitats and dessimated our already declining koala population. It’s time developers considered the environment and their destruction of it,” Melissa Bannister said.

“Toowoomba doesn’t need development along the escarpment. There are acres upon acres of room for development to the West,” Sandra Gallienne said.

“The wildlife need this area now more than ever following the recent bushfires and ongoing drought, please keep it rural.”