Lake Wollumboola Protection Association Inc
PO Box 90
Culburra Beach NSW 2540
Phone/Fax: (02) 4447 2185
Email: francesbray@bigpond.com
MEDIA RELEASE
17th April 2014
Deferral of environment zonings puts Lake Wollumboola at risk
The Lake Wollumboola Protection Association Inc (LWPA), Nature Conservation Council of New South
Wales (NCC) and Total Environment Centre (TEC) are concerned Planning and Infrastructure Minister Brad
Hazzard and his department’s decision to defer the proposed environment zonings for the Lake Wollumboola
catchment will put the lake at risk by retaining urban zonings and allowing for further residential and
industrial development expansion.
The lake catchment and other lands at Culburra Beach and Callala Bay have been deferred from the final
Shoalhaven LEP 2014, gazetted on 8th April, 2014, to enable the landowner, Realty Realizations, to prepare a
master plan for these lands.
LWPA President Frances Bray said: “We acknowledge the Minister and his department have set conditions
for the master plan that it should recognise the environmental sensitivities of land in the Lake Wollumboola
catchment, consistent with endorsed strategic planning for the area, and also allow for sustainable growth in
Culburra Beach and Callala Bay.
“However we consider these conditions are inadequate given that the company is seeking urban expansion
over hundreds of hectares of environmentally sensitive land in both the lake and Crookhaven catchments at
Culburra Beach, as well as at Callala Bay.”
LWPA, NCC and TEC say there is overwhelming evidence that the lake’s unique ecosystem, internationally
significant birdlife, and its catchment’s high-conservation values are highly sensitive to development
pressures.
The three conservation organisations are seeking assurances from the Minister and the department that:


The master plan would exclude urban development from the lake catchment and dedicate the most
sensitive areas, including the Long Bow Point peninsula, to Jervis Bay National Park as an offset for
urban development in the Crookhaven catchment, as adopted in the South Coast Regional Strategy and
previously supported by the landowner.
Cumulative impacts of all the company’s urban expansion plans are taken into account by placing a
moratorium on further development applications during the course of the master plan process. We ask
that decisions regarding existing development applications in the catchment, including the proposed golf
course and West Culburra urban development, be deferred until the master plan is finalised.
Recent research by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage titled Environmental Sensitivity of Lake
Wollumboola: input into considerations of development applications at Long Bow Point, Culburra has
reaffirmed previous longstanding expert advice that urban expansion in the lake catchment would have
disastrous consequences. The report concludes:
 “… we consider that the lake is vulnerable to a catastrophic state change if key processes are
disrupted by nutrient enrichment and there is significant loss of charophytes and macrophytes.”
(Charophytes algae are an important part of the lake ecosystem.)
 “The lake would never recover from the loss of charophytes and macrophytes and the ecosystem
services they provide…. resulting in loss of swans and other fauna.”
Formed by the members of the unincorporated association, the Lake Wollumboola Support Group
www.wollumboola.org.au
BACKGROUND
Lake Wollumboola is located at Culburra Beach south east of Nowra on the NSW South Coast.
Lake itself and the southwest catchment are included in Jervis Bay National Park. The lake is a Wetland of
National Importance and recognised as a globally Important Bird Area. It is internationally significant for
migratory birds through recognition in trans-national migratory bird agreements with 34 species protected
under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. At least 16 bird
species are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.
More than 7,500 birds enjoyed the lake’s rich and varied habitat during the 2013-14 summer, with the
endangered migratory Little Tern successfully nesting and raising 46 fledglings.
Members of the LWPA have campaigned for the last 21 years for conservation of the lake and its catchment.
The following extracts from Office of Environment and Heritage report Environmental Sensitivity of Lake
Wollumboola: input into considerations of development applications at Long Bow Point, Culburra provide
more detail of the expert concerns re the impact of urban development expansion on Lake Wollumboola.

“Lake Wollumboola is a unique system of high ecological value, characterised by high primary
productivity and overall biological diversity, particularly for birds.”

“Ground water is most probably a major component of freshwater inputs into the lake. Pollution of
ground water represents a major risk to the lake.”

“Given the strong control that charophytes exert on lake ecology and water quality, we consider that
the lake is vulnerable to a catastrophic state change if key processes are disrupted by nutrient
enrichment and there is significant loss of charophytes and macrophytes.” (Charophytes are a species
of algae)

“The Lake would never recover from the loss of charophytes and macrophytes and the ecosystem
services they provide … resulting in loss of swans and other fauna.”

“The demonstrated ecological significance of the lake, the relative rarity of its biotype and its
sensitivity to catastrophic state change justify the current limitations to development in the
catchment.” (I.e. the zonings adopted in the South Coast Regional Strategy.)
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Frances Bray, President LWPA, 4447 2185, 042 910 4812, email francesbray@bigpond.com