The Honorable Andrew Robb AO MP (House of Representatives):
“I table a petition by those who wish to save the Highett Grassy Woodland.”
The petition read as follows:
“To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives This petition of Australian Citizens draws to the attention of the House the existence of, and the need to preserve, an environmentally and historically significant area of land, known as the Highett Grassy Woodland. The Highett Grassy Woodland is approximately a 3 hectare section within the 9.3 hectare Commonwealth and Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) site in Highett, Victoria. The entire CSIRO site is in the process of being sold through a Federal Government process. The Highett Grassy Woodland area contains a class of vegetation that is endangered in the bioregion, with the main trees being the regionally rare Yellow Box and River Red Gums. The Highett area has been assessed by the relevant Council, Bayside City Council, as deficient in open space. This deficiency will increase with the State of Victoria’s plans to increase population throughout metropolitan Melbourne. We therefore ask the House to take any administrative action available to the House, during the sale process of the CSIRO site, which will enable the protection and preservation in perpetuity of at least 3 hectares of the site for the conservation of the Grassy Woodland and for passive open space, which will be a profound benefit to the community, now and into the future.”
from 1,960 citizens
Petition received.
Thank you to everyone who signed the Petition in support of the campaign to save the Highett Grassy Woodland.
Thank you to the Honorable Andrew Robb A.O. for presenting the Petition to the House of Representatives.
Link to Speech by Andrew Robb
The Highett Grassy Woodland is one of the most valuable areas of native vegetation in the area. The Yellow Box and River Red Gums are ecologically valuable and are a very beautiful, rare and significant feature of Highett. We have already boxed in our suburbs and lost valuable native reserves which were habitat for our native fauna. Knowing what we know now we must fully protect the Highett Grassy Woodland. It is too valuable and precious to be touched – these areas are also the “lungs” of our suburbs and provide green areas for people in the suburbs to enjoy. To destroy this is nothing short of environmental vandalism in my opinion. The public have never had access to the grassy woodland (to my knowledge) – perhaps it should be opened to the public so that they can see exactly what is at stake. A large unit development is currently being built very nearby – one of several in Highett at the moment. Highett Grassy Woodland must be protected and saved – full stop. Yes, thank you to the Honorable Andrew Robb A.O.
The Highett Grassy Woodland MUST be preserved. Thank you to all concerned with the petition.
Now that the petition has been tabled the media campaign can be stepped up by writing letters in support of saving the Highett Grassy Woodland. The Bayside Leader and the Mebourne Weekly Times have previously published lots of letters about this campaign. Let’s keep the ball rolling by writing some more letters.The Highett Grassy Woodland must not be lost forever.
The Bayside area has become a mecca for development, Highett in particular has very little open space. The rare and majestic trees are only one part of the beauty here. The many and varied bird species provide a symphony of song and a delightful buffer to the harsh urban noise of Nepean Highway and local industry. To watch them is like being a part of natural art. This is truly an oasis that deserves to be preserved. The environment needs it and so do the people.
Hi there,
I’ve lived in Highett for 5 years, and found this website while googling for information about the Vantage development. I’ve never heard anything at all about the HGW? Perhaps you might consider talking to leader newspapers or TV news etc to raise the profile, especially to people that live in the area?