Dispute over Property Development near Aboriginal Site

A long-running property development dispute in West Wall send shows no sign of reaching a resolution any time soon, reports The Mercury.

At the centre of the dispute is a protected Aboriginal site known as The Awabakal Butterfly Cave, which has been used as a sacred female meeting place for centuries, but now has a housing development taking place in close proximity.

Aboriginal women have been in dispute with the developers over the building works for around seven years. They are concerned that the latest stage of the development, which is taking place only 20 metres away from the cave, could result in the cave being damaged, or even destroyed, by vibrations from the building work.

They also claim that even if the cave remains undamaged, the proximity of the new houses will ruin its privacy. They have therefore applied to the NSW Government in the hope that it will step in and impose a bigger construction buffer zone, increasing it from 20m to 100.

The women are unhappy about the need to request permission anytime they wish to visit the cave, and have also accused the developers of spying on them and keeping track of their visits.

A spokesperson for the property developers, Roche Group, has denied the allegations of spying and has defended the development, highlighting that it has full planning permission, which was given “in full understanding of the location and Aboriginal heritage significance of the Butterfly Cave, and with the approval of the Office of Environment and Heritage”.

A Construction Management Plan has been prepared by developers, detailing how construction will be managed to avoid damage to the cave. This plan is currently under consideration by Lake Macquarie City Council.

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Sources:

http://www.themercury.com.au/business/aboriginal-women-slam-degrading-treatment-by-property-developer-over-sacred-cave/news-story/9e5bff3a76116c2c0618a5dd92a0f696