The Sydney Zoo

I am opposed to the destruction of the natural environment at Doonside caused by the construction and operation of Sydney Zoo.

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Overall, I believe this significant development on an area of Cumberland Plain Woodland that is adjacent to Eastern Creek, a waterway that heads north through Narragingy Reserve to the Hawkesbury River needs a more extensive review. I have read the EIS thoroughly and could not identify how the management of planted exotic species will be managed during operations.
As a minimum, I recommend that the proposal is referred to the Planning Assessment Commission where subject matter experts can detail the consequences of a poorly managed zoo under financial duress.

This EIS focuses on the good management of a financially successful operation, which I would imagine it will be for the first 5 years of operation.
Overall, I have three main, specific areas of concern with this development:
1. Bio-security management of planted exotic grasslands
2. Financial Consequence to Western Sydney Parkland Trust
3. Focus and theme on African wildlife
My comprehensive response is attached.

I iterate that as a minimum I believe this proposal should go to the Planning Assessment Commission to allow greater detail of the potential impacts and risks of the proposal to be explained, quantified and directives put on the proposal over appropriate mitigation proposals.

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Please find attached OEH's comments on the exhibited Biodiversity Assessment Report for The Sydney Zoo

The submission of Blacktown & District Environment Group Inc., has some relevance . The idea of a ZOO for African Wildlife within a Australian native fauna sanctuary ( which has potential to be connected to a wider area via proper bio-diversity corridors to the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park is a problem ... It is inappropriate " sustainable management " of the Western Sydney Parklands.

The appendix ( attached reference report by Peter Williams has a TDR proposal, that may assist in " combatting the criticism of the BIO - Diversity off-set system in the Western Sydney Region, and its associataed " funding issues " In general , the book by David Lindenmayer " Living on Borrowed Time " is critical fo the Environment / Conservatoin Ecology management, and notes repeated ' funding short-falls, and " reports , reports, reports... and lack of proper ' sustainable implimentation " .... The ZOO PROPOSAL is an example of inapprpriate " detail planning " perhaps dirven by an investment banker without a " local understanding " . David Lindenmayer has over 25 years Austrailian experiense and is a Uni Professor at ANU ( in past ) .

Perhaps a Sydney ( Western Sydney ) version of the Healesville Sanctuary , in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne, could be a more appropriate Native Australian Fauna faculty to provide in the Western Sydney Parklands area. It could hep have a recovery plan implemented for a number of species in the area including platypus. So the Educational and conservation " aims " suggested in the SYDNEY ZOO proposal below can be adapted to Native Australian Fauna, and the conservation programs can include " recovery projects in Western Sydney Parklands regions. It may seek to emulate the Curumbin Bird Sanctuary of Gold Coast, that once attracted its of people ( tourists ) .

By looking at Peter Williams report, it may provide a catalyst to create a bio-diversity corridor network and sustainable native fauna populations, and retention of urban farming areas.


There is a bit of a push on from the NSW Greens and Blacktown & District Environment Group Inc to get a number of comments of opposition in to the Dept of Planning about the proposed Sydney Zoo on a site that is foraged by a mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos and which Greening Australia had community volunteers do revegetation works some years ago.

The site is within the boundary of Western Sydney Parklands at Doonside.

One section of the zoo is close to Eastern Creek and the intention is to plant it out with African grasses and other African plants.

We all know what sort of problems we have had dealing with African Lovegrass and Rhodes Grass from Africa yet the threat of seeds from these or other African plant species making their way into Eastern Creek and being deposited anywhere from there through to the Hawkesbury River bears little concern within Western Sydney Parklands Trust.

Please see attached formal DPI response to the above project.

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Urbis representing Elanor Investors Group, the owners and operators of Featherdale Wildlife Park.

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