We’ve just now heard the great news, we’ve won at VCAT! The developer’s application to subdivide and clear all the vegetation on the northern half of the Ajax Road Grassland site has been refused. The 35 hectares of Ajax Road Grassland gets to stay and do what it does best – be habitat for birds and lizards and critically endangered plants, provide ecological connectivity, build vital urban resilience and just be a piece of wild nature in the big city.
We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you, thank you, all you fabulous supporters who helped with donations, with spreading the word, and with just being you! And a big shout-out to the staff at Hobsons Bay City Council who also fought this developer. And to the community around Ajax Road, in Altona and the whole of the West.
Please make a donation to help us keep doing what we do best – advocating for grasslands.
If you want to read the verdict, you can find it here.
Now we have to get down and work with Hobsons Bay to make sure we get good protections in place to help secure this precious remnant grassland against future attacks. An Environmental Significance Overlay would be one important step. Reviewing the Council’s Industrial Land Management Strategy to make sure industry and environment can live side-by-side will be another. Getting some city-wide vision – let’s do that. And we have to make sure the we get some good management happening – at least a burn.
Oh yes… And have a celebration. More to come on that!
P.S. Your donation will help fund all our grassland advocacy activities, from running community days and bus tours, to signage projects, mapping, web development, and making communication materials.