Hi everyone,
I've been working mostly with Darebin City Council on this and have recently found out that the VicGov are wanting to put a road through the land ASAP.
Surveys completed at Dumbarton Street Grassland (DSG) indicate that it is a small patch of critically endangered VVP Grassland.
The Indigenous Flora & Fauna Association (IFFA) concluded that the "ecological community is of sufficient quality to consider EPBC protection". - that's the Federal environment Law.
Ecological consultants, Biosis, made the following statements in the report they prepared for the City of Darebin:
"...supports native grassland that comprises federal and state threatened ecological communities..."
"...recommended that this area be managed to encourage and promote biodiversity values within it."
"...the entire study area supports suitable habitat for Golden Sun Moth Synemon plana and to a lesser extent Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar." (both threatened/endangered species)
The Darebin Heritage Study: Natural Heritage Plan (2011) is a comprehensive assessment of open space in the City of Darebin and Dumbarton Street Grassland is rated as Nationally Significant and is listed in the top 22% of the assessed sites.
Darebin City Council passed a resolution at their Council Meeting in August 2019 noting:
1. The site supports native grassland that comprises federal and state threatened ecological communities
2. Calls on the Minister for Planning to retain and enhance the remnant grasslands
3. Offer to work with the State Government to identify alternative sites for this housing project that are either in Council or State Government ownership.
Please share this petition to broaden awareness