Feeling very concerned for the little valley behind us which is home to a mob of around 20 kangaroos and their joeys, a mass of native birdlife, several types of frogs that we enjoy hearing each evening, native orchids and flax lillies as well as carnivorous plants - just to name a few. This morning we woke to Black Cockatoos feeding in the Wattle trees.

It has come to our attention that the current owner of the site between Collard Drive and Herbert's Rise estate in Diamond Creek, has stated that he had a permit to dump 100,000 cubic meters of fill dumped in the middle of the valley. This will decimate the frog population - of which I have been able to identify at least seven different types of call, and the access to drinking water from the water course-dam for the native wild life. The dumping of the dirt is to make the valley more sale-able to future purchasers. It will become a desolate moonscape like other estates that this developer has created. The estate we are on has managed to maintain some original trees, but it was largely open paddock.

The little valley is full of beautiful trees that the council had to document as the developer was poisoning and ripping them out without permission. He was taken to court by the Nillumbik Shire and given a large fine. Further investigation with Council Planners have indicated that a permit has not been granted for developing 67 house blocks yet, but they are fully aware of this developer's tactics. 'Devastate first, pay the fines later!'

The aim is to preserve some of this little ecosystem if the development goes ahead, and for council to be vigilant on enforcing their Environmental overlay.