Kariong Ridge Development

The Central Coast Greens have always kept a close eye on developments around the National Parks on the Coast. We were part of the community movement that helped to bring the private land at Bambara into the Brisbane Water National Park.

Since the housing development at Kariong on uncleared land was first proposed, we have been monitoring the documentation, particularly around environmental and heritage impacts.

It is the Central Coast Greens’ preferred solution that the State Government arrange a land swap so that the Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council can develop housing on a brownfields site, and the land at Kariong can be included in the National Park.

We acknowledge the Land Council has acted in good faith and invested in preparing their application so that as part of the land swap, we believe that some compensation should also be included.

“The Greens do not believe in standing in the way of economic opportunities land development for First Nations People and Land Councils and believe First Nations people have a right to determine how they manage their land.” Sue Higginson

We understand that all First Nations people living on the coast find themselves impacted by a variety of legislation and processes at different levels of government that are contentious, which do not operate harmoniously, and which cause division within the Aboriginal community.

Although it is only one parcel of land, every pristine block is important to increase the amount of land in National Parks and other protected areas to at least 30% of the lands of NSW by 2030 that our planet needs. It will also help preserve any cultural remains on the block. We understand from the successful fight to protect the Calga Women’s sacred space that the entire landscape is important for First Nations heritage.

(30 by 30 is one of the aims of the NSW Greens National Parks and other Protected Areas policy: https://greens.org.au/nsw/policies/national-parks-and-protected-areas)