Welcome to the #EnvironmentalCampaign archive. This story is about a 20 year fight to protect a Bush Forever site at Underwood Avenue in Perth from development. 
The 33 hectare Underwood Avenue Bushland in Perth contains Banksia, Jarrah, Tuart & Marri bush. This Banksia/Jarrah woodland is one of few remaining in Perth and is critical for survival of the flock of around 400 Carnaby’s Cockatoos.
The University of Western Australia (@UWA) received 258 hectares of bushland from the State Government in 1904. In 1999 UWA proposed a housing development on the site.
Following this, the Friends of Underwood Avenue Bushland @UnderwoodBush was formed to protect the bushland in 1999. In 2000 the Department of Planning designated the site as a #BushForever site.
The bushland is a place of spiritual and cultural significance for Noongar people, using campsites right up until the 1950s. Four listed sites had been removed from the Aboriginal Heritage register under the previous Liberal government.
In 2004 and 2007 UWA was denied approval for the project, and withdrew the plans in 2007.
Yet in 2010 the Barnett Government gave State Government approval, followed by Department of Planning approval in 2014.
Yet in 2010 the Barnett Government gave State Government approval, followed by Department of Planning approval in 2014.
The Friends group along with the community and experts campaigned persistently for years to protect the bush.
Over 3000 people signed the petition in 2015 to save Underwood Avenue Bushland from development.
Over 3000 people signed the petition in 2015 to save Underwood Avenue Bushland from development.
The @Greens pledged their support in 2016, as regular protests continued. Other groups such as @UrbanBushlandWA, @ConservationWA and @BirdlifeOz all supported the campaign and quest to preserve urban bushland in Perth.
Under the banner of #BushNotBricks, the campaigners won, with the Statutory Planning Committee (SPC) requiring Landcorp build around the patch of bush, which the SPC called “significant”.
But then… in 2018 Landcorp appealed and won the right to clear the one of the 3 sections: Lemnos Street Bushland, a three-hectare corridor connecting two large Bush Forever sites.
No official reason was ever published to explain why the WAPC board overturned the decision. Minutes of the meeting were not made available to the public.
WA Today described the “utter despair” felt by the community after Landcorp got the green light to clear the bushland.
This project is just one of many developments around Perth which continue to destroy native bush and wetlands.
This project is just one of many developments around Perth which continue to destroy native bush and wetlands.
At Underwood Avenue the UWA development has state government ministerial approval which never lapses. However the time frame for 'substantial commencement' has lapsed.
UWA has requested more time and that has been granted by the minister.
UWA has requested more time and that has been granted by the minister.
The Save Underwood Avenue campaign activists are now lobbying the State government buy the bushland from the University and put it into the conservation estate as an A class Reserve for conservation.
The community had fought a committed campaign to save the ecological linkage between Bush Forever sites, only to lose out at the final stage of the process. However, the fight continues, both for Underwood Avenue and for Perth's previous urban bushlands. They may still be saved.
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