A battle between the needs of nature and the needs of humans is intensifying in Victoria, where a rediscovered tiny creature long thought extinct is delaying the construction of more than 300,000 homes.
The rediscovery of the Victorian grassland earless dragon in June 2023 has meant that homes due to be built between Sunbury and Geelong could cost significantly more or possibly not be built at all.
Developers say their costs, including property taxes, are piling up and likely to lead to higher prices amid delays involving both the state and federal governments.
Mark Whinfield of Newland Developers, which oversees an affected site in Geelong’s north, said the developer had already spent $1 million and this money would have to be passed on to homebuyers.
“This has delayed the project by two years. We don’t see construction starting until 2028,” he said. Herald of the Sun“It’s a long journey.”
However, Garry Peterson, general manager of threatened species at Zoos Victoria, sees it differently, saying landowners would have been affected by conservation plans before the dragon was detected.
“They were probably allocating part of that amount to the conservation of certain environmental assets that were on the site before the lizard was rediscovered,” he said. ABC.
“And we’re working with them to determine how best to preserve the entire site for the lizard, but also to ensure that they’re compensated accordingly.”
In Victoria, the battle between the needs of nature and the needs of humans is intensifying, with a rediscovered lizard (pictured) long thought to be extinct delaying the construction of more than 300,000 homes.
The rediscovery of the earless dragon of the Victorian prairies has meant that houses due to be built between Sunbury and Geelong could cost significantly more or possibly not be built at all (file image)
In a letter to the Property Council of Australia, a spokesperson for federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said a decision on the matter was being “finalised”.
Victorian grassland earless dragons are a matter of national significance, so “any action that has, will have or may have a significant impact on the species must be referred to the Australian Government and undergo an environmental assessment and approval process,” the spokesperson said.
Property Council of Australia Victoria chief executive Cath Evans was not satisfied, saying the response came four months late and “provided no certainty” to developers.
“In the midst of a housing supply crisis, Victoria cannot afford to have tens of thousands of potential new homes caught up in red tape,” he said.
Ms Evans called on state and federal Labor governments to help landowners with “swift decision-making”.
“While the industry supports the protection of vulnerable species such as the Victorian grassland earless dragon, a better balance is required,” he said.
The rediscovery of the lizard, which was last seen in 1969, has increased pressure on the Victorian state government under Premier Jacinta Allen, who has vowed to build 800,000 homes in Victoria over the next decade.
But the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows falls in both construction approvals and completions.
Zoos Victoria is training a team of sniffer dogs to detect the dragons, and two dogs, Daisy and Kip, have already found some.
Zoos Victoria is training a team of sniffer dogs to detect the earless dragons of Victorian grasslands (pictured)
Because creatures are still being found, Mr Peterson and Victoria Zoo want the site to remain intact.
“Ideally, the grazing regime should continue to maintain the structure of that grassland at that site; that is what has allowed the species to persist,” he said.
But the hundreds of thousands of people hoping to own a home may see it differently.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Plibersek and Ms Allen for comment.