The proposed development at West Culburra, located north of Culburra Road, spans 47 hectares. The developer plans to establish a 300-lot mixed-use subdivision on native forest with close to 80-year-old growth in one of the pockets of the Shoalhaven untouched by the 2019/2020 bushfires.
This area is home to a number of threatened and endangered species, including the Yellow-Bellied Glider, Greater Gliders, Gang Gang Cockatoo, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Grey-Headed Flying Fox, Eastern Brown Bandicoot, and the White-Footed Dunnart. Additionally, the land is low-lying, bordering the Crookhaven River and a wetland forest that houses the critically endangered Coastal Swamp Oak.
Culburra Beach remains a small coastal village with a single access road. The current infrastructure is not equipped to support the population surge that would accompany this large-scale development. Furthermore, the site holds deep cultural and historical significance, as it is part of Jerrinja Country. The Jerrinja people have maintained a continuous connection to this land for thousands of years, making its preservation vital to Indigenous heritage.
Beyond cultural and environmental concerns, the project threatens the traditional character of Australia’s beachside villages. The overdevelopment of places like Culburra will lead to the loss of a unique coastal lifestyle. Additionally, clearing forests for coastal housing is an inefficient use of resources. Instead of addressing local housing needs, these developments often result in an increase in expensive holiday rentals that locals cannot afford. The proposal also contradicts the current regional planning strategy, which prioritizes protecting existing scenic and natural landscapes by enforcing urban growth boundaries.
The development process has been ongoing for over a decade. In 2010, the developer submitted a proposal for a 650-lot residential subdivision to the Department of Planning. The Planning Commission denied approval in 2018. After an appeal, the Land and Environment Court reviewed a revised 300-lot mixed-use subdivision in 2021 and granted approval with strict conditions. By 2023, the developer submitted an application for an environmental impact assessment under the EPBC Act, overseen by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW). In 2024, the local council passed a resolution supporting, in principle, a moratorium on the West Culburra development.
Jerrinja LALC has written to the State and Federal governments calling for a moratorium on this Sealark/Halloran Trust proposed development until up-to-date and independent cultural and ecological assessments are undertaken.
This development poses a grave risk to Jerrinja cultural heritage and the broader cultural landscape, not to mention the ecological values that form part of our cultural values. The reports being relied upon are out-of-date and proponent-commissioned.
Many thanks to our allies in the fight against this development, including the Culburra Residents and Ratepayers Action Group.
Show your support by signing our petition against the West Culburra development!
