Binybara / Lee Point in Darwin’s northern suburbs will be safe from development for over seven months after a voluntary halt to works by Defence Housing Australia.

 

The announcement from Defence Housing Australia (DHA) came late Thursday afternoon and stated that work on the Lee Point site will be stopped until the end of March 2024. 

‘DHA has made the decision to voluntarily stop work at Lee Point until 31 March 2024. We will be using this time to work with relevant Government agencies and respond to the application regarding Aboriginal cultural heritage at the site,’ the announcement stated.

The development in question would see the destruction of the last wildlife corridor in Darwin which plays home to more bird species than Kakadu, including the rainbow-coloured and endangered Gouldian finch, as well as the endangered Black-footed tree rat. 

Read more: Darwin’s Last Wildlife Corridor is About to be Bulldozed for Defence Housing

Traditional Custodians and Darwin community members have been permanently camped at Binybara / Lee Point for over a month. On the day clearing began, hundreds of protestors were present and a small area was bulldozed. 

Works were initially halted a few days later after Traditional Custodians, Lorraine Williams and Tibby Quall submitted an emergency application under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Act to protect the bushland because of its cultural heritage.

DHA will take the application into consideration during the extended halt on development. 

 

Feature photo by Laura Wolf on Flickr