Developer's bulldozers protected by 100 police and security guards at controversial housing site

UPDATED: Bulldozers have arrived at a waterfront Indigenous cultural site where a company owned by the Australian government plans to destroy ancient trees and habitat used by endangered species.

On Tuesday morning, a heavy police and security presence began to assemble around the Lee Point site which Defence Housing Australia (DHA) plans to flatten and then build 800 new homes. Placed in front of a bulldozer, a striking poster incorporating the Aboriginal flag reads, "Don't settle for colonisation". Elsewhere, brightly coloured posters painted by children depict endangered Gouldian finches that have made their home in the forest.

Tibby Quall, a local Larrakia man whose ancestors have taken care of the 132-hectare site for tens of thousands of years, told Yahoo News it was “ridiculous” his people have now been locked out of their land. “I’m very upset,” he added.

The DHA project has upset many of Darwin's Indigenous people who have memories of visiting the Lee Point for ceremonies when they were kids. Video shared with Yahoo News shows a frustrated sacred site custodian, Eric Fejo, confronting a police officer at gates to Lee Point. "All your children, all your parents are going to be cursed forever. I'm telling you. I'm looking you in the eyes and telling you," he says.

A crowd behind him then yells "Shame, shame" after he points at others guarding the bulldozers.

As well as holding significance to the Larrakia people, Lee Point has been home to endangered species, including a sizeable chunk of the world's last remaining wild Gouldian finches and the black-footed tree rat.

'Horrific Legoland' or 'sought after residential address'?

The project has received both Commonwealth and state government approval. But there has been a diverse community campaign including environmentalists, Indigenous custodians, and locals who have enjoyed unhindered access to the bushland site and the 400-year-old trees that grow there.

Situated just 17 km from Darwin, DHA has a glossy online brochure predicting the site will soon be one of Darwin's "most sought after" residential addresses. Once complete, it says the development will offer “seaside living while still being close to the city” and a tourism activity centre, restaurants, cafes, hotels, self-contained apartments and retail shops.

Dr Kirsty Howey from the Northern Territory Environment Centre sees things differently. “It’s going to be a horrific Legoland, with very expensive houses piled up on top of each other, completely out of character with the Northern Territory. It will destroy the last remaining biodiversity corridor in Darwin,” she said. “It’s devastating.”

Destruction of Lee Point was voluntarily suspended in 2023 by DHA after Indigenous elders in the area claimed they hadn't been properly consulted. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek evaluated their emergency application to stop the project, but ultimately rejected it, saying she was “not satisfied” there was a “significant Aboriginal area” at the site. However, she she noted the wider peninsula is culturally important.

Bulldozers roll in as protesters watch on

When Ian Redmond from community group Friends of Lee Point spoke to Yahoo at 8.30am on Tuesday (local time) he estimated there were over 100 security guards and police at the site and they outnumbered protesters. But he believed the crowd would quickly swell as word got out.

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“People are coming here now because they’ve only just learned about it. The crowd is building. There are young, old, Aboriginal people. It’s a diverse crowd,” he said.

“But I think we’re going to lose this section. It’s just an awful, bad, outcome and it doesn’t reflect what the people of Darwin want. This was created by a developer for a developer. We’re supposed to live in a democracy but we don’t feel like we get a say in this.

“I can hear the dozers starting up now.”

DHA has been contacted for comment.

Australia's nature laws branded 'broken' as Lee Point bulldozed by government company

Later on Tuesday, as bulldozers began felling trees, conservationists took to the X social media platform to share their dismay.

In a statement accompanied by a picture of Lee Point, Independent Senator David Pocock called on the Albanese Labor government to fulfil its promise of reforming the nation's national environment laws.

"Our federal environmental laws are broken. This morning bulldozers arrived at Lee Point after the [Environment] Minister decided to allow destruction of habitat vital to endangered species like the Gouldian Finch. Labor promised to fix these laws, but have delayed reform indefinitely," he wrote.

Sharing footage of trees being bulldozed, Deakin University ecologist Professor Euan Ritchie said he'd been speaking before 100 school children about Australia's "amazing mammals", but he couldn't bring himself to tell them about Lee Point.

"Trees and their hollows are homes for wildlife, including threatened species such as the Gouldian finch, black-footed tree-rat & northern brushtail possum... Ecocide in action. Environment laws?" he wrote.

Wildlife photographer Nick Volpe said he'd counted 45 species of birds in an hour at Lee Point. "The dozers are in and ready to destroy everyone's favourite birding spot in Darwin," he added.

Government claims Lee Point destruction approved with 'range of better protections'

Yahoo reached out to Minister Plibersek's office, asking for comment on claims the destruction of Lee Point indicated the country's national environment laws were broken. It responded with a statement from a spokesperson.

"The development has been approved with a range of better protections for threatened species, including the Gouldian Finch," it said.

"The Minister determined the original approval conditions for the Lee Point project must be changed to better protect nature. Defence Housing Australia agreed to redesign the plan to incorporate a 50m buffer around nearby Gouldian Finch habitat.

"Changes were also made to clear invasive Gamba Grass and replace it with native grass species which Gouldian Finch can feed on. Access points to Casuarina Beach were also changed to avoid disturbance to migratory birds who use the beach to roost and breed."

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