Friends of Trigg Beach Group formed to protect Trigg Beach from over-development
A new group has been formed with the aim of bringing together conservation groups and local residents to campaign to preserve the natural beauty and environment of the Trigg Beach.
Spokesperson for the Friends of Trigg Beach, Robyn Murphy said that “While Scarborough Beach is being developed as a built tourist attraction; Trigg Beach should be protected and promoted as a natural area to be enjoyed by beach users and visitors today and into the future.”
Unlike Scarborough Beach, Trigg Beach still has considerable intact original Quindalup dunes, natural flora and fauna and its conservation value has been recognised by its Bush Forever status. This status requires any proposed development to show clear environmental benefits.
The Trigg Beach and the adjacent Trigg Bushland provide a rare example of successional vegetation from the beach through mobile and sand dune systems to mature Tuart Woodlands in Karrinyup. This is a precious and unique environment that is worthy of conservation.
“We are aware that many beach users and people who value our natural coastal environment enjoy the natural beauty of Trigg Beach and do not want to see it go the same way as Scarborough Beach.”
Scarborough Beach Master Plan threatens dune reserve
Many people will be unaware that the Draft Master Plan for Scarborough Beach proposes a reversal of a 2012 decision by the City of Stirling to close the 2.8ha road reserve at the northern end of the Esplanade.
Instead of enabling the decision to amalgamate the Esplanade road reserve into the dunes at South Trigg Beach, the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) is proposing extending the Esplanade to West Coast Highway effectively creating a major new intersection. This is part of the MRA’s larger plan to divert traffic from the intersection of West Coast Highway and Scarborough Beach Road onto two new traffic intersections on West Coast Highway at the northern and southern ends of the Esplanade.
It appears that the MRA has ignored the pubic consultation held by the City of Stirling in 2012 which resulted in the majority of submissions supporting the road closure of the Esplanade north and the protection of the flora and fauna of the coastal dunes. The Mayor at the time, said that the community had overwhelmingly supported the inclusion of the road reserve into the adjacent Class A reserve. He said the area was “…absolutely unique and beautiful and needs to be protected”.
The MRA has overridden the City of Stirling’s decision in 2012 to close this road reserve and incorporate it into the dune conservation reserve. Once again the environment takes second place to cars. Building a road and a major intersection within a Bush Forever area in a fragile dune reserve is irresponsible and will have an adverse impact on the coastal environment and local residents.
Friends of Trigg Beach
8 February 2015
friendsoftriggbeach@gmail.com
PO Box 249
North Beach, 6920