Greetings Friends, This monthly newsletter (No. 55) includes: City of Darwin elections, endangered species, new sites needed, legal challenges, quiz, plants and wildlife.
1.0 City of Darwin elections
Candidates have been announced – refer NTEC website.
Fig 1. Local Government election day is Saturday 23 Aug 2025
Friends of Lee Point and PLan (the Planning Action Network) will be asking all City of Darwin candidates;
“If elected, will you support council calling on the Australian Government for a moratorium on the current defence housing project at Lee Point until other locations are independently evaluated (by Public Works Committee or similar) for long-term public benefit.”
Please respond YES, NO or UNDECIDED.
Relocating and rescoping the Lee Point defence housing project highlights the problems with the current Lee Point site.
Darwin has a housing affordability crisis. Government needs to encourage the supply of low-cost lots ($200k or less) near frequent public transport. This in turn supports the supply of affordable housing and reduces cost of living pressures.
DHA (wholly owned by the taxpayer) building high-cost lots at Lee Point ($310k plus) away from public transport is not what Darwin needs.
2.0 Endangered species – new sites and new nature laws needed
Fig 2. Far Eastern Curlew – sourced from: Living with Shorebirds – PLan
The endangered Far Eastern Curlew and other migratory shorebirds are making their way back from northern hemisphere breeding grounds to Lee Point and other parts of Australia/New Zealand. They make an amazing ~20,000km migration every year, leaving in Mar-Apr and returning Aug-Sept.
Fig 3. Endangered Far Eastern Curlews arriving at Lee Point late August.
Fig 4. Endangered Black-footed tree-rats use hollows in old-growth trees.
Protecting endangered species means protecting their habitat. Lee Point was one of the sites identified as being an important refuge for the endangered Black-footed tree-rat and other threatened species, Ref ABC article – Aug 2023.
New sites needed – the impact on the natural and cultural heritage of Lee Point/Binybara is unacceptable. A new site(s) must be found for the Lee Point defence and community housing project.
Fig 5. Map of some potential housing sites.
In May 2025, community groups commenced a preliminary evaluation of three Darwin sites to help government identify and evaluate suitable sites. A draft report was sent to the Australian Government at the end of July – more on this project
Relocating and rescoping the Lee Point defence housing project highlights the problems with housing people at Lee Point and the benefits of relocating the project.
Please sign this PETITION
or
Send an email to government – via Government Contacts
New nature laws are urgently needed – existing nature laws are failing to protect our threatened species at Lee Point and Australia generally.
“Everyone agrees that our current (environmental) laws are broken.” – quote from Senator Murray Watts, Minister for Environment and Water, June 2025.
There have been three failed attempts in the past 15 years to reform these broken nature laws – consultation restarted last month. Ken Henry (former Treasury secretary) has called for an urgent environmental reform.
3.0 Around Lee Point
Fig 6. Fireworks and a grass fire at Lee Point carpark 1st July 2025.
Cracker night was enjoyed by many people. However, some fires were started although no serious fire damage was done to Lee Point. Many thanks to all the Save Lee Point volunteers who helped put out fires (before they became a problem) in the Biodiversity Corridor – the volunteers stayed until after midnight.
Legal challenges – the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) is to hear two cases involving Lee Point;
- Larrakia – Danggalaba Traditional Owner Tibby Quall vs NT Heritage Council – this case is about Traditional Owners being properly consulted – read more
- Friends of Lee Point Inc (FLP) vs Development Consent Authority (DCA) – this case is about the DCA decision made in Nov 2024 not to further investigate a breach of the Lee Point development permit – read more
Direction Hearings are underway.
Friends of Lee Point turns 5 years old. A get together was held on 25 July at Lee Point/Binybara Camp to celebrate FLP turning 5 years old.
Liveability Survey. City of Darwin is running this Place and Liveability Survey on Darwin – it takes a few minutes to complete.
4.0 Quiz
Lee Point Dam is attracting more waterbirds as the water level drops.
What do the waterbirds below have in common? There is a clue in one of the photos – answer at the end.
Fig 7. Australian Darter
Fig 8. Great Egret
Fig 9. Little Black Cormorants
5.0 Plants and Wildlife
Fig 10. Gouldian Finch – photo by Sam Duffy 21 July
Harn Sheng Khor first spotted this Gouldian Finch near Lee Point dam and Sam managed to get this photo. Hopefully we will see more of these beautiful finches.
Fig 11. Kapok Bush (Cochlospermum fraseri) with Great Carpenter Bee and (much smaller) Sugarbag Bee.
The Great Carpenter Bee (Australia’s largest native bee) and Sugarbag Bee are native bees and important pollinators for native plants.
Fig 12. Turkey Bush (Calytrix exstipula)
Fig 13. Red-flowering Kurrajong (Brachychiton megaphyllus) with Green Ant.
Fig 14. Orange Lacewing Butterfly
Favourite Food – Nectar
Wilderness Walks
Wilderness Walks record between 25 to 50 bird species (depends on time of year), refer ebird for latest sightings. Please check Friends of Lee Point Facebook for times.
Fig 15. Wilderness Walk – 29 June.
You are never too old to enjoy Lee Point. Audrey (in the wheelchair) is 96 years old!
Enjoy the dry season
Answers to Quiz
Their favourite food is fish. One of the cormorants has just caught a fish.