Greetings,
This monthly newsletter (No. 77) includes: Seditious Intent, shorebirds, Senator’s Lee Pt visit and 2CRU offset failure, quiz, plants-fungi-wildlife.
1.0 Save Lee Point with Seditious Intent at the Greenhouse Cafe, Nightcliff – 6.30pm Friday 9 Oct.
Fig 1. Event flyer – 6.30pm Friday 9 Oct at Greenhouse Cafe
Listen to live music, poetry and entertaining stories from Save Lee Point – read more.
2.0 Shorebird festival
Fig 2. People at the Welcome to Shorebirds event – Sunset Park, Nightcliff Friday 25 Sept.
Lee Point is an internationally significant migratory shorebird site.
Birdlife TopEnd organised numerous events in the Darwin-Garramilla Shorebird Festival during 20-27 Sept. The festival was a community celebration of the remarkable migratory shorebirds that visit northern Australia each year.
3.0 Lee Point housing project
Senator Katy Gallagher visits Lee Point
Senator Katy Gallagher (Finance minister), MLA Ed Smelt (Territory Labor) and Defence Housing Australia’s (DHA) met at Lee Point in September.
This prompted two segments on ABC Darwin Radio – Darwin Mornings with Lara Stimpson:
- Ed Smelt (acting leader of opposition) – 30 Sept, interview starts at 19min 20sec, and Graeme Sawyer at 39mins
- Community – 28 Sept Lee Point segment starts at 36min 30sec.
Senate Inquiry
City of Darwin has sent a letter to Federal Ministers requesting a Senate inquiry into the Lee Point housing project …read more.
Sign the SENATE PETITION to help make this happen.
2CRU offset project has failed
Fig 3. Black-footed Tree-rats typically shelter in large tree hollows during the day and eat hard nuts and fruit from woodland.
Defence Housing Australia’s (DHA) 2CRU offset project has failed to protect the endangered Black-footed Tree-rat (BFTR).
More large eucalypts (which provide vital tree hollows) have been cleared by DHA from 2CRU than currently exist in the offset area, which appears to have been omitted from the BFTR habitat quality assessments.
FLP has written to the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) to seek the missing assessments.
Asbestos removal works
Fig 4. Muirhead North asbestos works – 23 Sept 2026
During Aug to late Sept ~ 800 tonnes of asbestos was removed from Muirhead North but some still remains – equipment has left site. Asbestos removal works started on 2CRU late Sept.
Build at Berrimah
The Lee Point housing project remains one of the most controversial and unpopular housing projects in Darwin’s history, refer Build at Berrimah not Lee Point – ask your MLA whether the project should go to Defence Establishment Berrimah (DEB).
4.0 Quiz
Fig 5. Bush Stone-curlew
In Darwin; the Bush Stone-curlew and Masked Lapwing appear to have increased in number. What introduced species has indirectly helped this increase? Answer at the end.
5.0 Plants-fungi-wildlife
Images from Lee Point Sept 2026
Fig 6. Flower from Black Plum tree (Vitex spp)
Fig 7. Cycas spp fruit
Fig 8. Fruit from shelf fungi – showing topside and underside
Favourite food: dead organic matter
Fig 9. Great Carpenter Bee visiting a Syzygium spp flower
Favourite food: nectar
Fig 10. Red Swampdragon Dragonfly
Favourite food: insects
Fig 11. Mistletoebird (male)
Favourite food: berries of the Mistletoe plant.
Wilderness Walks
Fig 12. Red-collared Lorikeet on a Lophostemon spp tree on Wilderness Walk.
Favourite food: nectar
Wilderness Walks have been recording 30-46 bird species – 46 bird species were recorded on the 26 July morning walk, refer ebird for latest sightings. Please check Friends of Lee Point Facebook for walk times.
Farewell dry season
Answer to Quiz