The development of a massive luxury resort in Western Australia has leaped over another hurdle. However, many residents are fighting back against it.
According to ABC, Gnarabup locals are concerned about "bushfire risks, wastewater infrastructure, and impacts on native wildlife" that the project will bring.
The project is set to cost 138 million Australian dollars ($96 million) and will include a 121-room hotel, 51 houses, and a cafe spanning over 19 acres.
While some believe this will be good for the community, Beth Carlessi, a Preserve Gnarabup spokesperson, cautioned developers about the risk of bushfires. There has already been at least one serious bushfire in the area, and the luxury resort would put 1,500 people at risk of another.
"It's not a matter of if but when," she told ABC. "The size and density of this development is absolutely unsuitable for the fragile environment there."
There actually hasn't been a development in this area for 30 years, and that's in large part due to residents like Adrian Wilson fighting against them. He's concerned about the lack of roads and infrastructure to support the extra people who would be coming into their community.
He told ABC it's "a recipe for disaster."
Additionally, western ringtail possums call this land their home. The Environmental Protection Authority has called for a "fauna spotter" to identify these animals during the development process, according to ABC. However, Wilson doesn't see how this system will work.
"When you have bulldozers getting in there, and you have a possum spotter, seriously?" he said.
The large development isn't a done deal just yet. It's now in the hands of the WA Planning Commission for the final decision.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 Gnarabup residents aren't the only ones fighting against concerning developments. In California, Twentynine Palms residents want to stop a luxury casino from being built because of the dangers to wildlife, particularly their cherished desert tortoise.
The Conservation Council of WA is also concerned about another animal in Gnarabup: black cockatoos.
CCWA State Director Matt Roberts said in a press release, "Our black cockatoos are headed towards extinction, and habitat loss is one of the main causes. Ultimately, this development poses unacceptable impacts and risks to the environment and local wildlife."
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