Native animals flee as developers drain lakes at former Glen Iris Golf Course in Perth

Residents surrounding a former golf course in Jandakot, where a developer has switched off the sprinklers and drained the lakes in anticipation of a residential rezoning, are distressed by the impact on local wildlife and saddened by the prospect of losing more urban bush.

Irrigation switched off

Despite not yet having secured a residential rezoning, Acumen Development Solutions is wasting no time driving wildlife from the 54.9-hectare former Glen Iris Golf Course, the Jandakot Residents and Ratepayers Association says.

President Leanne Chaproniere said the original developer had included several artificial lakes in the design and retained large areas of banksia woodland, with the result that the area supported a healthy population of quendas and black cockatoos.

The property was sold to Eastcourt a few years ago and since last April developers Acumen have started puncturing the liners of the artificial lakes so they can drain and switching off irrigation.

Quendas were now entering the backyards of surrounding residents in search of water, Ms Chaproniere said. She recently found one drowning in her pool.

Birds suffering

She said black cockatoos were increasingly seen drinking from the gutters of the homes around the course and residents were seeing quendas drinking from containers they had taken to putting in their backyards.

The developer formed a community reference group with all 32 locals who expressed interest and held three workshops to inform a concept plan.

A community engagement website, phone line and email have fielded 217 calls and 98 emails over a year.

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