HEZ

Hunter Economic Zone - Hunter Employment Zone

Hunter Extinction Zone

A PLANNING DISASTER AREA: - 900 hectares zoned for large scale industry.

31 THREATENED SPECIES - this is more than most National Parks. see list

3 ENDANGERED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES: Lower Hunter Spotted gum/Ironbark; Kurri Sand Swamp Woodland; Hunter Lowland Redgum Forest.

THE BUFFER ZONE - HABITAT PROTECTION: -2300 ha comprising National Park and Habitat Conservation Zone 7(b). The National Park was declared in 1998 - 4 years before the HEZ was rezoned in 2002.

The 7(b) conservation zone can be sold in 40ha lots for rural residential. Lots of as little as 25ha can be sold with permission to build on them, if they are split off from industrial-zoned land.

Each block can build a house, garage, granny flat, swimming pool, shed - plus it can clear enough land for the house and a 'fire protection zone', it can also clear a firebreak along all of its boundaries, driveways, roads etc. PLUS any landowner can clear 2ha per year without any permissions or justification.

NATIONAL SWIFT PARROT HABITAT:- The Tomalpin Industrial Estate has been identified as 'the most important Spotted Gum site on mainland Australia' for the Swift Parrot (Saunders 2002). Up to 10% of the entire Australian population has been observed on the site during the winter flowering of the Spotted Gum.

REGIONAL CONTEXT: This area is the largest tract of bushland left on the floor of the Hunter Valley. Other land available for industrial use includes 4000 - 5000 hectares of degraded land identified by the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources in the Thornton to Killingworth Sub-Regional strategy. Much of this land is ex open cut coal mining land and is extensively degraded. Bio-diversity and threatened species would not be affected by developing this land.

MINE SUBSIDENCE: HEZ and adjoining land has been proclaimed a Mine Subsidence District. Approval from the Mine Subsidence Board is now required for all new construction in the area.

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