Red Hill Preservation Society
by Michael Paine
Warringah was a local government area on Sydney's Northern Beaches. It is now part of the Northern Beaches Council.
Note: RHPS was disbanded in the early 2000s. Much of the conservation work has been taken on by the Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment.---------------------------------------------------------------
The Red Hill Preservation Society was active in the protection of
bushland and water catchments - particularly the Narrabeen Lagoon
catchment. Some of the projects were:
- Assisting the National Parks Association of NSW with biodiversity surveys in the area.
- Preparing an interactive map of environmental
hotspots throughout Warringah.
- In conjunction with the Narrabeen Lagoon Committee, proposing the creation of a nature reserve in the Wheeler Creek Valley, between Red Hill and Cromer Heights. This is the last pristine tributary of South Creek.
- Monitoring of the introduction of Warringah's new LEP via representation on the LEP Community Advisory Committee. One of the major concerns is ensuring that Councillors "stick to the rules" when considering develoments applications. Press release of 30 August 2000.
- Comments on SEPP5 - metropolitan bushland bulldozed for questionable retirement villages.
- May 04: More threats from SEPP5 (Mark 2)
- Sep 04: National Parks Association campaign to protect the catchment of Narrabeen Lagoon.
- Sep 2024: Protection of
Bushland at Red Hill (draft PDF prepared in 2020 for
discussion with local State MP)
In addition Michael Paine prepared a feature article
on urban villages
for the Manly Daily (Saturday 26 June 1999).
Urban villages are an important component of the residential
strategy
which enabled Warringah to be exempted from dual occupancy laws.
Michael
argues that urban villages are the least painfall way of
achieving the
targets for more dwellings that all Sydney local governments are
required to meet. They enable suburban areas to absorb their
share of
these extra dwellings in a controlled and well-planned manner -
unlike
the notorious dual occupancy provisions. Much misinformation has
circulated about urban villages and the article attempts to
address some
concerns expressed by residents (a job that should have been
done by
Warringah Council).
Background on the Red Hill Preservation Society
In the late 1980s the NSW Government imposed Regional Environment Plan 21 on Warringah. REP21 rezoned bushland at Red Hill, Cromer and Oxford Heights to "residential" in the hope that the government would make a hansom profit.A huge area of pristine bushland at Red Hill was under threat. The Red Hill Preservation Society was formed by local residents to fight the development. Two decades before these same residents had fought the destruction of Governor Phillip Lookout at Beacon Hill to make way for the multi-lane Warringah Road (notice how the road now weaves around the Lookout). Unfortunately the bureaucracy prevailed in the case of Red Hill. The development went ahead with larger blocks. A subsequent push by the state government for dual occupancy throughout Sydney meant that much of Red Hill now has huge duplex houses filling each block. There is little scope for substantial trees to grow and cover the unsightly development from surrounding suburbs (the older suburbs are hidden behind established trees).
It turned out the the debacle over Red Hill was a factor in the downfall of the Greiner Government (Red Hill supporter Terry Metherill became an Independent member of parliament and unpopular Local Government Minister David Hay lost the "safe" seat of Manly to Independent Peter MacDonald). The legacy of this folly can be seen in the unsightly developments on these prominent hillsides.
August 1999
Updates
- 25 Feb 03 SMH: Chainsaws ready for demolition.