City of Bayswater has finally purchased Carter’s wetlands.
Camera IconCity of Bayswater has finally purchased Carter’s wetlands. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie.

City of Bayswater completes purchase of $3.5m Carter’s wetlands

Kristie LimEastern Reporter

CITY of Bayswater has purchased the Carter’s wetlands at 128 King William Street for $3.5 million and will have control of the land’s future.

The wetlands, located next to the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, was under threat from a neighbouring development that would potentially have seen cul-de-sacs and associated filling intruding into part of the site.

Funding for the purchase of the land, which is expected to be settled by the end of October, was provided by the City ($2 million from reserves) and the WA State Government ($1.5 million).

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Mayor Barry McKenna said there would be no private construction or development that could take place at the environmentally-sensitive area.

“This seasonal wetland not only supports the neighbouring bird sanctuary, but it also provides habitat for endangered oblong turtles, seven species of frogs, and many native birds that struggle to find suitable breeding areas in populated neighbourhoods,” he said.

“With urban infill taking place across metropolitan Perth, natural spaces such as the Carter’s wetland are disappearing at an ever increasing rate.

“Council’s purchase of the wetland on behalf of our community means this natural area is secure.”

No Houses in Wetlands member Deborah Bowie said she was “relieved” by the purchase.

“Our community group has just been on tenterhooks for the last few months because we have been wondering what has been going on,” she said.

“We all feel if things have been done properly in the beginning, then we wouldn’t have actually been here but hopefully council have been much more transparent in their dealings.”

Ms Bowie said the construction works at the neighbouring D’razio development site was a concern because of the impact it was going to have on wildlife.

“The D’razio site has got top-loading soil, there is machinery down there,” she said.

“They are working from 7am to 4.30pm every day during the week and it is causing a lot of noise vibration in the area.

“It will be a blessing when at least that has stopped.”

Maylands MLA Lisa Baker said she was delighted to have helped achieve the result for the “community asset”.

“I hope we can now look to the future maintenance and vegetation works at the site to complement the adjoining Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary,” she said.

The City is currently pursuing a change in the Metropolitan Region Scheme with the WA Planning Commission to amend the land zoning of the Carter’s site to parks and recreation.

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