Hands Off Point Heron protest the proposed Mangles Bay Marina

The protest has been organised by Hands Off Point Peron, whose founder Dawn Jecks hoped a visible presence of opposition to the project would send a clear message to City councillors.

‘We want to tell our busy councillors that they are being misled by the developer in the same way Mandurah people were misled about the Mariners Cove development,’ Ms Jecks said.

‘The elephant in the room is why are we allowing this development on the doorstep of a protected marine park?’

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren has tabled a petition to State Parliament to challenge the development. It questions the promotion of the development as a marina, and calls for a ban on canal estate developments, similar to bans introduced in New South Wales and Victoria.

‘The project is not a marina, even though it is promoted as such,’ she said.

The development had met strong opposition and opponents had identified the downfall of canal estates in other states as an argument against it, she said.

‘The community has rallied in huge numbers to halt the developments, which carve up precious public land on the coast,’ she said.

‘Point Peron was set aside for community recreational purposes in 1964; the proposed development is a moral, social, economic and environmental mistake.

‘The community can see this, it’s time the State Government did.’

Cedar Woods has promised to monitor water quality near the development before, during and after construction.

A spokesman said the proposal had undergone the highest level of public scrutiny and an exhaustive environmental assessment.

‘We look forward to the Mangles Bay Marina delivering significant social and economic benefits by providing tourism, recreation and low-cost holiday accommodation facilities to all,’ he said.