“EXTREMELY disappointing.”

That is the response from Dave Wood, Advocates for Grandpa’s Scrub spokesperson, to an official statement from Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) noting its reasons for not taking necessary steps to avoid and protect a 0.5 ha remnant of original Lowland Rainforest between Shephards Lane and Gatelys Road, known by some as Grandpa’s Scrub, in the construction of the Coffs Harbour Bypass.

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In the 30 December 2022 edition of News Of The Area, a spokesperson for Transport for NSW said, “TfNSW recognises that this pocket of remnant rainforest is a sensitive ecological area and remains committed to reducing Coffs Harbour bypass project impacts on the location where reasonable and feasible.

“Changes to the proposed alignment to avoid Grandpa’s Scrub completely would delay the start to major construction while further geotechnical investigations and property acquisitions were carried out,” said the statement.

According to Mr Wood, “The greatest disappointment is the continued refusal by TfNSW to acknowledge the Critically Endangered Ecological Community (CEEC) status of the patch, despite being provided with significant independent evidence of such.

“TfNSW has also not undertaken a full floristic assessment of the patch despite requests to do so.”

Mr Wood has also questioned TfNSW’s continued silence regarding the heritage and cultural values of this patch to the broader Coffs community.

“These are values which cannot possibly be replaced by an offset property, or proposed salvage and future plantings in another location.”

Transport for NSW has claimed that it may be able to save up to 80 percent of the patch, a statement Mr Wood believes to be misleading.

“How can you accurately claim to assess percentage loss when you haven’t carried out a full floristic survey?”

While Transport for NSW may be able to save “up to 80 percent” of the area of current tree cover, the floristic diversity across the site varies significantly, with the area of greatest density situated on the corner which will be removed to accommodate the Coffs Bypass.

“We have shared this fact with TfNSW staff both verbally and by email clearly indicating the location of the only two large and ancient White booyong in the patch.”

There are also a myriad of other ancient trees and understory species being threatened, including the largest Rusty plum, Yellow and Red Carabeen, and a Red cedar.

“We have estimated the actual loss of biodiversity by its plan to cut off the NW corner to be closer to 60 percent in the immediate term and potentially greater in the long term.

“TfNSW has also ignored all requests to indicate how they plan to divert the original watercourse, which winds through the patch, and maintain future viability.”

Advocates for the site’s protection say the rules of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act make it clear that TfNSW’s intentions are illegal, believing any action which damages this lowland rainforest patch to be in direct contravention of the Framework for Biodiversity Assessment 2014 which clearly directs Major Project planners to avoid areas of native vegetation; particularly, Threatened Ecological Communities, where there is alternative cleared land available.

“We are also disappointed with the claims that an alternative alignment would necessitate a reduced speed limit,” Mr Wood said.

“Despite emails sent in October and November of 2022 clearly exposing the fallacy, TfNSW continues to perpetuate the same scare mongering.

“Any person who examines the curvature of the Coffs Bypass route can see that the current proposed 110kph speed rated curves at both Roberts Hill and the Korora interchange are significantly tighter than any broadening of the proposed curve required to save the patch,” said Mr Wood.

“We are highly sceptical of its claim that additional property would need to be purchased and find it difficult to accept its other claims of an additional $50 million cost overrun and twelve-month delay in order to achieve what they clearly should have set out to achieve in the first instance back in 2018/19.

“We continue to urge our duly elected representatives to reject compromise solutions by TfNSW which will leave us with a greatly diminished and likely failing reminder of a biodiversity, heritage and cultural treasure that could have, and should have been preserved for all future generations.

“The proposed offsets are another shameful story,” said Mr Wood.

Sue Higginson, Greens Member of the NSW Legislative Council said in November that no offsets scheme with integrity allows the offsetting of critically endangered ecological communities or species.

“Once something is critically endangered it means it is literally on the brink of extinction, that it cannot withstand any more loss or destruction and it needs a recovery program,” said Ms Higginson.

A Transport for NSW spokesperson told News Of The Area, “Transport for NSW is working with the contractor for the Coffs Harbour bypass on measures that would minimise impacts to Grandpa’s Scrub.

“Those measures are being finalised and will be released publicly in coming weeks.”

Drone footage shot by City of Coffs Harbour Councillor Jonathan Cassell has been uploaded to YouTube, and shows the remnant of rainforest from above.

Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=USs9mQL7aQc.

By Andrea FERRARI