Stop the defence housing project at Lee Point

To the Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh MP and the Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher.

Lee Point is an irreplaceable asset in Darwin that contains over half of Casuarina Coastal Reserve (CCR). CCR attracts over one million visits each year because of its natural beauty and rich biodiversity. Friends of Lee Point (FLP) is a non-profit Darwin community based group seeking to protect the Lee Point environment and our quality of life.

The Lee Point Area Plan approved in 2015 (without NT Planning Commission involvement) allows housing at Lee Point. This Plan is focused on the disused Defence land. Defence Housing Australia (DHA) which is wholly owned by the Australian Government has proposed a development (see below) to house thousands of people at Lee Point.

Housing at Lee Point is unnecessary and will lead to:

  • severe impact on people’s enjoyment of Lee Point,
  • traffic congestion,
  • increased travel time and car dependency,
  • increased CO2 emissions,
  • considerable loss of habitat and wildlife, and
  • significant costs for the taxpayer.
The Gouldian Finch is an endangered species listed under the EPBC Act. It is one of the most beautiful finches in the world and attracts many international visitors. The recent increase in Gouldian Finches at Lee Point has prompted hopes that this endangered species is breeding in the Lee Point woodland. We can’t let its habitat be bulldozed.



Petition by
Nicholas Kirlew
Larrakeyah, Australia

To: To the Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh MP and the Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher.
From: [Your Name]

We are opposed to Defence Housing Australia (DHA) locating thousands of people at Lee Point, Darwin NT. Stage 1 of this project has already had a negative impact. If this project continues it will have a severe impact on the natural beauty, wildlife, future recreation and full tourist potential of one of Darwin’s most important natural assets – Lee Point.

We believe the project's current location will not deliver any long term public benefit to the Darwin community or visitors to Darwin and there are much better housing locations available.

We therefore call on the (two) shareholder ministers of DHA to intervene, stop the defence housing project at Lee Point and relocate it to a more suitable area.