Port Stephens Council has listed the first of three land parcels near Mambo Wetlands for sale, advancing its Salamander Bay Place Plan despite community backlash. The 21,000-square-metre site at 10 Central Avenue, Salamander Bay, is zoned for employment use with a maximum building height of 15 metres.
The Mambo Wanda Wetlands Conservation Group argues the plan mirrors a 2009 proposal rejected by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in 2010. Group secretary Kathy Brown said current councillors lack institutional memory of past failures. The earlier plan included a ring road and commercial subdivision along the wetlands buffer zone.
Council Mayor Leah Anderson defended the move, citing community demand for health services. She stated the expression of interest process will test the market for healthcare development, and the site is 121 metres from the wetlands. Any future development application will require environmental reports demonstrating compliance.
Council claims updated plans reduce footprints, increase buffer zones, protect koala trees, and add greenery. The property advertisement notes a growing and ageing population, with 10.5% growth expected by 2036 and over half of residents aged over 50.
The conservation group has scheduled an information forum for May 30 at Tomaree Library. A petition is underway to bring the plan back to council agenda.
