Around 100 concerned residents gathered outside Woolworths in Gosford on Saturday, June 7, to protest a proposed development at Kincumber.
The development site, on the Kincumber Wetlands, is owned by Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (DLALC), which is investigating leasing the land to Woolworths as a site for a new supermarket and car park.
Founder of the Save Kincumber Wetlands Facebook page, Sue Chidgey, said despite strong winds and cold winter air, community members turned up with signs, banners, and a clear message: development should not come at the cost of nature.
Among the participants were ecologists, conservationists, local business owners, and residents from aged care homes – all of whom say the wetlands are a very special and much-needed sanctuary in an already heavily built-up area.
Spokesperson for Save Kincumber Wetlands and Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA), Emma French, said it was heartening to see such a community response.
Guest speakers raised major concerns about the development’s potential impacts, including increased traffic congestion, noise and dust pollution, pressure on local infrastructure, and the displacement of native and endangered species.
“Local small businesses also fear the economic consequences of a new Woolworths in close proximity to an already existing Coles less than 200 metres from the proposed development site,” French said.
Guest speaker Lisa Bellamy said the group opposed development on unsuitable sites.
“There are other ways for DLALC to make money without destroying sensitive bushland, and they have a huge development portfolio including Peat Island which is an absolute goldmine for the private organisation,” she said.
“Our community needs to continue to unite and stay connected to each other to help protect our last bastions for wildlife, especially endangered wetlands; because nature, in return, protects and provides for us.”
Chidgey, who is also the founder of the successful Save Central Coast Reserves campaign, emphasised the importance of preserving green spaces.
“Our significant environmental bushland on the Central Coast need to be protected and preserved,” she said.
“They are vital to our wellbeing and community connection.
“I am a grandmother of two boys, and I would love to know they will grow up in an area with these important wetlands.”
Local businesswoman Colette Baron raised concerns about the effect of another major supermarket on small local enterprises.
“Once we get a price war between Coles and Woolworths, it will be goodbye to small businesses,” she said.
“This is about protecting the environment, but from a practical point of view, it will create more chaos in terms of traffic and noise pollution – and it will shut down small businesses.”
A local ecologist said the Kincumber Wetlands are one of the last remaining urban wetlands on the Central Coast, providing essential habitat for wildlife and natural flood mitigation for the region.
“Development in such a fragile ecosystem would cause permanent environmental harm,” they said.
“Species like the Osprey, Powerful Owl, Green and Golden Bell Frog, Eastern Bent-wing Bat, and the migratory Bar-tailed Godwit rely on these wetlands, and many of them are vulnerable or endangered under state and national conservation laws.”
The rally closed with a local choir leading the crowd in singing Big Yellow Taxi – the iconic anthem about losing nature to development.
Those opposed to the development are encouraged to join the Save Kincumber Wetlands page on Facebook, stay informed, and write to Woolworths and local MPs urging them not to support the development.
Many are also calling for a boycott of Woolworths unless the company withdraws its interest in developing the site.
