Federal Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt and NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman announced today the completion of the transfer of ownership of the South-Eastern Malabar Headland (also known as Lot 304) from the Commonwealth to the people of New South Wales.
“We have quadrupled the size of land on the Malabar Headland that will be owned by the people of New South Wales,” Minister Hunt said.
“The South-Eastern Headland is the most beautiful and scenic part of the Malabar Headland with panoramic coastal views rivalling any other section of Sydney’s stunning coastline.”
“We have fully funded a $5 million upgrade to the Central Malabar Headland, confirmed in the recent release of the 2015-16 Mid-Year Economic Fiscal Outlook.”
“This includes funding to return the South East Equestrian Club to the Headland. The necessary remediation and constructions works are expected to be commence shortly.”
“Funding will also be used to improve safety and other amenities on the ANZAC Rifle Range, as well as completing a scoping study to investigate alternative sites for a mutually agreeable relocation of the New South Wales Rifle Association.”
“We are committed to ensuring the whole of the Malabar Headland is kept in public hands in perpetuity,” Minister Hunt said.
Minister Speakman said the transfer was a win for the local environment with the South-Eastern Headland home to some of the last remnants of the threatened Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub and a surviving coastal battery from the defence of Sydney during World War II.
“On behalf of the people of New South Wales, I am delighted to welcome back this portion of the Headland after nearly a hundred years of Commonwealth ownership,” Minister Speakman said.
“We will now work hard to gazette the area as a National Park and to enable safe and significant public access,” Minister Speakman said.
(ENDS)