Contradictory news for Mambo Wetlands

Contradictory news for Mambo Wetlands

Port Stephens Council has made some concessions about building on the Mambo buffer zone. They have agreed NOT to build on the area west of Tomaree Library and they have agreed to investigate the reclassification of these areas so that the community is not continually fighting these battles to protect Mambo Wetlands.

However, despite admitting in the meeting on 9th July that the area of buffer zone north of the shopping centre carpark is unsuitable for building, Council will NOT stop development of that section. The logic here is difficult to understand, as buffer zones are equally important. This area is highly contested. One would assume, a developer purchasing this land from Council would expect to be permitted to build, yet Council is subjecting this to the DA process with environmental investigation.

The map below shows the blue hatching buffer but Council intends to allow the area immediately west of the purple area to potentially be developed.

See more updates on Mambo-Wanda Wetlands Conservation Group Facebook page

‼️ ✅ 📣 We are still asking Council to STOP development in ALL areas of remaining buffer zone around Mambo Wetlands and CONFIRM their reclassification as environmental conservation.

Council’s key recommendations are about lack of land for housing and lack of revenue to spend on infrastructure and maintenance of the wetlands.

Refer Councils response here, see p271: 25 August 2026 – Ordinary Council Agenda.

The below table is Council’s response to the Mambo Petition which gained over 1800 signatures in less than a month and will be debated at the August council meeting. The petition stated: We, the undersigned, ask that Port Stephens Council: Stop the sell off and development of Council Land around the Salamander Bay Shopping Centre. The areas targeted for development are on FLOOD PRONE land, are gazetted as BUSHFIRE Protection Zone, are significant KOALA HABITAT, and critical WETLAND BUFFER ZONE, and are protected under Council Policy and State legislation.

Response from Council Agenda re the legal, policy and risk implications p 272

Risk	Risk Ranking	Proposed Treatments	Within existing resources?
There is a risk that by not developing the Council owned land around Salamander Bay Shopping Centre there will be reduced supply of residential and and commercial land in Salamander Bay.	High	Adopt the recommendations	Yes
There is a risk the income source created from the proposed development would not be achieved resulting in there being no funding source for key infrastructure.	Medium	Adopt the recommendations	Yes
There is a risk that the income source created from the proposed development reduces the likelihood of a funding source for updating Mambo Wetlands Plan of Management.	Medium	Adopt the recommendations	Yes

As you can see, for our Council, it’s all about the MONEY.

We maintain Council continues to justify the sale of this land on the basis that it will fund road upgrades, pathways, ecological studies and the Wetlands Plan of Management. As these are core Council responsibilities that would normally be funded through Council’s ongoing budgets, we think these budget items are being framed as extras, not basic expenditures.

Budget items such as these — whether core or not — should not be dependent on the sale of environmentally sensitive public land.

Is it morally right to sell off valuable environmental land to gain money for today’s users at the cost of future generations? This is contrary to Council’s own Environment Policy requiring it to exercise precautionary principle and provide for intergenerational equity, as required by the NSW Local Government in its principles outlined for Ecological Sustainable Development.

Here is the Mambo Wanda Wetlands Conservation Groups response to the risks if Council follows through with plans for Mambo wetlands:

Risk	Risk Ranking	Proposed Treatments
There is a risk that by developing land within the wetlands buffer zone, the integrity of the wetlands will be put at risk through increased incursions of feral animals, increase in run off due to increasing amounts of hard surfaces, increasing pollution levels, & light levels, with consequent effects on the endangered ecosystems and threatened species that exist in the wetlands.	High	Do not build in the Mambo Buffer Zone
There is a risk that by buying land that is within the Mambo wetlands buffer zone, buyers will be subjected to increased costs through multiple necessary reports that include environmental, drainage, soil, fire, and flood.	High	Do not build in the Mambo Buffer Zone
There is a risk that by selling land within the Mambo Wetlands Buffer zone that Council will suffer reputational damage at a time when Council is seeking or investigating the possibility of Port Stephens becoming an Eco Destination.	High	Do not build in the Mambo Buffer Zone
There is a risk that by selling land within the Mambo Wetlands Buffer zone that the reputation of Kate Washington MP and Port Stephens Council as environmental defenders in regard to previous actions over Mambo Wetlands will be trashed.	High	Do not build in the Mambo Buffer Zone
What risks to Mambo Wetlands do you see if Council follows through with plans to sell Mambo wetlands buffer?	>>>>	Go on over to Mambo-Wanda Wetlands Conservation Group Facebook page and write a comment.

Dates for the diary

11th August 5.30pm – hear Iain Watt in Public Access to the Council meeting on Council’s webcast available here   Council webcast | Port Stephens Council)

Iain is President of EcoNetwork Port Stephens and chair of the Eco Destination committee. He will speak about Mambo Wetlands in relation to council’s expressed wish to become an Eco Destination. 

25th August 5.30pm – regular monthly Council meeting where items on Mambo Wetland will be voted on by Councillors and the Mambo petition received.

At the Council meeting on Tuesday 25th August, Council will reconsider plans for the Salamander Bay Town Centre Place Plan. Items concerning Mambo Wetlands are Items 6 & 7 on pages 252 and 271 of the agenda. 25 August 2026 – Ordinary Council Agenda (8).

Don’t forget those emails, texts or calls before 25^th August Council meeting. ☎️📧

Keep up the support for Mambo 👏🏼

Curious about how we reached this point?

Find about more about the actions to date >>