Another threatened bird species has been found in the same valley that would be flooded under the NSW Liberal Government’s plan to raise the Warragamba Dam wall to allow development on western Sydney floodplains.

The vulnerable-listed Painted honeyeater was discovered by Australian National University researcher Ross Crates in the Burragorang Valley last week. Mr Ross Crates said the bird is rarely seen that close to Sydney or the coast, and suggests they are most likely seeking drought refuge in the world heritage listed valley.

“If they start losing their drought refuge due to the dam proposal, it’s not going to end well.”

“It’s yet another threatened species we have found that’s going to lose its habitat if the dam wall is raised.”

GIVE A DAM spokesman Harry Burkitt said the discovery is another example of a threatened species being pushed to the “brink of extinction” by the NSW Government’s dam plan.

“The raising of Warragamba Dam wall is being imposed on the people of western Sydney with no social licence.

"Over 18,000 people from across western Sydney and Australia have now signed the petition against this dam.

“Raising Warragamba Dam has very little to do with protecting lives and everything to do with the Liberal Government opening the floodgate to developers on western Sydney’s floodplains.

“The Federal Government needs to honour Australia’s world heritage obligations and scrap this developers' dam before it proceeds any further.”

Media contact:
Harry Burkitt
[email protected]
0490 010 909