MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have supported an environmental submission on a proposed Dromana residential development, ensuring the council’s concerns for an endangered lizard species’ habitat are formally considered federally.
The approval, passed at the 17 February council meeting, retrospectively endorses a submission lodged by shire officers during the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act public exhibition in November last year.
The submission formalises the shire’s position on the project at 62 Collins Road and 170 Boundary Rd, which proposes a 250-lot residential subdivision including a 6.99-hectare conservation reserve.
The land, currently vacant and heavily vegetated, is zoned Low Density Residential and is identified as an “investigation area” in the shire’s Housing and Settlement Strategy, meaning it may be suitable for additional housing subject to detailed assessment.
The submission focused on potential impacts on Matters of National Environmental Significance, particularly the endangered Swamp Skink whose habitat covers about 23 hectares, with around 75 per cent proposed to be disturbed.
According to a shire report, council officers highlighted opportunities to avoid and mitigate impacts, particularly in the 1.81-hectare linear drainage and landscape reserve.
Cr Patrick Binion outlined the submission’s key points, saying the officers “note that the opportunities to further avoid and mitigate impacts to swamp skink habitat as raised in council’s previous submission…remain unaddressed, particularly the 1.81 hectare linear drainage and landscape reserve.”
He added that the proposed conservation measures “are adequate to avoid, manage and mitigate impacts to swamp skink habitat within the proposed onsite conservation reserve”.
While he was overall supportive of affordable and diverse housing outcomes, Cr Binyon highlighted ongoing risks to the Swamp Skink, noting “predation and disturbance from household pets can pose a real and ongoing threat to vulnerable species” which was “an issue that will require careful management conditions and strong community education if the project is to proceed”.
The shire report said the “avoidable habitat loss would be addressed through a third party EPBC offset, providing permanent protection and management of Swamp Skink habitat elsewhere”.
A suitable offset site has been identified in Gippsland near Loch Sport, next to Ninety Mile Beach.
Cr Max Patton acknowledged both the project’s conservation efforts and broader biodiversity challenges.
“While the proponents have made significant effort…it still results in 75 per cent of this habitat being removed altogether,” he said.
“Having an offset site in Loch Sport is great – it’s not on the peninsula though, so overall this will lead to a net loss of biodiversity and vegetation on the peninsula.”
Patton also expressed concern about offsets in general, noting a 2022 auditor general report highlighted “problematic implementation, management and overall recording of offset sites”.
Cr David Gill spoke of the project’s long history and the balance between housing and environmental protection.
“It is already low-density housing for zoning and…the facts of the matter would be that a lot of that land would be cleared anyway,” he said.
“Having higher density gave an opportunity to set aside, I think it’s about seven hectares for the local wildlife… we can only apply for [planning scheme changes] and that was already there,” she said.
According to the shire report, approval under the EPBC Act “does not mean the amendment or planning permit is authorised/approved”.
The council has also enquired whether the project might trigger an environmental assessment under the Environment Effects Act but the “Victorian Department of Transport and Planning has confirmed that, based on current project documentation, an EE Act assessment is not required,” the report said.
“Endorsing the submission for the EPBC Act referral formalises council’s position and ensures that matters raised in the submission are appropriately considered as part of the Commonwealth EPBC Act assessment process.”
The decision follows a history of shire involvement, including a 25 February resolution last year recommending the Federal Environment Minister determine the project as a controlled action due to likely significant impacts on Swamp Skink habitat.
First published in the Mornington News – 24 February 2026