Once-'extinct' reptile forces developers to reconsider housing plans

Victorians prepare for what is forecast to be the state’s worst fire danger day in four years

A reptile that was thought to be extinct for 50 years is holding up the development of thousands of homes in Melbourne’s west, with fears its habitat could affect plans down to the Bellarine Peninsula.

The Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon was supposed to be extinct, but Melbourne Zoo found some in the wild late last year.

The discovery is forcing the state and developers to reconsider plans to build more housing and a jobs precinct near Bacchus Marsh.

The Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon was supposed to be extinct but Melbourne Zoo found some in the wild late last year.

“I like lizards as much as the next person, but the government needs to explain what the plan B is,” Outer Suburban Growth Shadow Minister Evan Mulholland said.

“Until we actually know how many there are, we don’t know how long the potential delays could be,” Linda Allison from the Urban Development Institute of Australia said.

The endangered Green and Gold Frog famously forced Sydney to relocate a tennis centre built for the 2000 Olympics.

The discovery is forcing the state and developers to reconsider plans to build more housing and a jobs precinct.

But reports of this dragon delaying plans in Victoria have been exaggerated, according to government minister Steve Dimopoulos.

“In my understanding, there’s no delay,” Dimopolous said.

“I think those reports are a bit mischievous.”

Mark Whinfield spent $1 million on an environmental assessment as part of plans to develop 12,000 homes near Geelong.

His company Newland has been told to do the assessment again.

“This is going to affect potentially 300,000 homes in the growth areas of Melbourne,” Whinfield said.

“It’s adding at least another 12 months to the process and it could even be longer.”