Property group Third.i has announced a Heads of Agreement with the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (Darkinjung) to establish a pathway for Aboriginal stewardship of approximately 120 hectares of proposed conservation land, as part of its Charmhaven masterplanned community on the NSW Central Coast.
Third.i and Darkinjung will work together to develop a long-term stewardship model that combines biodiversity protection with Aboriginal custodianship and active land management, with Darkinjung to play an ongoing role in caring for the conservation land.
The agreement follows years of ecological assessment, extensive consultation with State and Federal government agencies and significant engagement with the local community through the Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan.
Third.i has redesigned the masterplan, undertaken extensive ecological investigations, held more than 120 community consultation sessions, received more than 200 letters of support and committed to permanently conserving approximately 120 hectares of environmentally significant land.
At Charmhaven on the Central Coast, Third.i Group believes it has created a blueprint for what responsible development can look like.
"The NSW Government has been clear about what it expects from new development. More housing. Better environmental outcomes. Meaningful Aboriginal participation. Genuine community consultation – and we’re porud to be delivering just that at Charmhaven,” Third.i Partner, Florian Caillon, said.
“We've designed a community that will deliver around 1,000 homes, new infrastructure at no cost to government and 120 hectares of environmentally significant land, which wil be permanently protected under the stewardness of Darkinjung, the Traditional Custodians of the land.”
"The NSW Government has been clear about what it expects from new development. More housing. Better environmental outcomes. Meaningful Aboriginal participation. Genuine community consultation.”
"At Charmhaven, we've designed a community that will deliver around 1,000 new homes. We've committed to permanently protect around 120 hectares of environmentally significant land. We've spent years working with government agencies and the local community. And now we're partnering with the Traditional Custodians to ensure that land is actively cared for long into the future."
"If that's still not enough, then I think it's reasonable to ask: what more is this Government looking for? They've asked developers to raise the bar. We have. Now it's time for leadership."
Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council Interim CEO Angus Witherby said the agreement demonstrated the value of involving Aboriginal communities from the earliest stages of planning.
"For us, this is about ensuring conservation is more than protecting land on a map. It's about creating a framework where Country can be actively cared for over the long term, drawing on both ecological expertise and traditional knowledge,” he said.
"We're pleased to be working with Third.i at an early stage to help shape the long-term stewardship of this land. Bringing Aboriginal voices into the process early creates stronger outcomes for the community.”
The proposed Charmhaven masterplanned community is expected to deliver around 1,000 new homes, employment opportunities, community infrastructure and significant environmental conservation as part of the Central Coast Strategic Conservation Plan. Third.i will continue working alongside government agencies and Darkinjung as the planning process progresses.
Mr Caillon said projects like Charmhaven will demonstrate that Australia does not need to choose between housing and conservation.
"Australia doesn't have the luxury of choosing between housing and conservation. We have to find better ways to deliver both."
"This shouldn't be the exception. It should be the benchmark."
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About Third.i
Third.i is one of Australia’s leading property development and investment firms with an enviable track record in successfully delivering large-scale residential projects in Sydney and Newcastle. With a current development pipeline exceeding $4 billion, Third.i’s experience and drive to deliver architecturally inspired spaces are key reasons for their ongoing success.
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