Claudia Karvan joins last-ditch campaign to save unburnt bushland from development

The residents of the small south coast town of Manyana have enlisted the help of actor Claudia Karvan in a last-ditch campaign to save the only significant unburnt piece of bushland for kilometres from clearing.

The 20 hectares, which was saved by volunteer firefighters protecting nearby houses during the Christmas-New Year bushfires, has development consent dating back to 2008.

But Manyana residents are calling on the state government to buy the land and turn it into a nature reserve because of the damage caused by the fires.

The developer, Ozy Homes plans to start work on stage 1 as early as today.

With more than 80% of national park bushland in the Shoalhaven area affected by fire, residents have asked the minister for planning and public spaces, Rob Stokes and the developer Ozy Homes to delay the start of work.

At the same time the Environmental Defenders’ Office has written to ask the federal environment minister, Sussan Ley to intervene using the Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act, which allows the federal government to step in to protect threatened ecological communities.

The EDO is urging governments to reconsider the environmental value of the land in light of the fire damage. It argues that since the approval was granted more than a decade ago, there has been substantial change in the area which requires a review of the environmental impact of the proposed clearing.

The developer has already deferred the start of work due to the fires. Now, despite talks between Shoalhaven Council and Ozy Homes in recent weeks on a further delay or possible alternative sites, the clearing is now imminent.

The local group Manyana Matters says the damage done by the fires has made it essential to preserve this unburnt area, for both the environment and for the sake of the mental health of the local community.

“This is one of the last substantial pockets of unburnt habitat here, Manyana Matters convener Jorj Lowrey said.

“Our brave volunteer firefighters fought to save it just a few short months ago. Tearing it down would not only destroy the homes of native animals, but it would break the hearts of those who saved it – and the rest of us locals.”

Related: Koalas headed for 'localised extinction' at planned NSW Shenhua coalmine site

In a video, Karvan says the block with its mature trees is essential to species survival.

“It’s the habitat for the threatened greater glider and the swift parrot and much other wildlife taking refuge here,” she says.

More than 200 residents and supporters brought their surfboards, protest signs and bikes to a protest near the site on Saturday.

Using their surfboards, the group spelt out “STOP” on the Yulunga Reserve, adjacent to the site.

The community believes Ozy Homes plans to start preparations for clearing the land on Monday.

Lowrey said: “The Manyana community is willing to take action to stop this happening.

“We’re not going away until the state government takes action to preserve this land. We saved it from the bushfires. Now we’re going to save it again.”