Damien Anthony Lee and Sarah Anne Moore: Fine for Stake Hill couple who cleared 15000sq/m of bushland

A couple are $20,000 in the red after clearing a “ridiculous” amount of bushland from their rural Stake Hill property without permission.

Damien Anthony Lee and Sarah Anne Moore pleaded guilty at Mandurah Magistrates Court on February 25 to carrying out a development in an area subject to a local planning scheme otherwise than in accordance of the provisions of the planning scheme.

Last year, Lee and Moore cleared the majority of vegetation from their block on Riverland Drive.

More than 15000sq/m of bushland, including endangered Banksia trees were destroyed.

In October, the Shire of Murray received a complaint and the couple were advised not to conduct any more clearing.

Lee, who represented himself, told the court that the pair are carrying out revegetation works.

“The block hasn’t been touched for 30 years so fire safety was terrible, there’s only one road in and out,” Lee explained.

Magistrate Leanne Atkins said the pair had cleared a “ridiculous amount”.

“There are restrictions relating to native flora and fauna and they need to be protected,” Ms Atkins added.

She fined the pair $10,000 each and ordered they pay $570 in costs.