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When Heidi Peck died in 1985 she had spent close to twenty years establishing the Ettamogah Wildlife Sanctuary (since rebadged as OZ.e. Wildlife). Now it seems the place is no longer viable and the Albury City Council like vultures circling prospective carrion are ready to claim their prize and are ready to put the land to more viable/doctrinaire driven future use as a business/industrial park especially as the 10 hectare (25 acres) is worth between one and two million dollars and considering its proximity to the Ettamogah Hub. Ii is almost certain considering the zoning of the site that it will be absorbed into the proposed Albury Industrial Hub Masterplan.

Before she died Heidi bequeathed the Ettamogah Wildlife Sanctuary in perpetuity to the Friends of the Ettamogah a group of dedicated volunteers to continue the ongoing development and management of the Sanctuary. It didn't turn out that way and the demise of OZ.e. Wildlife can in part be sheeted home to Albury City Council's lack of enthusiasm in promoting and resourcing the Sanctuary and helping it realise its potential as a major regional tourist attraction.

In November 1995 the Albury City Council were able to convince the Friends of Ettamogah Sanctuary to transfer the title of the land to the council on the pretext that the Albury City Council has a better chance of obtaining state and federal funding for the Sanctuary. The Friends of Ettamogah Sanctuary stipulated a number of conditions which were accepted by Council as a confidential document of the then Economic Development & Tourism Committee dated February 19 1996 stated (see document opposite for the full report); it was resolved (sic) at the Management committee meeting held on November 29 that the 10 hectares of land currently in the name of Friends of Ettamogah Sanctuary be transferred to the council as a gift on the basis that the Sanctuary occupy the site on a 99 year peppercorn lease and that a covenant be placed on the title that the land always remain a Wildlife Sanctuary. If the land is used for any other purpose it will be the decision of the Friends of Ettamogah for what purpose it should be and if the land is sold by council that the funds from the sale revert to the Sanctuary Management Committee for the establishment of a scholarship fund or other such fund as it deems appropriate. The reason why the committee wish to have the land placed in Council's name is because it is not eligible to any Federal or State funding if the land is held in any name except that of the Council. (see document opposite)

Unfortunately Albury City Council failed in attracting any grants from State or Federal authorities - indeed some people who were on the management committee at the time stated that Albury City Council showed little enthusiasm in the Sanctuary and in a reneged on the promised riches that would come from Council intercession.

The Council also agreed to commit $21,000 per annum for a period of three years. In recent years this increased to $50,000 a year which is a pittance compared to other expenditure the Council squanders on nepotistic ventures that are of a dubious value (see Henk's Outburst #2 this issue). It has also incurred the wrath of some councillors particularly Cr Duncan-Strelec who has been particularly antagonistic in giving OZ.e. Wildlife any money.

Around about 2001/2002 Albury City Council told The friends of the Ettamogah Sanctuary that they were going to rezone the land to Community Land Use - which would be suitable for zoological purposes and go some way in guaranteeing that Heidi Peck's legacy would remain intact. Curiously the land was never rezoned and it was only recently that it was found out the land has been zoned B7 Business with a EB Environmental Management component (see illustration below text) - in other words a business/light industrial 'park' with a prerequisite that a few trees similar to Thurgoona development areas are kept. This was all done withgout the knowlwdge of the Friends of the Ettamogah Management Comittee.

No doubt Albury City Council's lassitude in not promoting OZ.e Wildlife for whatever reason was further wasn't rekindled with the development of the Ettamogah hub and the 'master plan framework' of the adjacent area. Suddenly the GM of Albury City Council Les Tomich, saw the land a very valuable bit of real estate - far too valuable for housing koalas and penguins and other assorted critters. Why else would the land be surreptitiously rezoned without the knowledge of the Friends of Ettamogah Sanctuary and in complete contravention of Heidi Peck's bequest and earlier promises to protect the integrity of the Sanctuary by rezoning it to Community Land Use.

When the Ettamogah Sanctuary/OZ.e. report resurfaced a few months ago the Friends of Ettamogah were understandably taken back when the GM of Albury City Council Les Tomich indicated - not without a hint of restrained triumphalism that while the Economic Development & Tourism Committee had recommended the report be received and noted in 1996 it had never been ratified by a full council meeting. What Mr Tomich was essentially saying was that the agreement The Friends of Ettamogah Sanctuary had apparently made with council in 1995 was not worth the paper it was written on. He implied that the Council was under no compunction to accept the original conditions imposed by the Friends of Ettamogah Sanctuary. Why the recommendations of the Economic Development & Tourism Committee were never ratified remain a mystery.

Other than hiring a good lawyer or have the numbers to compel Council to honour the original agreement it seems the Council is holding all the cards at the moment - after all they legally own the land. That's why several councillors and staff would like the place to go under so that they could put it to a more practical use - why else is it rezoned B7. As for the scholarships knowing the way Albury City Council operates they might sponsor a scholarship or two by siphoning of a portion of the money they get for the land. You can bet your bottom dollar that it would be awarded under the auspices of the Albury City Council and Heidi Peck's original bequest which she started in 1969 and the tireless work of those who kept the place running over the last 40 years would be nothing more than a distant memory that turned into a cynical land grab by Albury City Council.