1. Experience shows that clearing the Bangalay Sand Forest trees, each with its multiple high quality, deep internal animal habitat hollows formed over hundreds of years, will likely result in the killing of possibly hundreds of animals such as sugar gliders and possums, some endangered and others to be added to the endangered list in time.

2. Only seven years ago, a tree feller’s chainsaw cut the tail off and killed an endangered Greater glider trying to shelter in a hollow deep inside a publicly much loved 400-year-old Blackbutt tree, called the Bum Tree, being cleared for road ‘improvement’ through Seven Mile Beach National Park, 15km south of Kiama. This single tree was home to three other Greater gliders, all of which wildlife authorities believe eventually died from fear-induced shock. Other Blackbutt tree, inhabitants, such as Sugar gliders and Tree frogs were also displaced and relocated. Their fate is unknown.

3. Because of the controversy surrounding its removal, the single Blackbutt tree at Seven Mile Beach was surgically and slowly removed branch by branch under the public gaze and with trained wildlife carers present – and still native wildlife died.

4. In contrast, the scores of Bangalay Sand Forest trees, with their numerous animal hollows, to be cleared to make way for the Minnamurra River’s 5B sand mining pit, will be simply flattened by bulldozers with no public scrutiny or animal welfare care taken.

5. As a result, FOMR advisers estimate that hundreds of native animals will be killed by jumping and falling while trying to escape, crush injuries caused by heavy timber and bulldozers and trauma-induced shock.

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