Huntlee, New South Wales facts for kids

Huntlee is a planned new town located near Branxton in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. Construction for the first part of Huntlee officially started on 25 February 2014. Before that, in late 2013, people could start buying land in the first village, which is named Katherine's Landing.

Building a New Town: Huntlee's Plan

Huntlee is designed to be a medium-sized town. The plan is to build about 5,600 homes in four different 'villages'. There will also be space for more people to move in later.

Town Centre and What It Offers

A large area of 200 hectares (that's about 500 acres) is planned for a special Town Centre. This area will have shops, businesses, and places for primary and secondary schools. It will also include up to 1,700 homes in the downtown area.

Protecting Nature: The Persoonia Pauciflora

The future of Huntlee was once uncertain. This was because plans for its development were stopped twice by a court. Local environmental groups were worried that building the town would harm a rare and endangered plant called Persoonia pauciflora. This plant only grows in small areas.

Court Decisions and Conservation Efforts

The court cases were about protecting this special plant. However, a higher court later allowed the development to go ahead on 8 December 2011. To help protect the Persoonia pauciflora, 17 hectares (about 42 acres) of land have been set aside for a special area called Persoonia Park. This park is part of a big plan to grow and protect this endangered plant.

Huntlee's Environmental Goals

Huntlee is promoted as a community that cares about the environment. It aims to be a "green" and sustainable place.

Sustainable Development Strategy

The town has a plan to be environmentally friendly. This plan includes ideas like using less energy and water. It also looks at ways to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, which are gases that can harm the environment. The plan also considers using renewable energy, like solar power.

Current Environmental Measures

However, as of 2022, some of these environmental plans are not yet fully in place. For example, there are currently no special measures for saving energy or water in homes. Also, much of the natural forest around the area has been cleared, meaning there is less natural shade.