Progress
How the community has rallied to defend and protect Glenlee — from the courts to the council chamber, the media and the streets.
The campaign so far
The Friends of Glenlee Incorporated was registered and continues the fight to save Glenlee. Across the courts, all levels of government, the media and the local community, the association has taken action on many fronts.
Actions taken
With its more than 200 submissions to Georges River Council, Friends of Glenlee both worked with Council in its case before the Land and Environment Court and made its own representations to the Court, resulting in the defeat of the proposed 2021 development.
Friends of Glenlee has made numerous representations to Georges River Council to request that Council work with the State Government to protect the history and heritage of the site, and provide funding to purchase Glenlee for the public and future generations. Councillors have unanimously voted in support of the preservation of Glenlee.
It also made representation to the NSW State Government to request funding for the purchase of the property.
It worked with Council and the State Government to see an Interim Heritage Order (IHO) placed on the site to allow for a heritage report to be undertaken, including of its Aboriginal heritage. This IHO has since expired. A commitment to a new IHO was made by the state opposition prior to the 2023 state election but this was not carried through.
Glenlee was listed by Georges River Council as a Local Heritage site.
Glenlee was included in a National Trust exhibition called No Time to Spare, which featured heritage properties in danger of destruction.
An article on Glenlee was included in Australian Wildlife, the magazine of the Australian Wildlife Society.
Media coverage included articles published by the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader and The Sydney Morning Herald, and radio interviews on ABC Breakfast, Sydney, and 2NBC.
Support was given by local councillors, election candidates and members of Parliament.
An event was held in support of Glenlee. The speaker was historian Heather Goodall, co-author with Allison Cadzow of Rivers and Resilience: Aboriginal People on Sydney's Georges River (UNSW Press, 2009). Her talk underlined the potential importance of Glenlee as a possible site of first contact between officers of the First Fleet and the Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation in 1788.
The second event involved the new owners, Romanous Constructions, and their PR firm presenting a new draft plan in late 2025 for the site. A public event was held on 14th March 2026 to present information to the community and gather views on the proposal. There was overwhelming opposition and this was followed up by submissions from the community.
Three community rallies have been held near the site, one attended by the now State Minister for Heritage and the Environment.
Meetings have been held with the State Minister for Heritage and the Environment.