KALAMUNDA residents are questioning whether environmental mitigation measures used to support the event’s approval are being followed as the event set-up gets underway.

The event is scheduled to open on June 12 and run for five months at the Kalamunda reserve.

Jorgensen Park Community Action Group member Alan Malcom said photographs taken at the site during installation works appeared inconsistent with lighting measures outlined in environmental documentation prepared for the project.

“One of the principal reasons that this event was given approval without an environmental impact assessment was the fact that there was mitigation measures put in place to minimise the potential significant environmental impacts,” he said.

“There are five species listed as matters of national environmental significance and four of these have recovery plans in place (and) nearly all of our mammals are nocturnal.”

A fauna assessment report done for the event outlined commitments to minimise disturbance through lighting design and operation, including limiting unnecessary illumination of vegetation outside the event route and reducing light spill into the canopy and surrounding bushland.

The report stated lighting would follow the national light pollution guidelines for wildlife and would be focused on individual scenes and the defined trail.

Mr Malcolm said he took photographs on June 5 which appeared to show lighting extending into surrounding vegetation and tree canopy areas.

Echo News is not suggesting the event is in breach of the mitigation measures that allow it to operate.

The latest concerns follow months of debate surrounding the attraction.

As previously reported by Echo News, residents raised concerns about environmental impacts, traffic, noise and transparency throughout the approval process.

The city said a detailed environmental assessment had been undertaken by the proponent and that the proposal was considered unlikely to result in significant long-term environmental impacts provided recommended mitigation measures and ongoing monitoring were implemented.

The city also commissioned an independent review of the proponent’s environmental assessment following community concerns.