In May 2005, "Wyaralong" was owned by Heather Philp, the grand-daughter of the former Premier of Queensland, Sir Robert Philp. "Wyaralong" has been in the Philp family for over 100 years, since it was purchased by Colin Philp, a Boer War veteran. 

Prue Firth, a grand-daughter of Colin Philp, told me that when she moved to "Wyaralong" from Brisbane in the late 1950s, there were numerous red and yellow signs warning of unexploded bombs. The signs gradually rotted away, but there is still a paddock called "the Bombing Ground". Prue remembers her brother did some ploughing there - probably in the 1970s - and came rushing home to say he was turning up dozens of bombs. Fortunately for him none of them exploded. 

In late April, the Peter Beattie State Government announced that a new dam would be built at "Wyaralong". The present owners of "Wyaralong" and about five neighbours do not want to lose their land and the family and local history that goes with it. Prue Firth stated that:-

"Sadly, "Wyaralong" and the site of the WW2 encampment by the lagoon and the bombing ground further away from the homestead are now likely to disappear under a dam to service the rapacious Gold Coast. Peter Beattie and his treasurer announced yesterday (27 April 2005)  in parliament that Qld would spend $149 million on the proposed Wyaralong Dam. The site is manifestly unsuitable, located in a rain shadow, and would result in a very shallow dam prone to evaporation and algal development."

"The unjustified loss of homes, livelihoods, and heritage is a tragedy."