Logan and Albert Conservation Association
The draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions came into effect on 12 December 2008. The Department of Infrastructure and Planning is now the concurrence agency under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 for defined development in Urban Koala Areas and in Koala Sustainability Areas that are within the Urban Footprint as defined in the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005-2026.
You can download a copy of draft SEQ Koala SPRP from this page 128kb pdf and copies of regulatory maps are here. Unfortunately there is no mapping - and no protection for country Logan (former Beaudesert Shire) and Scenic Rim areas. A list of future growth areas includes Bahrs Scrub, Beaudesert, Bromelton, Canungra, Flagstone, Greenbank, Park Ridge, and Yarrabilba - none of them mapped ie with some protection.
The draft SEQ Regional Plan and the draft state planning regulatory provisions are open for submissions from December 2008 to
3 April 2009. After a review of the submissions, an updated SEQ Regional Plan will be finalised in July 2009. Documents are available on the government website.
All land in the region is divided into three regional land use categories Regional landscape and rural production area, Urban footprint and Rural living area. The plan is designed to deliver land for urban growth - with urban growth areas, future growth areas and identified growth areas.
You can find out which land use category applies to a property in the region by using the interactive mapping tool.
Explore the Department of Infrastrucure and Planning website for full details. More information will be extracted from government or council sites and posted here soon that relates to Logan and Scenic Rim areas. Please contact us if you would like help to make a submission.
If you are concerned for the longterm survival of Queensland's flora and fauna, their habitat and ours, please read these government documents and have a say. NOW EXTENDED UNTIL 1 MAY 2009
Trixie tells of her recent visit to a dedicated team of wildlife carers at Canungra where baby bats rest in shirt pockets where their progress is monitored.
Canungra Camp - 24 November 2008
Cruising south bound towards the Gold Coast Hinterland where Trish's property is located one could not help but notice how the landscape had been transformed. From parched brown to lush green: a sight not seen for a very, very long time, thanks to the heavy but welcomed constant rainfalls over the past couple of weeks.
We ascended Trish's steep winding driveway that lead us to her home nestled high in the hills. As Paulette and I emerged from the car I took in the sight of Trish's acreage with its rolling hills and deep valleys. My first visit was filled with images of tall mature trees, water filled dams and the collective sounds of the wildlife. I could hear the distant calls of the currawongs, the crack of the whipbirds echoed in the hills, the familiar sounds of squabbling lorikeets and figbirds raiding fruit bearing trees. The land had a serene feel but within the walls of Trish's home a completely different story was exposed.
As I stepped through the front door of Trish's the atmosphere inside was a far cry from what I had witnessed outside only moments before. Slouched in chairs were half a dozen bat carers with a new batch of babies that required their 3-hourly feeds. Babies lay on laps, cradled in arms and smaller ones were tucked into large pocket shirts.
These carers had been feeding throughout the night to meet the demands of their charges. Exhaustion had set in but there were still lots and lots of mouths to feed and the carers knew that only too well.
A little background history...As a matter of routine the Canungra Flying Fox colony was being checked out when a discovery was made - a drama that no one could have envisaged had unfolded. It is not uncommon to rescue a handful of baby flying foxes during the breeding season but when you are alerted to over three hundred starving, dying and dead babies of the vulnerable listed Grey Headed Flying Fox being abandoned by their mums it raises a grave concern. The Canungra Camp was in serious, serious trouble.
FRUIT JUICE - BUT NOT CITRUS OR PINEAPPLE - NOT FRUIT IS CURRENTLY NEEEDED - Saturday 13 December 2008 update
We have been advised that 332 babies are in care at the moment... so we are still asking for help...
We desperately need non vaccinated volunteers to do general duties like making formula, washing, sterilising bottles, cutting up fruit and more - if you are part of an organisation that can pool together to help out contact Trixie asap on 3208 3512
Still need fruit JUICE, washing powder (environmentally friendly, please) and towels AND non vaccinated volunteers to do general duties
If you can help in any way it would be appreciated... Wildlife carers are a very special dedicated group of people who pay for the care and welfare of all species of our native wildlife as well as feeding round the clock when needed. Have a look at their OZARK website for more information.
To make a tax deductible donation please use the following information
An appeal has recently gone to the general community from Wildcare whose members - registered wildlife carers - are desperate for help after storms caused grey-headed flying foxes to abandon about 300 babies in the Gold Coast hinterland. The Courier Mail published the story explaining that 60 carers from the Gold Coast and volunteer veterinarians are working around the clock, feeding every four hours.
Carer Ms Trish Wimberley said "Normally, female flying foxes will go to the ends of the earth to save their babies so for this to occur, they are really in dire straits."
If you are interested in becoming a registered wildlife carer Wildcare's website http://www.wildcare.org.au/ has a great deal of information. If you are really keen to help now - today, there are many supporting jobs we can all do to free up the trained carers. Specific information about our native flying foxes is also available here http://www.wildcare.org.au/html/flying_foxes.htm
Don't try to rescue bats though - it's a delicate job that should only be attempted by a trained and vaccinated carer. Contact Wildcare on 5527 2444 for help with rescue of any native animal.
The flying fox or bat is an essential creature of the rainforests. Bats distribute seeds across hundreds of kilometres to ensure our rainforests can regenerate. One wildlife group has the motto 'no bats, no trees, no koalas' and it's true - without bats you would literally have plagues of insects and eventually our rainforests would die. For such a small creature they do a mighty big job.
DROP OFF POINTS in SEQ for fruit, Karicare baby formula and soft cloths
Redlands - Patti Durnin - 0418 883 890
Kooralbyn - Pam Elliott - 5544 6762
Logan - Trixie Benbrook - 3207 3512.
Extra hands are desperately needed on site to assist the carers -
NO VACCINATION NEEDED FOR GENERAL HELPING JOBS
- sterilising bottles and making baby formula, cutting up fruit.
PLEASE VOLUNTEER whatever time you can - all assistance is vitally important and much needed. Each minute volunteered - frees up bat carers to give care to our flying fox orphans.
200 - increased to 300 grey bubs from Canugra Camp came into care suffering dehydration, exposure, maggots and various stages of pneumonia. Hundreds of these orphaned baby flying foxes are down due to the aftermath of the violent storms, heavy winds and constant rain. Our grateful thanks go to the many tired and very dedicated carers who lovingly attend to our wildlife. Our native baby bats need around the clock feeding - taking time and patience.
Thank you for all the donations that have been and are being received including three dryers. The broken washing washing machine has generously replaced. Many thanks to those donors. Updates will be added re large items.
ALWAYS needed are food - boxes of fruit - apples, pears, rock melon, grapes but not citrus please and Kari Care - human baby formula - birth to 1 month.
It is difficult to understand government decisions at times - and especially since the Queensland government website clearly states that the greatest threat to koalas is loss of habitat. The only way protection is 'guaranteed' is when legistation exists or is created - as governments do - to control actions and activities.
The Koala Plan provides a certain level of protection for areas of habitat that have been surveyed and documented and included in the plan. Queensland government allocated $2.1 million over 4 years to match local councils' spending on surveys - until recently. The website was updated 7 November 2008 but disappointingly does not included the report from the KOALA TASKFORCE.
More disappointment for our members too when we heard that state government has withdrawn its matching $ for $ subsidy for koala surveys in Logan City. This part of Southeast Queensland has been targeted for fast - tracked housing subdivisions for Queensland's growing population - but areas have been flagged without any studies for koalas or other wildlife. Local residents have been sending sightings of koalas (and other wildlife - including spotted tailed quolls) to EPA Wildnet for some time. We know there are koalas here - but they or their habitat is not proected until the habitat is mapped.
The report of other koala habitat surveys is available from this link. Also available is data including major causes of death from 1997 to end April - from Koala hospital presentations. Download from this page.
Scenic Rim Regional Council is drafting its first Corporate Plan - the 2009-2013 Corporate Plan. As well as holding several community focus group sessions an online survey is also available. Go to http://www.boonah.qld.gov.au/newsEvents/consultation.shtml. This process closed 21 November 2008 - but try it and if it works use it. There is also a version to print out and fill in. Scenic Rim Regional Council is to be commended for its efforts to engage the community to provide input into this important planning document. Look out for council's draft document for the Corporate Plan.
The real test is whether council hears what the community is saying.
Logan residents have not been consulted for input into Logan City's Draft Corporate Plan 2009-2013 but copy of the draft plan is available an online copy and online feedback is also available. Read more at this link. http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/LCC/council/about_council/corporateplan/draftcorporateplan.htm
Submissions closd 5 pm 12 December 2008 in Logan.
Parsons Brinckerhoff recently prepared a review for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts relating to the effectiveness of implementing the 1998 National Koala Conservation Strategy. As part of that review you kindly provided a written submission providing your knowledge and opinions of the strategy.
The review of the stratagy has now been completed and the resulting evaluation report Review of Progress in Implementing the 1998 National Koala Conservation Strategy was presented to the steering committee on 9 October 2008. Information obtained from this evaluation will inform the review and update of the strategy. The steering committee is currently revising the strategy, and writing an accompanying implementation plan to address the issues raised in the evaluation report. The revised draft strategy and implementation plan will be available for public exhibition and comment in 2009.
For your information, the evaluation report is now available on the Department's website at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/koala-strategy/index.html
The small town community of Acland has not prospered as promised by Queensland Government. Heritage sites including the war memorial and heritage-listed timber colliery are in the path of planned expansions for 2009. The town is disappearing as houses and infrastucture are removed. The quiet, peaceful and productive farming area remembered from five years ago is now regularly blanketed in a haze of dust and subjected to round the clock noise and mining traffic.
The fabric of close-knit farming community is being ripped apart, and that is the human tragedy and the best quality cropping country will become poor quality grazing country. Read the story reported in Queensland Country Life here.
How many new coal mines does Queensland need? At what cost? Locally and globally? Have landholder interests been protected from negative affects from mining by existing legislation?
A Queensland Coal Communities Listening Tour has been organised by researchers and community organisers concerned about climate change. They will be holding ‘listening posts' and a public meetings around Central and Southern Queensland
At these gatherings locals are invited to share perspective on coal and climate change in their community.
Trained researchers will listen, without judgement or debate, and share these findings at public meetings across Queensland.
The aim is to develop an understanding of the key issues and concerns of people who are dependent on or affected by the coal industry, and how together we can accommodate these concerns as we seek to address climate change and move towards a sustainable economy.
Read about the tour at this site http://coalcommunities.wordpress.com/about/