Will presence of quolls near North Maclean influence federal government decision re

planning proposal for an Enterprise Precinct NMEP?

What about the federally endangered grey-headed flying fox? Koalas are acknowledged - but inadequtely.

 A desktop study for quolls reveals little about this cryptic camera shy nocturnal carnivous native mammal - often referred to as our native cat - at North Maclean or elsewhere. The developer can perhaps be excused for not knowing of the number of sightings of the quoll known among the local community.

Our curiosty was aroused when local resident and bike rider collected roadkill on Mount Lindesay Highway and this was taken to Queensland Museum where it was confirmed to be a quoll. Unfortunately for the quoll it also became roadkill while feasting on first roadkill. They are quite fond of dead carasses. This and another dead quoll are held by the Queensland Museum.

The application dismisses the likely presence of quolls. However without a signigicant survey by paid and qualified consultants - over a suitable time period it is presumtuous to make such a claim. 

Dr Scott Burnett Quoll Biologist from Sunshine Coast University and Wildlife Queensland received funding in 2006 from Beaudesert Shire council to conduct a survey of community reported sightings of spotted tail quolls in the suburbs of Spring Mountain, Greenbank, Munruben, North Maclean, South Maclean, Chambers Flat, Park Ridge South and Logan Reserve. Three roadkill specimens were reported: one from the Goodna-Springfield Rd at Greenbank ( 2004), one from Teviot Rd and one on the Mt Lindesay Highway near the intersection of Carter Road ( 2005).  Two of these specimens are held in the Queensland Museum.

 Dr Scott Burnett wrote to the OUM [Office of Urban Management - later ULDA Urban Land Development Authority and now EDQ Economic Development Queensland]  in 2006 stating that all remaining habitat in the Mt Lindesay North Beaudesert Study Area should be regarded as potential habitat for quolls. To date, sightings of quolls continue to be reported from the areas at and surrounding the North Maclean site from the community sightings to date , quoll dog tracking on LCC reserves ( limitations - problems with detecting scat scent during the wetter years from Nov 2011 to 2015 when this survey method has been used in the local area), Main Roads survey at Chambers Creek (Jerry’s Downfall). 

LACA Logan and Albert Conservation Association Inc president Anne Page has been collating many of the reported quoll sightings but to date there is no published report about the population and movement of quolls in the Mt Lindesay North Beaudesert Study Area. Both Beaudersert Shire council - now Scenic Rim Regioal Council after amalgamation - and Logan City Council have allocated $5000 each for comunity education and awareness programs with presumably a report / acquital of some kind required. A draft map provided by SEQ Catchments is the base map.  Anne has added additional sightings - all included in LACA's submission to initial draft map.

Before further clearing is approved a complete well funded research survey of quolls, their  habitat movement and breeding with analysis really should happen if local, state, and federal governments are committed to ecological sustainable development. How much longer do we pay lip service to the concept of ESD and carry on with "business as usual"?  Until such time more credance must be given to citizen scientists who have recorded and/ reported their sightings.

LACA's submission as sent to developer's lawyer as per procedure for assessment by preliminary documentation is now online - with personal identication records removed.  Read / download here LACA-Public-NorthMaclean_9.03.15.pdf

COMMUNITY CONCERNS - tick your concerns on the attached Word document and return to address provided.

Email or letterbox or post.

NORTH-MACLEAN_COMMUNITY-SURVEY-March2015.doc25/03/2015, 10:59

The following list is included BUT PLEASE ADD ANY OTHERS THAT CONCERNS YOU

Santa has been a regular visitor to the privately owned Berrinba Sanctuary over the years but this year he is celebrating with the owners opening its gates to the wider community.

Visitors on the day will be treated to a range of activities and children will receive a free gift from Santa. Read about the festivities on WEEKEND NOTES. Read article here.

This an open day but not official opening day - that is yet to be planned and will be a very very special day for wildlife caring community.

Lots of fun, buy your lunch, listen to the singers, enjoy the natural bushland setting and maybe see a koala snoozing in nearby tree.

You will an Australian carnivorous marsupial even rarer than our vulnerable koala - a captive bred Dasyurus maculatus - the Australian native cat - or spotted-tailed QUOLL, Tiger quoll, tiger cat, yarri (in Herbert River District), burrumbil (Mulgrave River and Atherton Tablelands, north Queensland). Wildlife Queensland provide information about the quoll here.

Animal tracks and scats provide information about wildlife around as do the unique sounds produced by animals and birds. Listen to the sound made by a quoll on this page where you can also see its tracks and scats. 

You will meet many people  who care about Australia's unique wildlife and the essential habitat needed for them to survive. Berrinba Sanctuary - on the edge of Logan not far from Karawatha Forest which is part the recently gazetted wildlife corridor Flinders Karawatha Corridor - is home to many such flora and fauna.  

The LNP has approved the Loganlea to Jimboomba High Voltage Power Line.
This time next year we will POTENTIALLY have huge concrete poles throughout Logan Village & Jimboomba. See first-hand the poles that will damage our environment, make our community less liveable & make our power bills even more expensive.
Please come to Jimboomba Sub-station on Camp Cable Rd (opposite Maryland Rd).
Saturday, 1st December at 1.00pm.
Show your Xmas spirit & support those people directly affected – it will only take about 20 minutes.

IT IS NOT A SINGLE ISOLATED ISSUE! ALL OF US will be impacted by poor decisions - especially local wildlife that are little valued by many unless as a specimen in a zoo.  

COME ALONG TO PROTECT LOCAL KOALAS who co-exist harmoniously with local landholders, and also the cryptic elusive quoll.

COME ALONG TO PROTEST FURTHER DEGRADATION OF LOGAN RIVER

- 5 or more crossings

This time next year should be subject to all approvals being met by conditions imposed by federal compliance agencies for EBPC Act. Because LACA  Logan and Albert Conservation Association communicates our concerns to federal agencies wherever matters of national significance are concerned ie quolls and more recently koalas, Energex is aware that they are required to refer the matter to the department. 

When the matter is referred it will be open for public comment on the departments website   

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=invitation_to_comment&limit=999&text_search=

TIME FOR COMMENT IS ONLY 10 DAYS so we need to make sure we can submit on time.
This being so I am concerned about the minister's statement that

'Energex would begin preliminary works before the end of the year, with the project expected to be completed toward the end of 2014.' Possibly refers to obtaining land from landowners. No Christmas cheer there!

Having this happen over Christmas period also challenges us to be aware of opportunity to put in submissions.

VETO group high hopes and expectation that sense would prevail and Minister Mark McArdle would reject the Energex proposed second Loganlea to Jimboomba 110kV powerline crashed Tuesday evening when a media release from the Minister advised that he has approved this powerline.

Read that media release here.

Recent information released showed that rising power costs are largely caused by new infrastructure construction costs and not the maligned carbon price / tax.

Logan City Council have supported VETO's efforts for four years to find a better solution to our power needs for the future - one that is both less costly and one which causes less environmental harm.

VETO believed new government was supporting our community in calling for a review of the Energex proposed second Loganlea to Jimboomba 110kV powerline.

Logan's Berrimba Sanctuary - 90 hectares of pristine koala habitat - makes it's

official opening

Saturday 15 December from 1.00 pm to 4.00pm

You and your friends and family are invited to come along and join the celebrations.

Free entry. Free parking. Santa's free gifts for every child.

Opportunity to join FRIENDS OF BERRINBA SANCTUARY, the KOALA ARMY with AKF Australian Koala Foundation and hopefully - yet to be confirmed - register for training as volunteer for Logan's new WILDLIFE AMBULANCE administered through RSPCA.

See flyer here.  Berrinba_Sanctuary_Open_Day_Flyer.pdf

FUN, FOOD, WILDLIFE Display, including captive bred QUOLL, singing featuring Lauren Lee Innis-Youren, speakers, raffles and opportunity to win family pass to Movieworld.

And the best ever Xmas present would be to see a resident koala taking

his or her daytime nap high up in a nearby tree.

While this is not guaranteed it is possible as current family members and sanctuary stewards see koalas on a regugular basis. 6 were seen and reported during  the recent weekend koala survey.

Displays / information  /speakers  from Berrimba Sanctuary, registered with HSI Human Society International, Logan and Albert Conservation Association LACA, Brisbane Region Environment Council, BREC, B.I.R.O, education and care group for all birds injured rehabitated and orphaned based in Logan, Save Bahrs Scrub Alliance SBSA, and others to be confirmed.

Quolls are endangered nationally and need our help! Sightings have been received from the Jimboomba / Logan area as well as other areas of former Beaudesert - Greenbank, Park Ridge and more. This is an opportunity to come along and find out if quolls really do live in your area, and what you can do to help them.

Sunday 5 August 10am – 1.00pm at Caddies Community Care Centre 19-33 South Street, Jimboomba

Leading quoll researcher Dr Scott Burnett will give presentations and answer questions about quolls, threats to their survival and what can be done to prevent these animals from becoming another extinction statistic.

Come and meet a live spotted-tailed quoll courtesy of Martin Fingland from Geckoes Wildlife Presentations.

RSVP: 31 July 2012 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone Alina at Wildlife Queensland on 3221 0194.

Logan and Albert Conservation President Anne Page has been collating and reporting sightings of quolls for several years. A reported sighting is always followed up to confirm veracity of sighting. Two road kill about 2005 were first sightings for 70 years.

These cryptic nocturnal creatures cover wide ranging bushland areas to feed and breed. Their continued existance is threatened by loss of habitat - clearing for development and roads and our road traffic.

Come along and learn more to help save them from local extinction. 

PUBLIC MEETING @ PARK RIDGE  PUBLIC MEETING @ PARK RIDGE PUBLIC MEETING @ PARK RIDGE

TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2011

7pm

Park Ridge (Baptist) Church Main Hall

3922 Mt Lindesay Highway Park Ridge 4125

(Take the exit off highway at Park Ridge and follow the eastern service lane for the Mt Lindesay Highway – brick building with car park area provided)

NO LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY IS VIABLE

We want koalas not new tollways. We want quolls not more multi-lane roads. Bushland habitat is home to many native wildlife and wetland areas like Jerry's Downfall which is part of Chambers Creek Catchment Area provide critical filtering system for the rivers and creeks of Logan.

Bushlands wetlands and river systems all contribute to those essentials to maintain human life - clean air, clean water and food. Sustainable development, meaning  ecologically sustainable, requires that our human settlement - and moving around - does not destroy the natural envionment to introduce more built structures.

 COME TO THE PUBLIC MEETING TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2011 @ PARK RIDGE @ 7pm - SAME VENUE PRC  INFO SESSIONS

Contact Karen 3802 2353 , Rod 0408 740 144 or Anne 3297 0624 for more details and contributions to meeting.

See STANDING AGAINST HIGHWAY