Logan and Albert Conservation Association

Koalas get more than 90 per cent of their water from eucalyptus leaves. Eucalyptus leaves - which koalas depend on for survival - are being destroyed by abnormally high levels of greenhouse gases. Scientists warned early in  2008 that increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were reducing nutrient levels in the leaves, and also boosting their toxic tannin content.

Koala is an aboriginal word that means "doesn't drink". This is because koalas get more than 90 per cent of their water from eucalyptus leaves, which are toxic to most species. The only time they drink is when they fall ill or there is not enough moisture on leaves such as during droughts.

Click read more to view photos taken in Victoria earlier this year. They illustrate how desperately thirsty these wild animals are if they are prepared to approach humans to get water.

To build long term sustainable and happy communities we must stabilize our populations within the carrying capacity of our region.

Co-author Mark O'Connor Mark will be building on the arguments in his previous book, This Tired Brown Land, which outlines the reasons for the low human carrying capacity of Australia.

"After a decade of being told Australia's population would naturally cap itself at under 25 million, or might even fall, we now discover it is growing at the more than Third World rate of 1.7% a year, and is on course to reach 42 million by 2050, and over 100 million by 2100," said Mark.

'New research makes roads safer for koalas' is the statement released on Monday, 16 February 2009 by Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt. The press release is quoted towards the end of this article.

While it is commendable that the minister and his Departments recognize the terrible impact that road construction has on the mortality of koalas and other animals, this 'solution' is not recognising the major impact on the long term survival of koalas in SEQ and elsewhere.

The greatest cause of decline for koalas is LOSS OF HABITAT for any reason. The future proposal for huge increases in population to SEQ, Logan Ipswich and Scenic Rim Region in particular, will result in habitat loss for koalas for both human dwellings and infrastructure deemed necessary those people.

LACA recently submitted this media release to local papers: Jimboomba Times, Logan West Leader, Beaudesert Times.

The recent rehabilitation and return of Babe the koala to Jimboomba after a dog attack is great news. Despite this happy ending, koalas in South-east Queensland are under serious threat and urgently need our help.

According to the EPA and Australian Koala Foundation, koala populations are in decline in many parts of South-east Queensland. The greatest threats to koalas after habitat loss are cars and dogs.

GHD consultants are currently collecting koala sightings for South-east Queensland as part of a state government Koala Habitat Mapping Project. Koala information can be forwarded to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 5 pm Friday 13th February.

A previous report by GHD consultants for Moreton Regional Council in 2008 showed a 46% decline in the last 6 years in Pine Rivers' urban koala population density. An EPA report in 2007 also showed koala numbers in the Koala Coast Area (including parts of Brisbane City Council, Redlands and Logan) had declined by 27 % from 6246 in 1997 to 4610 in 2005. Koala populations in Logan had declined by 26% and Brisbane by 21%. The largest declines occurred in areas associated with the Urban Footprint.

"The Koala Coast Area has traditionally been recognized in South-east Queensland as having a higher density of koalas and being a koala stronghold. But with koala numbers now confirmed to be in decline in these areas, this makes koalas in other parts of South-east Queensland such as Logan and Scenic Rim crucial to sustaining this iconic species for the future," said Anne Page, spokesperson for the Logan and Albert Conservation Association.

The EPA report also concluded that it was critical to maintain koala populations in urban and bushland areas to sustain viable and healthy populations.

"It is critical that koala habitat is identified and protected now for the best environmental outcomes. Koalas are the faunal emblem of Queensland and an iconic Australian animal famous worldwide - it is up to all of us to help protect this species for future generations."

Despite these predicted declines in koalas in South-east Queensland, massive development is still proposed for Logan Council and Scenic Rim Regional Council with population increases of 30 000 for Park Ridge MPA, 25 000 for Greenbank, 60 000 for Flagstone and 60 000 for Yarrabilba as part of the SEQRP. The koala populations of Logan Council and the Scenic Rim Regional Council are still unknown. To date no official koala surveys have been conducted to identify and map Koala Conservation Areas.

"Under the Koala Conservation Plan, the areas with the highest level of protection are Koala Conservation Areas, but these areas must be surveyed and mapped. Without koala mapping, no serious protection is given to koalas," said Anne Page. Previous community reported sightings collected by LACA confirm that koalas occur in Logan Village, Chambers Flat, Park Ridge, Park Ridge South, Munruben Woods, Munruben Forest, Greenbank, New Beith, Flagstone, North Maclean, Tamborine, Mundoolun, Jimboomba, Stockleigh, Yarrabilba, Buccan, Veresdale Scrub, Cedar Vale, Canungra, Palen Creek, Mt Barney, Rathdowney, Cedar Creek, Wolffdene, Rathdowney, Beaudesert, and Bromelton.

You can help protect the koala

• Do encourage local and state government to fast track koala mapping for local area
• Do drive slowly through wildlife signed areas or habitat areas
• Do secure dogs at night
• Do report koala sightings in your local area to EPA Wildnet.

The community may also comment on the Draft Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions until 27 February.

Enquiries can be made on 1800 070 609. More detail can be obtained on www.laca.org.au

Contact Details: Anne Page (Secretary) ph 3297 0624 or Kathy Faldt (Vice President) ph 3200 0129

The tragic bushfires in Victoria will change forever the way we live in the bush. Both human and animal suffering and death are cruel and soul destroying. However the people of Australia and global communities are rallying to support the survivors.

'Sam' the koala may or may not have been a victim of the fires but she is definitely a victim of the intense drying heat in Victoria which has dessicated the leaves of the eucalypts such that thirst has overcome warriness of humans  for many Victorian koalas who have allowed humans close enough to provide water.

It is commonly believed that koalas do not drink water. Whenever they do it is an indication of stress.

These websites are accepting donations to help the animal survivors - both native and domestic animals. You can donate securely online at www.wildlifevictoria.org.au   and www.rspcavic.org.au.

IFAW's Emergency Relief Team is already on the ground helping local wildlife caretakers with search and rescue operations, providing medical treatment to burned and abandoned animals that are emerging from the fire zone - koalas, possums, kangaroos, dogs, even horses and birds - as well as food and vet supplies. But recovery for many animals will be a long process, and we desperately need to raise funds to help over the long term with medical supplies, animal cages, blankets and towels.

You can also donate through IFAW the International Fund for Animal Welfare to provide emergency relief to animals in crises, and save pets and wildlife around the world.

There exists a blatant contradictory flaw in state legislation that permits areas deemed worthy of 999 year conservation agreements between state and landholder to be quashed by short-term mining ventures.
In particular, we draw attention to 'Bimblebox Nature Refuge' in the Desert Uplands which was part-funded by the Commonwealth National Reserve System Programme, on account of its outstanding floristic values. It has since become a stable base for numerous scientific research projects relevant to the entire bioregion. 'Bimblebox' is now threatened by the development of a large open-cut coal mine.

For further information go to website. Several research programs and monitoring are occurring at the valuable biodiversity site. Coal exploration activities are likely to affect the results of these ongoing monitoring activities, by creating increased human presence in a relatively isolated area, increasing ‘edge effects' on woodland fauna, and resulting in significant amounts of clearing.

Snapshot of our energetic working bee organised by our volunteer project manager Carla Parker. (Click read more for the gallery.)

We appreciate all of her efforts and dedication towards protecting and reinstating the endangered Veresdale Scrub dry vine rainforest in the Scenic Rim and also now in Logan City.

Bilarabyn Reserve is being revegetated with some Envirofund funding for materials and Saturday 7 February  was a planting working bee.  LACA has developed a management plan and is working with Scenic Rim Regional Council who have overall responsibility for managing the site for state government.

A new survey of 265 housing markets around the world finds Australia has three of the five most unaffordable ones. This includes Sydney at position five, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast in South East Queensland. Australia's housing price bubble is almost the only one in the world that has not yet burst.
The Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf  looked at markets in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. It compared median house prices with median household incomes to arrive at a ``median multiple''. An affordable multiple is 3. Sydney came up with a whopping 8.3.

Tanberg's cartoon gives one perspective. The topic is the subject of Sydney Morning Herald blog which states that Australia's housing price bubble is almost the only one in the world that has not yet burst. Read it here. Of course this is a complex issue and one on which we will all have our own opinion. Many comments have been written here. Personally I agree with Termite's view

Firstly, in this arid continent, which only has about 7% arable land, we should quarantine good farming sites from housing development. To build on our best and most accessible farmland is short-sighted. We are doing it all over the country.

ABC news disagrees with findings of the survey. Read Housing affordability not as bad as survey claims: analyst which claim is challenged by some in the comments. To me, Dr Shlomo Angel's report seems to be advocating conservative enthusiastic support for urban sprawl.

Housing for humans without destroying habitat for other species is a challenge all Australians face now. As is having enough food to feed us all.

In South East Queensland, the government identified 42 greenfield areas. These areas are distributed equitably across the region, amongst local governments and developers. The areas do not have specific boundaries or addresses. Rather, they are general localities or ‘nodes' where development could occur. As more detailed planning occurs, the boundaries will be refined. The areas are supposed to encroach into the inter-urban breaks of the South East Queensland Regional Plan. 

The Department of Infrastructure and Planning DIP has an extensive complex website. Information about greenfield sites begins here and here. The locations are illustrated in the Delivering the Queensland Housing Affordability Strategy - Greenfield land supply in South East Queensland action plan.

 Draft regional plan 2009-2031 chapters can be downloaded from here.
The draft South East Queensland (SEQ) Regional Plan and the draft state planning regulatory provisions are open for submissions from December 2008 to 3 April 2009.

For details on how to have your say see detailed advice here.

Hymenachne, one of Australia's top 20 weeds of concern, was found at Logan Village by Council staff January 2009 and later confirmed by the Queensland Herbarium. Logan City Council's pest management officers located and made the first recorded sighting of the infestation in South East Queensland.

Like many of our weed species now, hymenachne was introduced to Australia from South America to provide ponded pasture for cattle. It has become an unwanted pest of stream banks, wetlands and irrigation ditches in coastal areas of central and north Queensland - and now at Logan Village is close to the Logan River. It is a declared a Class 2 species under Queensland's Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 meaning it has already spread over substantial areas of Queensland, but its impact is so serious, we need to try to control it to avoid further spread onto properties still free from it.

Hymenachne grows from seed and from broken stem fragments. A single flower stalk can produce more than 4,000 seeds. Read more on biosecurity website at this page.

More information from Logan about plants to avoid is available here - before hymenachne was included

Maclura cochinchinensis or Cockspur thorn is a favoured nesting habitat for many small bird species within and arouund Bilarabyn Reserve. The features that challenge humans and cats provide protection and shelter for small birds. Cockspur is a native Australian plant and one of the Veresdale dry vine scrub species.  It is a rampant scrambler, coarse with plenty of sharp thorns, found in dry and subtropical rainforests and along scrubby watercourses. It has yellow flowers, at base of leaves in summer, the fruit is orange, globular fleshy and edible. The fruit is popular with various birds and reptiles. From seed, it germinates easily and reliably within a few weeks. It can be used carefully as a barrier plant and as nesting habitat for small birds in the bush garden.

 This article is a work in progress. If any reader wishes to contribute please contact us.