8 May 2021
Published 09 December 2020
More than two-thirds of Council’s investment in green infrastructure assets is dedicated to koalas, and Mayor Flannery says he wants to see that increased.
A report to Council today has revealed that more money is spent helping protect koalas than any other native animal.
“Council now has a green infrastructure asset portfolio worth $4.6 million including koala underpasses and exclusion fencing and fauna rope bridges to help keep our wildlife and motorists safe,” Cr Flannery said.
“And 69% of that investment has been dedicated specifically to infrastructure for koalas.
“Koalas are under threat, they are a national icon and their populations are in decline right around Australia – which is why we’re working hard to turn that around here in Moreton Bay.
“I said that this new Council would put our money where our mouth is in terms of all the talk from government about saving koalas, and I’m proud to end 2020 being able to say we’ve done exactly that.
“But we can’t do it alone, we need the State Government to partner with us to build a koala hospital here, with a rehabilitation and education centre.”
The report is in response to a stocktake analysis requested by Cr Cath Tonks (Div 9), who today announced Council is constructing additional koala crossings in Cashmere and Warner.
“Local contractors have been engaged to retrofit koala underpasses, install koala-proof fencing, road pavement stencils and fauna rope bridges at both Lilley Road and Kremzow Road sites,” she said.
“These projects will further assist safe wildlife movement and help create green links from The Mill site in Petrie through Division 9 out to our western hinterland.
“Working to link these corridors will help koalas move around our region without coming in contact with cars or domestic dogs.
“Areas like Warner and Cashmere are known to have frequent koala movements, so these infrastructure projects are crucial to not only protect koalas, but help in supporting the growth of the population.”
Council’s nation-leading koala protection program with Endeavour Veterinary Ecology has seen the koala population at The Mill surge from 45 to 98 in just the last three years.
Mayor Flannery while this is encouraging and Council would continue to support them with more infrastructure and habitat, what’s immediately needed is an emergency facility to help save lives when koalas come into contact with dogs and cars.
“Local wildlife carers don’t have a dedicated facility to take injured koalas to, instead they have to travel to facilities in Wacol or at Australia Zoo,” Mayor Flannery said.
“This is an untenable situation given the pace of growth in our region and I fear that without a local wildlife hospital our koala population wouldn’t even have a fighting chance in the face of a bushfire or natural catastrophe.
“It was in January this year when New South Wales reported at least 10,000 koalas killed by drought and bushfires over summer – that’s one third of their state’s entire koala population!
“That’s why I’ve asked the state government for $5 million to build a new $8 million koala hospital for South East Queensland.
“I believe The Mill at Petrie is the ideal location for a Koala Rehabilitation and Education Centre, because it’s home to 110 hectares of protected koala conservation area under the PDA.
“It would become a tourist attraction in its own right with a koala canopy walk, wildlife research centre, emergency rescue facilities and STEM education programs for students interested in conservation.
“The University of the Sunshine Coast is already on board with Council’s detailed plans to construct a Koala Rehabilitation and Education Centre at their Petrie campus.