Koala rescue, infill parking and council services

Is Redlands Council requiring enough car parking for new infill development? A resounding ‘no’ says one resident who has looked at the impact of this gross underestimate in his neighbourhood. Another local questions whether the high rates we pay are mainly subsidising development rather than providing much needed community facilities when compared to other nearby local governments. And a resident, who recently alerted authorities about a sick koala and joey, makes a heart-breaking plea for Redland City Council to have local health facilities for sick koalas, rather than shipping them long distances.

Better koala rescue service needed

When every minute counts we need a better system. Tonight, we called to report an injured koala. She was nestled at the base of a tree, her joey was in the branches above. We phoned the Redlands after hours wildlife rescue centre. We were connected to a hotline where we gave general details and waited for a return call.

We were told by the volunteer who would be meeting us that they would be at the location in 15 minutes. We were instructed to go back to the site, put a washing basket over the koala and wait for them. We went to the area and stayed with her and her baby. Thankfully, she was too unwell to move so we did not have to distress her further with the basket. We waited 45 minutes for the RAWA to arrive.

Though very thankful for our wildlife volunteer teams, when it comes to the koala, an endangered species and the Redland City Council symbol- we need a specialised team doing the rescuing. As proudly stated on the RCC website “The Redlands is home to one of the most significant urban koala populations in Australia”.

The rescue was not the prettiest, but they eventually got the job done. After the mother and baby were in the transport cage, I asked where they would be taken. I assumed they would go to the Daisy Hill koala sanctuary (close to the rescue site, in Victoria Point). Instead, the koala and her joey were being taken to the 24 hr vet in Manly (approximately a 30 minute drive) and pending her/their survival they will then be transferred to the Australia Zoo via another volunteer from Moreton Bay Council. Though the Australian wildlife hospital is wonderful, this is an additional 1hr 15 minutes in transport time for these poor animals.

Redland City Council THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. We need a local rescue team and 24 hour animal hospital SPECIALISING in the rescue and rehabilitation of Koalas. We also need more education for the community as my husband was the only person to report this animal and know that there was clearly something wrong with her. Luckily, he noticed (5) people taking photos of them and commenting on how “beautiful” they were. A mother huddled against the base of a tree, separated from her joey should be a clear indication to most, if not all, people that this is not a safe situation or normal behaviour for a Koala.

When every minute counts, we need a better system.

Melanie Beak

Apartment developers should provide more car parking

Through no fault of my own I now happen to live in an “infill/medium density” area.

The lack of new parks or infrastructure that should come with the new developments isn’t an issue where I am, but off street parking is.

My daily observations of eight units in my street show overflow parking of eight cars on the street, which seems to indicate one park per unit might not be enough. In the case of the units in my street, two off street parks would clearly be more appropriate.

Now anyone can make case that if only these people didn’t own two cars there would be no problem. This is how developers evade the provision of sufficient parking: “they” didn’t cause the problem – it is society.

The notes I read about the proposed Redland Bay high rise mentioned one off-street park per unit. I live about 1.4 km from the Cleveland Station and I am sure I have better access to public transport than Redland Bay would and people still have two cars. Why would a development with one car park per unit at Redland Bay even be considered?

It would be interesting to do a quick visual survey of what parking needs really are. I regularly cycle early and see many double garages with two cars parked outside on the driveway. These houses are clearly using four parking spaces. I also see a lot of boats, boat trailers, utility trailers and caravans all taking up space. It would be interesting to collate how much space people really use. There are already trailer boats parked long term at Toondah in “visitor” car parks.

I wonder what might be the outcome of a Toondah development of 3,600 units with 1.3 parking spaces per unit. The census really can’t answer this. It would be handy to have an aerial view of Division 2 at night to count vehicles left on the streets. Even then you would miss anything in garages. I suppose someone could look at all registered vehicles including caravans and trailers if you could define that to an area.

Isn’t it time someone came up with some concrete evidence of parking needs? It can then be presented to the council to use in assessing development applications, because the current rules simply don’t work.

RP
Cleveland

Councils have failed the people of Redlands

I trust you will allow me to express my opinion of a Council that appears to have forgotten they are there to represent ratepayers.

I have lived in the Redlands for 30 years. I was attracted by its proximity to Brisbane, the Bay and its country feel with strawberry farms and koalas.

I anticipated Councils would do what Councils are elected to do and provide civic facilities and a better lifestyle.

The strawberry farms are gone, its koala population decimated by short sighted decisions.

Having caravanned around Australia a couple of times, I have seen how other cities enhance natural features, provide great facilities yet balance development.

I have become disappointed at how successive Councils have failed the people of Redlands.

Why do we elect a Mayor and 10 councillors, pay them a substantial salary if their total effort seems to be development while ratepayers needs are overlooked.

A Brisbane newspaper printed a comparison of rates saying Redlands ‘are slugged’ (their words) rates several hundred dollars more than any other south-east Council. Yet Redlands is without facilities provided by other Councils.

Redlands must be the only city that doesn’t have a prestige park. We need a park with lawns, flower gardens and much more. Ipswich and Logan have both provided multi million dollar water parks similar to Southbank. Redlands also lack first class sporting facilities with sports field in short numbers, without car parking (like all of Redlands), lacks sideline shelters and seating. Town streets have become daggy, roundabouts ugly and waterways blocked and smelly. There are empty business premises everywhere; the Bay Islands are desperate for roads etc. Council talks tourism, yet Redlands doesn’t have a tourist park. The list is almost endless of things overlooked in favour of development.

A former Mayor once said ratepayers contribute up to 60% of a developer’s infrastructure costs. Which surely indicates where our exorbitant rates have gone and why we lack those facilities.

A recent Council proposal indicates how little they consider ratepayers: proposing to loan millions of dollars of our money to fix state government roads. Surely a responsible Council would use those funds to fix many of Redlands needs.

The recent Council election should indicate to the new Council ratepayers dissatisfaction with the type and extent of previous Council decisions. With pro-development Councillors not re-elected, the Mayor returned with a greatly reduced majority. Then only by divisions least affected by development. Divisions most affected, 2,3 and 4 all voted decidedly against the Mayor, while Division 1 won by less than 30 votes.

Perhaps with a new Council ratepayers can look forward to facilities their rates should provide rather that the type of development approved by the previous Council.

D Duncan
Cleveland

 

Letters to the editor

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Letters published by Redlands2030 – 26 October 2016