The opportunity to comment about plans for extension of the West Mount Cotton Quarry which involves the destruction of significant habitat for Koalas, Greater Gliders and Grey Headed Flying Foxes, closes on Wednesday 22 December 2021 (by close of business).
Details about the invitation for comments were included in a recent Redlands2030 story:
Karreman Quarries proposes offsets for koala habitat destruction
A notice published by the Federal Government says that written submissions should be directed to; 616-632 West Mount Cotton Road, Mount Cotton QLD 4165 or emailed to info@karreman.com.au
If you are making a submission and you are concerned about sending it to the project proponent, you could also send a copy to Redlands2030 by email to thereporter@redlands2030.net
A concerned resident has prepared a draft submission which raises concerns about the quality of offsets proposed in the Preliminary Documentation.
A short form of this draft submission is shown below:
The full draft submission can be downloaded as a pdf document.
Draft Submission: West Mount Cotton Quarry Expansion (EPBC 2018/8340)
To whom it may concern,
I refer to EPBC referral 2018/8340 and the invitation for public comment about ‘Preliminary Documentation – West Mount Cotton Quarry Extension’.
The Preliminary Documentation comprises 1,340 pages of information.
It is unreasonable to expect members of the community to review and comment on this much information in the ten days allowed.
The impact area contains unquantifiable attributes which cannot be offset with any other site due to its pre-existing habitat quality, location in a broad area of habitat and proximity to surrounding conservation areas.
The offsets proposal
The Offset Proposal does not comply with the Queensland Environmental Policy v1.4 July 2017 or the Guide to determining terrestrial habitat quality v1.3 February 2020:
No conservation outcome is achieved through any of the offset sites.
The two offset sites located in the Koala Coast (Offset Site 1 and 2) do not have sufficient carrying capacity of non juvenile koala habitat trees to offset significant residual impacts on the Koala.
The third offset site at Tarome, is not located in the Koala Coast and is therefore inappropriate for offsetting the significant residual impact on the Koala.
The Offset Proposal contains inconsistent analysis:
The impact area has received habitat quality ratings ranging between 6.95 and 9 points out of 10. This rating is vital to determining sufficiency of the proposal.
13 ha of previously required offset at Offset Site 1 is being proposed again.
Significant offset areas of already environmentally protected habitat is being proposed.
Habitat improvement in these protected areas is marginal and serves only to ‘plump up’ the proposal with no effective conservation outcome.
Community opposition to loss of koala habitat
A petition on change.org expressing concern about the loss of koala habitat associated with plans for the West Mount Cotton Quarry Expansion has already attracted 2,400 signatures in a few days.
The petition url is: https://www.change.org/p/sussan-ley-protect-pristine-koala-habitat-in-the-se-qld-koala-coast
We respectfully request that the EPBC approval is refused for the expansion for the following reasons:
- Due to the specific environmental aspects of the site which includes significant connected habitat and bordering on protected areas. It is unlikely that any offset will sufficiently replace the habitat loss in this location.
- Does not comply with Qld State Government Environmental Offset Policy. Any federal approval would be contrary to the objectives of State policy makers and residents alike.
- Current local and federal government reviews which includes the pending review of the EPBC status of the Koala, the National Recovery Plan for the Koala, Redlands Coast Koala Conservation Plan 2022-2027 and the Redlands Coast Koala Conservation Action Plan 2022-2027. Any decision made now will be premature in light of these pending reviews.
- Inconsistencies have been identified throughout the submitted material including habitat scoring, marginal habitat quality improvements and complete lack of benchmarking. This material requires a third-party forensic review for transparency.
[Name and address of person making submission]
Protect pristine koala habitat in the SE Qld Koala Coast
Here is a link to the petition on change.org asking Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley to refuse approval for the proposed West Mount Cotton Quarry expansion.
Redlands2030 – 19 December 2021
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
4 Comments
There appears to be no interest in saving koala/wildlife habitat in Redlands for obvious reasons as filling coffers with revenue is first and foremost in minds of influential politicians/developers and trees get in the way. There have been reports of witnesses having to watch trees come crashing down with koalas still in them. I’m also reminded of ex-MP for Capalaba informing my then neighbour that the only koala we will see in future is in the zoo. Male selling land cnr Old Cleveland Rd to bridge by Coolnwynpin Ck told me, on asking if any land left for koalas, replied yes, the creek and if you want koalas, you can see them outside Redlands but we are developing Redlands & moving on. Does this suggest approval for Karreman to extend quarrying into koala habitat?
Dear Editor,
I am writing to you again from Italy because I am shocked and deeply concerned about the plan of West Mount Cotton Quarry Extension.
After seeing on social media, the clearing trees at Cowley Street, Orminston ( and the poor koala left on the last tree watching his trees fall. What happened to the last remaining koala then?) last February, the project of the destruction of 42 hectares of Land in Marine Park and in Ramsar Site at Toondah Harbour, now this devastating plan for extension of the West Mount Cotton Quarry which involves the destruction of significant habitat for koalas, Greater Gliders and Grey Headed Flying Foxes. Simply crazy!!
How is it possible such a total disrespect, no care and no consideration for your beautiful wildlife, threatened species including koalas that are already on the verge of extinction and other animals and for your beautiful land? It will impact your life style, the welfare of your community too. More pollution, traffic, trucks noise, fine dust! Please stop the destruction of your beautiful land and your wildlife.!
The laws should protect the flora and fauna.! How can an offset area be useful if it’s 80 km away?! And do the animals want to be relocated?! Will they be relocated? Offsets are a poor excuse to destroy more bushland in the Redlands. It takes many years for a tree to be planted now to be used by koalas!
Offsets are only useful for developers not for wildlife, offsets are just a way forward for developers.
Please read the link below. A brilliant article By Nick McLaren /ABC Illawarra “Biodiversity offsets policies too often failing, inquiry hears”.
This is in New South Wales but it also fits for Queensland.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-20/integrity-of-the-nsw-biodiversity-offsets-scheme-inquiry/100712056?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=facebook&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
I have sent my submission ( below) and I signed the petition on change.org
Queensland and Brisbane will have the Olympics in 2032 but will they still have koalas? I hope your community stands up to stop this destructive plan.
People power can do it and it already happened in Victoria where a large popular participation stopped, after a long fight, the expansion of a 107-acre quarry. (Arthurs Seat in Mornington Peninsula. You can find on fb the page “Save Arthurs Seat” community and group).
I hope the decision makers do the right thing for your Redlands community, your flora and fauna. Australia please don’t lose your soul!
Thank you.
Kind regards.
Maria Paola Torti
Italy
There are too many examples of the destruction or planned destruction of established Koala habitat. Examples include but are not limited to; The proposed Toondah Harbour Wetlands development, the property in Ormiston along Cowley St where every tree was mulched to make room for a housing development, the proposed white water rafting park in Birkdale will destroy native wildlife habitat? The sports precinct in Mount Cotton, in Redlands too much is being destroyed in the name of economic growth, with no consideration of sustainability, or regard of the loss of SEQ quality of life and caring for native wildlife.
Please do not destroy koala and wildlife habitat for the extension of this quarry, koalas have suffered so much with habitat destruction in recent years and it is getting dire for them and other wildlife. Predictions are extinctions for these iconic wildlife, please keep their habitats safe for them to live and feed and give birth to their young and for future generations of Australians to see them. Thankyou
young. Save Australia’s Koalas before it is too