On 12 August, hundreds of Redlands community members and their supporters will rally and march in Cleveland, calling on the state and local government to do more to save koalas and other wildlife in the Redlands.
ACF Community Bayside spokesperson Vicki Salisbury said that the situation is now extremely urgent and governments at all levels are ignoring the threat to koalas and wildlife in their rush to develop.
“In the 1990s, we had more than 4,000 koalas in Redlands. University studies now estimate we have around 400 left Ms Salisbury said.
“Loss of habitat is the single biggest contributor to their decline, but vital areas of habitat are being bulldozed due to the recent State Government decisions to bypass usual planning laws to fast-track housing, infrastructure projects and Olympics venues,” Ms Salisbury said.
Following a controversial Ministerial Infrastructure Designation allowing Ormiston College to destroy a vital area of Core Koala Habitat, many more residents have realised the threat and are joining the call to protect our much-loved national icon and the mature trees they depend on.
The 12 August march will pause at the offices of Amanda Stoker, State Member for Cleveland, and Henry Pike, Federal Member for Bowman, to draw attention to the fact that local representatives are ignoring the desperate need to protect Redlands’ nature and koalas.
Threats to koalas and other wildlife in the Redlands
Areas of important koala and wildlife habitat facing immediate threat include:
- The 890-hectare Southern Thornlands Priority Development Area proposed for development of 8,000 small lot dwellings
- Ongoing removal of koala habitat by Ormiston College
- The proposed Redlands Whitewater Olympic venue at Birkdale
- An area of rural land at Mt Cotton that developers (and some Redlands councillors) want to have included in the SEQ urban footprint.
“We must have more intelligent development. Redlands has huge value as a natural recreation area and ecotourism destination, but our state government and local council want to turn it into sprawling, bare suburbs and industrial outposts for Logan and Brisbane.
“We are inviting everyone who cares about our Redlands’ nature to come along and show your support on 12 August. All are welcome at our peaceful rally, which will start at 10.30am at Raby Bay Park (next to Cleveland Train Station).
“We owe it to all residents and future generations not to let this environmental vandalism continue,” Ms Salisbury said.
“We must act urgently to save koalas from extinction in Redlands.”
August 12 is also ‘Crazy Day’ Redlands markets at Cleveland (which coincides with Brisbane Ekka Wednesday), so many people will be off work and able to attend.
Local groups supporting the campaign to save Redlands’ koalas include ACF Community Bayside, Koala Action Group, Animal Justice Party, Ormiston Koala Group, Community Alliance for Responsible Planning (CARP Redlands), Redlands2030, The Greens Bayside and SEQ Koala Conservation Collective.
