State Government allows Ormiston College to destroy koala habitat trees

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has approved an Ormiston College master plan which will include clearing 652 koala habitat trees.

Ormiston College first sought development approval from Redland City Council in 2021. The Council advised that the College’s proposal was prohibited development as the site was situated in a Koala priority zone and habitat area under State Planning Regulations.

Ormiston College then sought State Government approval through a ministerial infrastructure designation application in 2025. The ecology report submitted with this application says that proposed development would require a total of 652 koala habitat trees to be cleared.

More than 500 submissions objecting to the proposed ministerial infrastructure designation were submitted.

A submission from Redland City Council raised questions about the College’s assessment of koala activity, saying: “It is recommended that occurrence records from reputable sources  such as the Atlas of Living Australia [ATLAS] be duly considered in the  assessment of this application. Further investigation into koala activity on the site is strongly  warranted considering the high level of contradiction with the  ecological report findings and the historical records from ATLAS”.

The Ministerial Infrastructure Designation, approved by Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie on 19 May 2026, included a “Notice of how submissions were considered” which indicates that little or no consideration was given to any submissions critical of the proposed tree clearing.

Ormiston College reaction to the State Government’s decision

In a post on its Facebook page, Ormiston College said: “This approval is the result of years of careful planning, expert environmental consultation, and a thorough government assessment process. It means we can begin progressing Phase One of works — including a new oval and playing fields and our Early Learning Centre — as we continue to grow and evolve for our students”.

Koala Action Group condemns the Government’s decision

The Koala Action Group (KAG) has condemned the Queensland Government’s decision to approve Ormiston College plans to clear 652 koala habitat trees to expand its campus in Redland City, describing the move as “an outright betrayal” of the State’s own koala protection commitments.

KAG says it’s outraged that Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has approved the proposal despite strong objections from the community and Redland City Council, and despite the site being mapped by the Queensland Government as “Core Koala Habitat”.

The decision makes “an absolute mockery” of the Government’s newly announced koala strategy says KAG.

“This is yet another example of the Government ignoring both the science and its own environmental mapping that was specifically intended to protect core koala habitat,” KAG President Debbie Pointing said.

“The area is recognised as high-value koala habitat and forms part of a vital wildlife corridor in Ormiston. There is clear evidence that koalas frequent the site.”

The group says koala sighting records, GPS tracking information obtained by koala researchers, and data held by Redland City Council all demonstrate the importance of the habitat proposed for clearing.

“The decision flies in the face of the evidence,” Ms Pointing said.

“Researchers and Council data prove koalas use this area regularly, yet this information appears to have been disregarded.”

The College currently has six sporting fields and plans to construct three additional fields, plus multiple other buildings as part of the expansion, which community members say will destroy the majority of the habitat on the site.

“What sort of message does this send to young people?”

“That an abundance of playing fields is more important than protecting a threatened species facing extinction in South East Queensland?”

The Koala Action Group also questioned the feasibility of proposed environmental offsets, which include planting 526 eucalyptus trees.

“The promised offset planting is completely unrealistic,” Ms Pointing said.

“The land area required to successfully establish that number of large eucalyptus trees is far greater than the space available on the campus.”

“Planting hundreds of large-growing trees in confined areas also creates long-term safety and viability concerns. These offsets are simply not credible.”

The group further criticised ecological assessments prepared for the College by JWA ecologists, disputing claims the site had “low koala usage”.

“We question why the ecological consultant did not consult researchers who have studied koalas in this area for many years,” Ms Pointing said.

“Instead, they appear to have reached their own convenient conclusions that support development.”

Koala Action Group says the proposal should be referred to the Federal Government for assessment under national environmental laws due to the likely impacts on koalas, which are listed as endangered.

“We have insisted from the very beginning that this proposal should be assessed under national environmental laws (Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) because there is no doubt it poses a significant threat to koalas living in Ormiston,” Ms Pointing said.

“To date, the College has refused to refer the project for Federal assessment.”

The Koala Action Groups urges community members to contact Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt and ask him to call the project in to be assessed under the EPBC Act. The Minister’s email address is Minister.watt@dcceew.gov.au

More about the Ormiston College ministerial infrastructure designation

Private school given go-ahead to cut down koala habitat for new ovals by Brisbane Times

Koala habitat to be decimated in private school expansion after Bleijie’s approval by Courier Mail

Ormiston College seeks to fast track clearing of koala trees by requesting ministerial infrastructure designation by Redlands2030

Redlands2030 – 24 May 2026