Logan and Albert Conservation Association
Karawatha Forest is a conservation area of unique value.
It is listed in the globally respected PPBio with items such as the Amazon Rainforest. It is a sensitive environment for both local plants and animals. It is part of a State Government gazetted corridor stretching from Karawatha Forest to the QLD NSW border.
The Brisbane City Council has an excellent program to develop Oxley Creek as a unique Flora and Fauna watching experience for local and international visitors. A visit to Karawatha Forest can be a supplementary activity for these visitors to see unique wildlife in another Australian ecosystem. This helps bring tourist dollars and jobs to the area.
The Forest has been acquired with funds from the Bushland Levy and with donations from the State Government
“to preserve the natural environment by conserving the ecology of the Forest”.
We petition the Brisbane City Council to abide by the original objective for the acquisition of all parts of Karawatha Forest and to:
Karawatha Forest has 2 road frontages with Logan City and is a great asset to residents of and visitors to Logan.
LACA encourages all who appreciate and value the ecosystem services provided by a forested area to sign the petition.
Keep Karawatha Forest a Conservation Area petition
It is also important that politicians at all levels of government hear from those of us who enjoy the quiteness the forest watching and observing the flora and fauna of the forest.
This is an especially important aspect of mental health and wellbeing.
NOTHING IS PROTECTED along corridor for section of
INLAND RAIL Calvert - Acacia Ridge ARTC 2017/7944
prepared by Ted Fensom of Wildlife Qld and BREC - Brisbane Region Environment Council
This could involve clearing of about 500 hectares of koala and fauna habitat and near natural grasslands without any clarity on a range of sustainable fauna outcomes. This clearing could increase for each of haul roads, access roads, dumps, lay down areas, cuttings and depots. A combined EIS under
A combined EIS under bilaterals is proposed. The Coordinator General's Terms of Reference COG's TOR is yet to come out. See EPBC 2017/7944- controlled action documents
The Acacia Ridge to Port of Brisbane rail mentioned in Senate estimates is still a matter of State- Federal negotiations.
Tunnels proposed at Woollamin are Woollamin 1 length of 1.1 km and Woollamin 2 200 metres. Information on the Ebenezer crossing is needed
Vegetation will be remapped for Regional Ecosystems, but that does not necessarily disclose High Value Regrowth, Old Growth, Rare and Threatened Species or classification of near natural grasslands or Biodiversity Hotspots under CNCCS or SEQB BPA .
There is a need for a return to regional plans that are understood by the community, have a realistic chance of being implemented and hopefully that the community will hold in high regard.
The focus of the Shaping SEQ seems to be locked in on facilitating urban development through the next fifty years. Despite lip service to other uses the plan does little to ensure that the other uses will be sustained in the face of pressure for urban activity. For example the draft plan notes that “there are a number of areas that have been in the Urban Footprint for some time but have not yet been developed. One way that we could help get things moving is to investigate these areas further, and provide some rules in the state planning regulatory provisions that will allow these areas to be developed sooner“.
The heavily loaded question is then followed with a simplistic “what do you think?”
The SPRP is a legal minefield, especially for non planners but clearly the community can ask that the provisions be improved and made legible. The SPRP usually escapes scrutiny from the community although it is carefully scrutinised (rightly) by the stakeholders reliant of legal provisions especially the land development industry.
If you have additional comments or disagree with the suggestion outlined, it is suggested your own comments be added. But let the Government know that there are problems with the SPRP and how these critical provisions are introduced through the Regional Plan.
To raise the level of community concern about the implementation of ShapingSEQ it is suggested this article be sent either:
Many thanks to the community REDLANDS2030 for their informative articles on the draft SEQRP especially this one used and linked here. http://redlands2030.net/seq-plan-jargon-omissions-bias/
How can we better 'protect' koalas in SEQ?
Unless we take actions NOW the days of seeing koalas moving freely in the wild ie open bushland areas are numbered - and reducing daily where people and our human needs do not also consider other species in our "business as usual" daily lives.
That there is no koala chapter in the draft SEQ plan is incomprehensible and totally unacceptable Logan and Albert Conservation Association [LACA] members and Wildlife Logan members believe.
That public display depends on the Koala Inquiry and DEHP's Koala Unit is unacceptable. Regardless of any recommendations from these other bodies our iconic koala and its protection MUST be included in any planning / visionary planning for SEQ and other areas of Queensland where koalas are still surviving.
HAVE YOUR SAY - SEQRP closes 11.59 pm 3 March 2017
South-East Queensland Regional Plan is an important regional planning tool, which can direct how both the state and local governments undertake planning and development decision-making in SEQ. Regional Plans override planning schemes where there is inconsistency.
Regional Plans override planning schemes where there is inconsistency.
As part of the package released for consultation, there are numerous background papers which provide more information as to the policies which shaped the new SEQ Regional Plan.
Background papers provided are under the following headings: GROW - PROSPER - CONNECT - SUSTAIN - LIVE.
There is no reference to previous plans - including the current one. There has been no STATE of the Environment to help inform our input.
This is an important opportunity to tell government what your concerns are for the region in which you live.
You can send in multiple submissions - one pagers - for each of your concerns - or combine into one - habitat for koalas - lack of infrastructure provisions - liveability concerns in a "sardine development" - climate change - carrying capacity - lack of protected and connected public open greenspace - water issues and more.
There is NO MENTION of KOALAS or any other endangered species in this proposed draft!
Several workshops - and articles - are available online to provide you with information you may find useful.
EDO Environmental Defenders Office Qld (EDO Qld) an independent community legal centre to empower the community to use the law to protect the environment held a workshop and provide a TEMPLATE to supercharge your submission. Go to their website at http://www.edoqld.org.au/news/draft-seq-regional-plan-released-have-your-say-by-3-march-2017/ to download and also read contributions to the community workshop by Professor Darryl Low Choy of Griffith University and Mr Paul McDonald of Healthy Waterways and Catchments.
Email your submission to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Submissions must be provided to the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning in writing and include the following information: [to be properly made]
Controlled action at MIRVAC Greenbank East site - caretaker's cottage
As LACA president Anne Page is involved with all matters relating to protecting endangered and vulnerable wildlife particularly in the PDA ie Priority Development Area of Greater Flagstone, she has alerted EPBC referral officers to an approval given to MIRVAC to clear vegetation by Queensland Department of Infrastructure Local Government and Planning (DILGP) on the 7th February 2017 - approved the operational works and removal of vegetation for a caretaker’s dwelling and for bushfire reduction on a MIRVAC property at 96 – 102 Brightwell Street, Greenbank DEV 814.
WHY is LACA Logan and Albert Conservation Association concerned?
This property lies within the area mapped by MIRVAC as AREA 3 (EPBC 7817 & DEV 768) which is now under a controlled action (Federal Government Decision Notice dated 15 December 2016).
DEV 814: 96 – 102 BRIGHTWELL ST, GREENBANK (LOT 205 on RP845844)
KOALAS FACE LOCAL EXTINCTION IN LOGAN!
Yarrabilba and Flagstone housing estates high on koala black spot list reports Sarah Orr, from Quest Newspapers January 2, 2017
Australian Koala Foundation chief executive Deborah Tabart says that new housing estates such as Yarrabilba and Flagstone were high on the koala black spot list. These fears echo and re-inforce the worst fears of the Logan and Albert Conservation Association and local group Logan Community Environment Watch.
Ms Tabart was pushing for a freeze on habitat clearing. She said koalas in Logan were “functionally extinct” meaning the population may never recover.
“I’ve seen committee after committee and the core problems don’t go away because we keep cutting habitat down,” she said.
“The Queensland Government will never impose constraints on the developer because that’s where they get their money.” She said she was not surprised rescue groups reported their “worst season ever” for deaths and injuries.
Habitat loss seems to be increasing daily with the planned $750 million southeast Queensland resort complex to be built by a Chinese property developer in a koala habitat area seeks permission to increase its approved 500-unit project on the site to 1500 units.
The areas of proposed clearing for human settlement continues with the most recent application by MIRVAC at Greenbank East
ECOLOTS proposed in MIRVAC development - AREA 2 South-east section of site
Since 70 - 75 ECOLOTS in Area 2 are indicated as subject to FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS (See p10 -11 EDQ Development Application) – this means that the community is unable to have certainty now about this.
The 70 – 75 Eco lot Precinct in AREA 2 should be removed from the Context Plan and added to the Conservation Zone.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MIRVAC DEVELOPMENT at Greenbank
large 480 hectare + property corner Teviot and Greenbank Roads?
HAVE YOU WRITTEN A LETTER OR SENT AN EMAIL?
Closes Mon 19 December 2016
RE: MIRVAC DEV 2016/768 – DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION
Applicant: MIRVAC QLD PTY LTD c/- URBIS PTY LTD
EDQ No: DEV 2016/768 ( QLD GOVT)
for 96 – 102 Brightwell St,138 – 168 Teviot Rd and 456-520 Greenbank Rd QLD Greenbank, 4124
(Lots 205 & 434 on RP845844 and Lot 9 on S312355)
PDA Development Application for a Priority Development Area ( PDA) Preliminary approval for development generally in accordance with a Context Plan and PDA development permit for reconfiguring a lot (1 lot into 508 Residential Lots and Parkland) Material Change of Use for Residential uses ( Display Home, home based businesses, House, multiple residential and other residential), park, and sales office and operational works.
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER?
How many people will bother to look at this before Xmas?
Why has the developer timed it this way?
Any person may on or before 19/12/16 make a written submission to -
EDQ Development Assessment
Dept of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
PO BOX 15009, City East, QLD, 4002
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: Tom Barker 3452 7440
ONLINE DOCUMENTS: under DEV 2016/768 MIRVAC
THIS IS YOUR FUTURE – LET’S LOOK AFTER OUR COMMUNITY & LOCAL AREA
A single page letter - with your name and address - and your major concern can suffice as a submission.
Detailed objections are listed in another article to follow
Reasons for objecting to concept plan as presented are summarised below. They are extracted from the whole document file you can download
Community-MIRVAC-SubmissionLetter_Dec16.2016-rev.pdf
Community-MIRVAC-SubmissionLetter_Dec16.2016-rev.docx
The environmental values of this 482 hectare property (the largest land holding in the area and local landscape) provides a critical stepping stone in the landscape, fauna movement corridors that cannot be replaced in this location – offsets will never compensate for the loss of this environmental asset.
“ the subject site remains one of the last large rural properties in the immediate landscape predominantly comprised of rural residential development” (Saunders Havill Group MIRVAC TECHNICAL ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT REPORT p 3)