NEWS: Petition launched. In addition to the Government submission (details below), B4C has launched an online petition. Please add your name here.
MAKE YOUR SUBMISSION
B4C has made their submission to the State Government to help protect essential wildlife habitat in the Belmont Koala Forest. You can read it here (PDF). Also see our supplementary document (PDF) included with our submission.
It’s really important that YOU make a submission too. We have a template you may like to use here (Word). But you don’t need to use a document, you can type straight into the submission form.
Submissions must be made by Tuesday 30th April (extended from 12th March).
To submit your objection, choose one of the following three options:
- email to Infrastructure Designation team
infrastructuredesignation@dsdmip.qld.gov.au, or - submit online here (scroll to bottom of page for submission link – it also allows you to upload supporting documents and select if you want your contact information published or not), or
- post a hardcopy to: Dept of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning– Planning Group – PO Box 15009, City East, Qld, 4002.
Key documents from the department are the proposal’s Environmental Assessment Report (PDF) and request for Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (PDF).
You make like to consider some of our following points for your submission:
(please add/delete/change as you see fit).
Values of the site
- This parcel of land is the vital northern section of the Koala Coast Corridor and is part of the 500 ha Belmont Koala Forest. The SEQ Regional Plan identifies the site as being in a Bioregional Biodiversity Corridor and containing regional biodiversity values. It is mostly zoned ‘Conservation’; is an “Of Concern” (DES) regional ecosystem and mapped as an essential koala habitat area. It constitutes an area of high ecological values and part of Brisbane’s Natural Asset areas.
- The site has a wide array of native wildlife, including koalas, wallabies and echidnas.
- The site contains Mt Petrie, an area of high scenic amenity and is linked to Tingalpa Creek and the Koala Bushlands. It is designated “Essential Habitat” for koalas.
- Both observations from club users and records from Moggill Koala hospital indicate the site is definitely inhabited by koalas.
Issues with the proposal
- The Government should be avoiding the clearing of State-owned koala bushland in-line with its existing policies.
- The proposal is to replace 5.4 ha of bushland by planting just 2700 trees around the club’s fields. State offset guidelines indicate that would need to be 15ha of complete bushland. The offsets legislation indicates that clearing should be avoided and offsets only used as a last resort.
- The proposal’s fauna studies are inadequate – they have failed to identify koalas and more.
- There has been inadequate consultation with stakeholders and local community. There is no evidence of collaboration with Dept of Environment and Science or Brisbane City Council being involved in the planning stages of this proposal.
- The proposal has claimed it is “essential infrastructure”. It has not demonstrated that it fits this description.
Outcome
- The Minister should reject the proposal.
- The State Government should develop a Biodiversity Protection and Enhancement Plan to better define and strengthen the biodiversity protection of the state owned parts of the Belmont Koala Forest. The forested portion of the parcel that is not in use for sporting activities should be declared a Nature Refuge under the Nature Conservation Act.
Do you still have questions?
- If you’ve got questions for the government’s ministerial designation team you can contact them on 1300 967 433 or infrastructuredesignation@dsdmip.qld.gov.au.
- If you’ve got questions for B4C contact b4c@bulimbacreek.org.au or 3398 8003.
Can signatures be collected against the clearing of the Belmont Rifle Range I can’t see that many submissions would be made but a simple collection of signatures would get more response.
Hi Kim, we’re just about to publish an online petition. But people really need to make submissions as that is what the department will be referring to.
Brisbane City Council’s April recess, Civic Cabinet 2 May 2017 put this into Google. it will give you the original support for land acquisition and the “$60 million in buying bushland in the Chandler Ward—so I’ll say that again, $60 million in buying bushland in the Chandler Ward”.
There are several wards across the city where there’s been big concentrations of the acquisition of bushland. Obviously Chandler is one of them, These acquisitions are all about buying land along corridors that link in together, buying land that’s adjacent to existing Council land, and it’s a great outcome not just for the local area but for the whole city.Now this land is obviously not something that will ever be developed now because it’s been purchased and preserved. It will remain a green space and bushland reserve forever. But if this land was to be developed—I’m speaking theoretically—it could be potentially carved up for between 130 and 160 house blocks. So that’s the size of land we’re talking about.
But we will never see 130 and 160 house blocks on this land. It will be protected for the community. It’ll be protected for the benefit of local wildlife as a key part of the green space to the eastern suburbs of the city.
So very happy to support this acquisition as part of the overall Bushland Acquisition Program.
Stop this senseless destruction. We need to protect all the bushland around brisbane we can. Ipswich is destroying the bushland for housing and the heat out there is unbearable. Brisbane is the only green treed city in Australia and this should be the protected at all cost. We need this natural habitat for our wildlife. It also helps with rain fall and shade. Only the most stupid will continue clearing. The state Australia is in we need to protect all green areas and replant every spare plots that we can. We need to get intelligent people into planning of our city for the future.