Has Brisbane City Council's ANY Environmental Credentials?
The Brisbane City Council decided to approve an Villa World application for a housing development at Boondall during Council Easter 1999 recess period. The Brisbane City Council has placed a temporary partial Vegetation Protection Order upon much of the land under development approval.
Digital pictures taken from Thoms Street Boondall
An environmental scan of the area revealed the presence of glider possums. A further investigation found several Squirrel Glider Possums.
Tony Krajniw & possum (Chairperson of Save Our Squirrel Possum Committee) & a suggestion for a new t-shirt logo.
The area is forested (not densely) and is surrounded on the northern, western and partly on the eastern side by large lot residential. On the southern and southwestern side by dense Residential A development. To the east is a rail corridor and a high voltage power line easement.
The southeastern side of the site is proposed as a park but the existing den trees may not be within the proposed park boundaries. If the proposed development were to proceed we have concern whether there would remain enough habitat to support a viable colony is doubtful.
The Squirrel Glider Possum colony is said to be between four and six possums. The land is on the western side of the rail line south of the Boondall railway station. (see map below)
The sum of thirty pieces of silver ($A30,000) was being suggested (over Easter 1999) as a possible payment to the Brisbane City Council to enable to protect other land for Squirrel Glider Possums within Brisbane. This amount may purchase about 200 square meters of residential land yet the approval to destroy this glider possum colony would release several hectares of land for development.
The land to the east of the rail line is referred to as the Western Extension of the Boondall Wetlands. The Brisbane City Council owns the land. The Brisbane City Council has placed a TOTAL Vegetation Protection Order upon this land. The Brisbane City Council called for Expressions of Interest to develop this land 12 months ago. This land has not as yet been protected by zoning to Conservation Zone or Open Space etc. The land is mostly/all wetlands with a tee tree vegetation being predominant in the southern area. This area is also said to contain Squirrel Glider Possums.
The Rivermouth Action Group Inc has lodged a request for "Freedom of Information" request on the files of the Brisbane City Council files on 23 May 1999 and we expect access within 45 days of that date.
press to read
Newspaper article 7 April 1999
Newspaper article 14 April 1999
Letters to the Editor 21 April 1999
Letter to the Editor 26 May 1999
Lord Mayor's response to ratepayer
BCC Interim Vegetation Protection Orders
A visit to the site has revealed two glider possums in one of the den trees which has now been recorded on video. Concerned readers should direct their concerns to the Lord Mayor, Cr Jim Soorley G.P.O. Box 2287 Brisbane QLD 4001 Australia or E-mail: LORDMAYOR@brisbane.qld.gov.au
This Lord Mayor believes he displays a Green Thumb and uses the slogan 'Livable Brisbane'. His decision is not seen as a very GREEN Decision and NOT very livable city for Glider Possums.
Australia is the world's most sparsely populated country in the world except the Antarctic and Siberia yet we cannot even leave room for Glider Possums who only live in tree hollows.
Good One Jimbo.
The Courier Mail of Monday, September 21 1998 Page 4:
Soorley calls for aim of 40-50 million population in Australia by 2050.
Just how much of this proposed population increase in Australia is he willing to share outside of Brisbane's boundaries?
If the price is set at $30,000.00 to allow the demise of a colony of four to six Squirrel Glider Possums and their habitat by the Brisbane City Council then who can or will set the price for the demise of a Lord Mayor and a Deputy Mayor and to whom must it be paid?
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The Rivermouth Action Group Inc
E-mail: activist@rag.org.au
as a community service.