Gold Coast

A rally to protest about the costs of growth to the community and the invasion of housing and infrastructure into high biodiversity areas of South East Queensland will take place outside the Labor Party Conference at the Convention Centre on the Gold Coast this Saturday, 21st June at 10:30am.

From the Save the Mary - no dam group in Hervey Bay to the S.T.O.P. the Mudgeeraba-Tugun powerlines group in the south of the Gold Coast, community groups are sending a strong message to Premier Bligh and the Labor-led Queensland Government that "enough is enough".

Lois Levy, spokesperson for Gecko - Gold Coast & Hinterland Environment Council, said that the community is fed up with the government overriding legislation, ignoring community consultation and placating the demands of the development industry under the guise of providing affordable housing.

"Not only has the Premier released more bushland to developers ahead of schedule and without infrastructure in place; but the government is now reviewing the SEQ Regional Plan with a view to releasing even more land to developers and further weakening restrictions," said Ms Levy.

"Containing the urban sprawl and ecologically sustainable development were at the top of the government's agenda when elected; however, all of this is being reversed under the current Premier," said Ms Levy. "Growth is out of control in our region and it's costing the community and the environment dearly."

Ms Levy said that the costs of growth included not only more dams and more powerlines, but also the continued devastation of bushland, particularly Greenfield sites, infill of open space and infrastructure intrusion into natural areas.

"We are very disappointed that the most profound warnings against this unsustainable level of growth are being delivered by scientists, economists and demographers of the highest repute, only to fall upon the deaf ears of our current crop of leaders," said Ms Levy.

"People are coming from all over the region to tell the Premier that she's not listening and her government will have to answer to the voters for this at the next election," said Ms Levy. "We're hoping that she sees the light - that the level of growth being allowed in South East Queensland does not reflect the wishes of existing residents and is having devastating impacts on the environment and social fabric of our communities and that she must reverse the trend.

We are calling upon the Queensland Government to honour their commitments and to create genuine ecological sustainability, as they have been promising for the last 12 years, by both stabilising the population of South East Queensland within the confines of its carrying capacity and protecting its high biodiversity values with effective legislation.

For more information ring the following at Gecko 5534-1412 or direct: Lois Levy 5534-3706 or 0412-724-222.
or e-mail media [AT] gecko org au

Gecko, 139 Duringan Street, Currumbin 4223, Ph: 5534-1412; Fax: 5534-1401, www.gecko.org.au

In celebration of Seaweek, 20 keen science students from Year 9 Browns Plains High School will visit Sea World on March 7th for a special tour before moving to the Gold Coast Spit to monitor seagrass. Jacobs Well Environmental Education Centre teacher, Gina Ygoa, said that Seaweek, from 2nd to 8th March, is held annually to focus people's attention on the marine environment and its sustainable management. “The theme for this year’s Seaweek is ‘Extinction – a Saw point’, highlighting the plight of the declining sawfish and threats to our other marine plants and animals. “At Sea World, the students will see turtles, sharks and sting rays, and, of course, dolphins and pelicans,” said Ms Ygoa. “And, after the tour, they’ll have the opportunity to adopt an area of seagrass to monitor its growth and health on a quarterly basis.” Gold Coast Seagrass Watch Coordinators Linda Ray and Sheila Davis will be joining the class at Sea World and will take them out in the afternoon to the Broadwater where they are likely to establish a seagrass monitoring site. “The Gold Coast has it all,” said Ms Davis. “There are many sites with shorebirds, soldier crabs, stingrays and seagrass – all vulnerable to the on-going impacts of fishing and boating traffic. Some of these sites were threatened by the proposed cruise ship terminal and super yacht marina project and are now threatened by the predicted impacts of climate change, as are all marine environments. By monitoring seagrass, we help ensure its protection.” In engaging the students in the curriculum of shoreline studies, Ms Ygoa said that she will introduce the students to the natural processes of: shorebirds preparing for their long migratory flights back to the northern hemisphere, the marching of the bright aqua soldier crabs in their thousands, and the seagrass beds and their role in the coastal ecosystems. “Local diver, Ian Banks’ extraordinary underwater photography, showing the beauty of the wildlife in the Seaway and in the seagrass beds, will also be featured,” said Ms Davis. “Ian’s recent dives monitoring the seagrass bed in the front of Wave Break Island have netted great photos of the amazing wildlife found there, which will inspire many budding photographers and marine biologists. Ian may even provide the students with some underwater photography tips.” “It will be a real hands-on experience,” said Ms Ygoa. “We will also give the students information about the legislation and agreements designed to protect these values and how well they have been working to make the link between the law and natural processes.” Seagrass in the Gold Coast is monitored three times a year and the next sessions will be Saturday, 29th March at Currumbin Creek and Saturday 5th April in the Broadwater. Interested participants should email [email protected] or ring 5530-6600 for more info. For more information about Seaweek visit the Marine Education Society of Australasia www.mesa.edu.au. For more information: Sheila Davis 5530-6600 / 0423-305-478 or Gina Ygoa 0409-349-640.

Media Release Thursday, 29th November 2007

Gold Coast seagrasses are valuable fish habitat

The Gold Coast’s seagrass beds are valuable resources that provide food and shelter for a multitude of species, including prawns, fish, sea turtles, dugongs and shorebirds and they should be on the maps, a Seagrass-Watch training workshop was told on the weekend.

Chief Scientist of the Northern Fisheries Centre at Cairns and Program Coordinator for Seagrass-Watch HQ, Mr Len McKenzie, speaking at the workshop held at Gecko House in Currumbin last Sunday, 25th November, said that it would be very useful to have all the Gold Coast’s seagrasses mapped.

Gold Coast Seagrass-Watch Coordinator, Sheila Davis, said that the Gold Coast is developing a team to keep an eye on the Gold Coast Broadwater’s vital seagrass beds and volunteers are keen to map seagrasses in the rest of the waterways.

Participants at the workshop were trained on scientific procedures to collect data on the health and condition of seagrass, monitoring it three times a year. “We did our fieldwork in Currumbin Creek and used seagrass beds that are not on the map,” said Ms Davis. “Workshop participants are keen to find more and ensure that all the Gold Coast’s seagrass beds are mapped.”

“The health of our seagrass is under constant threat from both natural and human impacts, and Seagrass-Watch experts train volunteers to monitor its condition,” said Ms Davis. “This data is sent to Seagrass-Watch HQ where it adds to the knowledge about seagrass throughout the Asia Pacific and contributes to the management of our waterways.”

Seagrass-Watch is an award winning, community based, habitat assessment program, monitoring the health and extent of seagrass beds over time. Survey methods are scientifically rigorous but simple and easy to learn and the results help guide decision making in areas such as Marine Park planning and ecosystem health monitoring. The Gold Coast team is funded by SEQ Catchments as part of the Moreton Bay Seagrass-Watch.

“If the idea of an afternoon with nature, and the knowledge that one’s participation assists in the management of our natural resources appeals to people, then they are welcome to join the Seagrass-Watch team,” said Ms Davis. “It’s a fun activity and provides a great opportunity to get to know our waterways and their wildlife including many interesting birds and invertebrates and the chance to spot turtles and dugong.

Call Sheila Davis, Gold Coast Seagrass-Watch Coordinator (ph: 5530-6600) or email gcseagras|AT|vis.id.au to find out how you can get involved with this program.

Gold Coast Seagrass-Watch, PO Box 199, Mudgeeraba Qld 4213 5530-6600 0423-305-478

The Gold Coast Spit Open Space is again under threat of development with a Queensland Government proposal to build a maritime training simulator for shipping pilots on land adjacent to the sand-pumping jetty, even though it has no windows and no need to be located on the Spit.

Lois Levy, campaigner with Gecko - Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council, says that this latest proposal again demonstrates Government unwillingness to listen the community's clearly expressed desire for no development north of Seaworld.

"Once again it appears the Queensland Government is planning for a commercial use of The Spit parklands with this latest proposal. The Government just can’t seem to leave The Spit alone," said Ms Levy. "It must be retained as parkland for our growing population and these commercial uses can be placed elsewhere."

Curiously, the draft application by Department of Transport for the training simulator lists the facility as "community purposes" when it is clearly intended to be a commercial operation with paying students.

"Gecko members cannot understand why this simulator has to be built on parkland when the simulator part of it has no windows and can be built anywhere," said Ms Levy. "This makes us highly suspicious that it is the thin end of the wedge. The excuse that the training centre needs to be close to accommodation and public transport just doesn’t wash."

The proposal is for a 6.5 metre building consisting of three simulator 'drums', a foyer, administration, ablution facilities, briefing / lunch rooms, instructors’ room and storage and parking for 9 vehicles on an area of 980m2 of public land. It is intended to be open from 9 – 5 for 6 - 8 trainees per day and employ 3 - 4 full time staff.

"Given that the Gold Coast does not have any shipping pilots for its seaway, it is very strange that this expensive facility will be purpose built here rather than in the Port of Brisbane and for only 6 students," said Ms Levy.

"Is this the beginning of grander plans for a marine precinct?" asked Lois. "We will be seeking further information from the Department of Transport and will keep the community informed."

For further information contact:
Lois Levy, Gecko Campaigns Committee 0412-724-222

Also visit www.gecko.org.au, www.saveourspit.com

Media Release Tue, 26 June 2007* Residents of Mudgeeraba and Reedy Creek still don't know how their suburbs will grow following a public meeting on the Gold Coast's Local Growth Management Strategy held in Mudgeeraba last week. The meeting, attended by representatives of Queensland's Office of Urban Management and the Member for Mudgeeraba, State MP Ms Dianne Reilly, was to coincide with the release of the Gold Coast Strategy for public comment; however, due to the number of changes required to the draft following the State Interest check, the Growth Management Strategy has been deferred until later this year. Sheila Davis, spokesperson for the Mudgeeraba Community Association, which hosted the meeting, said that the level of development planned for these suburbs, the Gold Coast and the whole of the South East Queensland region over the next 20 years must be reconsidered in light of recent studies. "Warnings in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, released earlier this year, that continued development in South East Queensland puts more people at risk from flooding and storms as well as studies that show the Gold Coast has the highest nature conservation values of any city in Australia are being ignored," said Ms Davis. "If we are to protect what remains of the region's dwindling biodiversity, our subtropical lifestyle, the tourism potential of our region, and also adapt to climate change," Ms Davis said, "we must not overdevelop beyond our carrying capacity." Attendees at the meeting expressed concerns about destruction of wildlife habitats, degraded creeks, potential flooding, the social impacts of high density housing and the loss of natural resources through dam building and quarrying for infrastructure projects. "Residents want to know whether an additional 4000 homes are going in our forests or on our floodplains," said Ms Davis. "State government representatives said that the details are up to the local government, but confirmed that the growth target for the Gold Coast in the South East Queensland Regional Plan is an additional 135,500 new dwellings, and that under State laws the local government has no ability to prohibit development anywhere." The Mudgeeraba Community Association will be hosting another public meeting when the Gold Coast's Local Growth Management Strategy, which implements the Plan into the planning scheme, is put on display later this year. "We are urging all members of the community to have their say about the level of development we want for our city," said Ms Davis. "We should not be tied to the figures decided nearly 20 years ago before we had the knowledge that we have today." "These planning targets must be reconsidered in light of predictions of lower rainfall, increased storm activity, considerations of protection of nature conservation values and ecological services, and provision of open space and other needs of residents," said Ms Davis. "While the SEQ Plan is a step in the right direction," said Ms Davis, "these targets are clearly unsustainable given the need to provide resources and to protect the high biodiversity and steep landscape of our City." For more information: Sheila Davis, MCA Secretary 07 55306600 or 0423-305478 Dino Crestani, MCA President 07 5559 0250 Russell White, MCA Treasurer 0408-981-242 Mudgeeraba Community Association Inc, PO Box 552, Mudgeeraba Qld 4213