KAI QKC AttungaHeightsObjectionJan19 · MCU18/0015

KOALA ACTION INC.
Postal Address: 52 Poole Road
GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS   QLD   4518
ABN: 92 282 853 793

RE:	MCU18/0015 & RAL18/0001				9th January 2019
Lot 27 RP89506,
27 Attunga Heights, Noosa Heads, 4567.
Development Permit for Material Change of Use and Reconfiguring of a [email protected]
PO Box 141Tewantin, 4564.

TO THOSE THIS MAY CONCERN

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission regarding the above property.  I have been asked by members of Queensland Koala Crusaders Inc. (QKC) and Koala Action Inc. (KAI) to write an objection to the above development application.

We are doing so in order to voice our deep concerns about the escalating decline of koalas in Queensland in particular but also the decline of other native wildlife species.  This decline is predominantly related to the ongoing loss/destruction and fragmentation of habitat crucial to providing ongoing resources of food, shelter and dispersal opportunities for koalas and other native wildlife.

The focus of this submission is on the koala population of Queensland and in the retention, rehabilitation and conservation of koala habitat wherever it remains over the koala’s natural range.  Our general objectives relate to the importance of retaining existing wildlife habitat across all planning zones, rehabilitating wildlife habitat and/or secondary koala habitat to increase its carrying capacity and replanting koala food trees and other natives in parks, reserves and open spaces.

The background of the members of KAI and QKC is varied in that some members raise orphaned koala joeys from their homes whilst others are involved in the rescue and/or care of sick and injured adult koalas as well as other wildlife.   Free koala education and awareness presentations are provided to the community by all these groups.  KAI and QKC actively grow koala food tree plantations and have undertaken many replanting projects to increase food, shelter and dispersal opportunities for koalas and other wildlife.

The main objective of KAI and QKC is to ensure the sustainability of the koala population throughout Queensland.  By protecting this state’s faunal emblem, an Australian animal icon also considered “a flagship” species drawing tourists from all over the world and from within

this country, we are in fact protecting all the native wildlife that utilise those same ecosystems.

KAI and QKC point out that the clearing and fragmenting of habitat for development of any sort has a negative impact on koalas, both directly and indirectly ultimately affecting the sustainability of the population.  Let me state at the onset that this 1.805 ha area is incorporated onto the Biodiversity Overlay map which indicates that the majority of the site is mapped as Environmental Protection Area.  Accordingly this area should be conserved in its entirety and resources applied to increase its carrying capacity by removing exotic weed and tree species.

The proposed development (associated with the construction of buildings, roads and other infrastructure) will result in the reduction in ‘of concern’ vegetation and the loss of essential habitat.  It is acknowledged that the site is degraded and contains a lot of exotic weed and tree species.  This matter can and should be addressed.  Rehabilitation both now and into the future will improve this site’s ability to provide additional food and shelter resources for koalas and a range of other native wildlife.

The DA states that an area of dedicated open space will be retained along the creek line, providing a wildlife corridor of a minimum width of 20m covering 6,510 m2 in total.  To designate this as a “wildlife corridor” is questionable considering its size.  This continuous vegetated corridor follows the creek line from the north of the site to the site’s south-eastern corner.

Of course this area must be conserved and rehabilitated.  Movements of fauna on and off the site are restricted in most directions, except for this corridor.  This vegetated area must be retained, enhanced and enlarged if it is to fulfil the requirements of a “wildlife corridor”.

The existing detail provided in the DA about this so called “wildlife corridor (20m to 50m) clearly shows that it is of insufficient size to be classified as such.  QKC and KAI point out that sufficient scientific evidence is available confirming that the minimum width of an effective wildlife corridor would have to be 100 metres at the very least.  So to suggest that the section detailed in the DA would be adequate to allow for the movement and dispersal of wildlife across the site is erroneous.

Five (5) significant species have been recorded in this locality.  This includes the Glossy Black Cockatoo (vulnerable in Qld), the Koala (vulnerable in Qld), the Grey Headed Flying Fox (vulnerable in Qld), the Short Beaked Echidna and the Blind Snake (near threatened in Qld).

The Koala is also listed as Vulnerable to Threatened at a Federal Government level.  Therefore, protecting any and all koala habitat even that designated as ‘secondary habitat’ is crucial to the sustainability of the species.

The Commonwealth PMST identified twenty-four (24) threatened fauna species that may occur within 5km of the subject site based on the availability of suitable habitats. The DEHP Wildlife Online database indicated that twenty-one (21) threatened fauna species have been recorded from within 5km of the subject site.  Further evidence of the importance of retaining and enhancing as much of this vegetated area as is possible.

The above ‘vulnerable’ species when utilising this site rely on Category B containing ‘of concern’ regional ecosystems (remnant vegetation) and Category X (vegetation not regulated under the VMA) for food, shelter and dispersal opportunities.  Category B areas cover the majority of the subject site (1.63 ha).  Although not generally occupied by a residential koala population, we are aware of koalas dispersing across the site and feeding on Corymbia intermedia as well as Lophostemon confertus.

For your information, koala habitat designated as an environmental protection and enhancement area to the rear of the site is often utilised by koalas.  This above development project will no doubt impact negatively on the environmental values of that koala habitat.  Nothing has been detailed in the DA to address how these negative impacts will be mitigated.

I have obtained details from the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital confirming the admission of koalas for treatment from areas located around the DA site which I have attached for your information.  Koalas move regularly around their (on average) 5km home range I have no doubt that this location forms part of the home ranges of several adult males and/or females.

I have not been able to access koala/wildlife statistics from the RSPCA Eumundi or Moggill Koala Hospital.  However, I am sure they would agree to provide Noosa Council with this information upon request and members of KAI and QKC would urge that you do so.

McAlpine et al (2006) asserted that habitat loss in the Noosa Shire in SEQ was the major driver of koala population decline, landscape configuration and roads also played an important role.   Rhodes et al (2014) also found that in the vast majority of cases, increasing the number of roads elevated koala mortality rates more rapidly than did increasing traffic volume on existing roads.  The above DA would do just that.

KAI and QKC believe that approving this DA as it is will be just “another death by a thousand cuts” precipitating further decline of koalas in the Noosa region. Koalas are currently persisting in increasingly fragmented pockets of habitat which means that each and every tree plays an important role whether it is as food, shelter or facilitating dispersal opportunities.

Although koalas prefer one or a few eucalypt species at any given site they often utilise other eucalypts and non eucalypts less intensively.  These less favoured species are still considered to be an important part of their home range.  This would be the case in the koala food trees considered ‘secondary’ from a nutrient level and other native species found at the Attunga DA site.

Koalas are particularly sensitive to changes and disruptions to their surrounding habitat. Their limited movement capability means that they are unable or reluctant to cross gaps in vegetation and move within or among fragmented habitats.  Therefore it is essential to ensure all native trees large enough to support a mature koala be retained to provide “safety” for those animals moving across this landscape.

KAI and QKC do support a holistic development approach that incorporates the needs of koalas and other native wildlife by retaining as much mature (primary or secondary) koala habitat and high value regrowth as possible, rehabilitating secondary habitat to increase its carrying capacity and replanting koala food trees and other natives wherever possible to meet the needs of koalas and in fact all native wildlife into the future.

Members would like me to point out once again that any development will have a negative impact on koalas and other wildlife utilising this same ecosystem via reducing the amount of habitat available to them for food, shelter and dispersal opportunities.  KAI and QKC thank you for allowing us to provide this objection in the hope that Noosa Council will use good science to facilitate the best possible outcomes for this state’s unique fauna and flora.

Yours sincerely Vanda (aka Wanda) Grabowski
President/Secretary, Koala Action Inc.
Secretary, Queensland Koala Crusaders Inc.

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