Council acquires 143ha parcel of land at Mount Nathan for Natural Areas Acquisition Program

The Gold Coast City Council has snagged a deal which would turn most property buyers green with envy: 143ha for $3.85m. Find out what it’s for.

The Gold Coast City Council has acquired a 143ha parcel of land near Mount Nathan.

For the bargain price of $3.85m the Gold Coast City Council has snagged a 143ha parcel of land at Mount Nathan known as a habitat for threatened native species.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the area was an “incredibly important” habitat for threatened native species including the Glossy Black Cockatoo and koalas.

“It also provides the City with an opportunity to enhance the habitat through restoration and the use of potential offsets.”

The land is a critical connection between the Nerang National Park and the Lower Beechmont Conservation Area. Picture: Supplied / Gold Coast City Council

He said the addition connects the Nerang National Park in the northeast with the Lower Beechmont conservation area in the south, and makes a strong contribution towards council’s goal of achieving 51 per cent native vegetation cover in the region.

After the latest acquisition, the region has 50.87 per cent native vegetation coverage.

The purchase was made as part of the Natural Areas Acquisition program.

Mr Tate said preserving native vegetation was important for the future of the region, and said having such large swathes of untouched land remained possible when developers build up, not out.

“I always said when it comes to housing it’s best that we go up instead of spreading out,” he said.

“If we don’t spread out, there’s more areas for the native wildlife to be there.”

Originally published as Council acquires 143ha parcel of land at Mount Nathan for Natural Areas Acquisition Program