Australia’s longest koala tunnel slammed as dud
Plans to build the country’s longest koala tunnel as part of a $75 million four-lane upgrade of a major highway have been called a bureaucratic bungle worthy of an episode of ABC comedy Utopia.
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The country’s longest koala tunnel will be built under a highway in southeast Queensland, despite complaints from local conservationists that it will be a dud.
The 120m tunnel is part of a $75 million four-lane upgrade of the Mt Lindesay Highway, due to start in March at Munruben in Logan.
Conservationists criticised the plans as a “bureaucratic bungle” worthy of scenes from the ABC comedy Utopia, after it was also revealed a rope bridge for glider possums would be built underneath a road bridge.
Australia Koala Foundation president Deborah Tabart said koala tunnels were effective but not at that length.
“These can only work if the koalas can see light at the end of the tunnel otherwise they won’t go the distance and foxes might sit at the other end for a smorgasbord,” Ms Tabart said.
“Building a rope bridge underneath a road bridge for glider possums may not work either as the gliders fly through the air.”
Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Logan president Ted Fensom said the plan for the tunnel and rope bridges was a joke straight out of the ABC bureaucratic comedy Utopia.
There is no evidence the lengthy tunnel will work for koalas, and gliders fly, not walk across a rope bridge,” he said.
“The koala tunnel is too long, too dark and will be too difficult for the koalas to navigate and is a bureaucratic bungle straight out of the ABC comedy Utopia.
“There is no scientific evidence that five species of gliders in this area will use rope bridges, like the one to be built under a road bridge at Norris Creek.
“How can they glide through the air when they are under a bridge?
“Consultants for the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services found that koala use of tunnels drops off after 30m.
“Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads department needs to bite the bullet and build proper fauna overpasses on its highway like Brisbane City Council did at its Karawatha Forest Reserve.”
Mr Fensom praised plans to build 2m high koala fences on both sides of the highway but said the state government was withholding vital public information about ditching plans for two sets of poles for gliders and replacing them with the three rope bridges.
The claims were disputed by the state’s Transport and Main Roads department, which monitored wildlife before designing the concrete tunnel.
The research found animals were crossing that section of the highway between Stoney Camp Rd and Chambers Flat Rd, which has about 45,000 vehicles a day.
“Among upgrade features which help wildlife cross the road safely are three new fauna rope bridges for possums and gliders and the extension of the existing (koala) fauna crossing beneath the highway,” a spokesperson said.
“Latest expert advice says rope bridges are a suitable alternative as they have been shown to be used by gliders and also allow for crossing by other arboreal species.
“The tender for the construction of this important upgrade is expected to be finalised next month.”
The first mammal bridge and tunnel was built at Kuraby’s Crompton Rd between Karawatha Forest and the Kuraby Bushlands and includes a bridge, tunnels, and rope ladders for gliders and possums.
Research by Griffith University ecologist Professor Darryl Jones found that some koalas had used bridges and tunnels built for them.
His research found successful structures were at Mt Cotton Road at Burbank, Redland Bay Rd at Capalaba, Moreton Bay Rd and Cleveland-Redland Bay Rd.
State and federal governments will split the bill for the highway upgrade.
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