Coomera Connector tree axing rolls out while koalas still onsite

A construction company building the state’s Second M1, will axe trees in a conservation area while koalas are on site in an effort to keep the project on schedule, conservationists claim. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGE

Inset taken from the Coomera Conservation Group Page showing a dead koala on the road near where land had been cleared for the Coomera Connector in June. Picture: inset taken from the Coomera Conservation Group Page.

A development company, contracted by the government to clear land for the Second M1, will axe up to 1000 trees while koalas are still on the site, in an effort to speed up a stalled section of the motorway project.

The construction and roadworks company will use “spot felling” to clear parts of the heavily treed Coombabah Lakes Conservation Area, after it was revealed the $2.16 billion project was “months behind” schedule.

Under the practice, trees without koalas are axed first while those with koalas are felled as soon as the animal moves out of the tree.

The “spot felling” plans to clear the land south of Helensvale Rd before relocating the koalas alarmed conservation and wildlife groups including the Eagleby Wetlands Group and Brisbane lord mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan.

Save Eagleby Wetlands Group member Robert Livingstone said clearing land while animals were on site was a “bad omen” for wildlife at the environmentally significant Eagleby Wetlands.

A map showing where the Coomera Connector is being built with the red circle showing where the land is being cleared near koalas and the broken blue line, the route the motorway will take to get to Eagleby. Picture: TMR

“Spot felling is a disgrace and traumatises the koalas which are so frightened many jump out of their trees to escape and are killed,” he said.

“This practice is barbaric and should not be allowed just because the project is behind schedule and its budget has blown out.”

Mr Livingstone said residents were aware of the issues for koalas after a male was hit by a car and killed in June on a road near where land was being cleared for the Coomera Connector.

Eagleby resident and member of the Save Eagleby Wetlands Conservation group Robert Livingstone said “spot felling” in a koala conservation zone was a bad omen for the Eagleby Wetlands. Picture: TMR and contributed

Coomera Conservation Group was sent images of the deceased animal on the road.

A spokesman for the Coomera Conservation Group said calling for all the koalas at Coombabah to be translocated to Pimpama would be detrimental to the animals.

“Given the position that stage 1 of the road is at, we will continue to work for best outcomes for the koalas, which is, to us, of utmost importance.

“It is not appropriate to relocate the koalas who live in the Coombabah reserve and put them in Pimpama, which is already struggling under capacity.

“It is more appropriate for koalas to remain in their original territory if it is safe to do so and for the Coombabah koalas that is the case.”

The Transport Department said it had investigated a range of measures to avoid, minimise and mitigate environmental impacts on koalas and had bought 400 hectares at Pimpama for the displaced wildlife.

It said it had drawn up a management plan to relocate koalas, believed to number 100 at Coombabah Lakes, when natural dispersal during construction was not feasible or safe for the animals.

The Coombabah Lakes where land is being cleared to make way for the Coomera Connector, which will link to Eagleby. Picture: TMR

“The Koala Management Plan sets out a number of steps to manage vegetation clearing when koalas are observed within the corridor,” the department said.

“These include monitoring and observing, unassisted and assisted movement, relocation within a 5km radius and potential translocation to the Pimpama River Conservation Area.

“In addition to a 390-hectare offset property purchased at Tabooba, a 407-hectare property was secured in Pimpama within the Gold Coast’s Koala Priority Area.”

Along with the loss of wildlife, the 2022-23 Queensland Budget confirmed the estimated total cost for the Coomera Connector Stage One from Coomera to Nerang increased 46 per cent from $1.5 billion to $2.2 billion.

Brisbane Lord Mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan said more koalas would die. Pictures: TMR and contributed

Brisbane Lord Mayoral candidate Mr Sriranganathan said the government’s response confirmed fears that spot felling of trees would start while about 100 koalas were onsite and said the move was “unusual” and “an effort to keep spiralling costs down”.

“They have acknowledged that they are not going through the process of relocating koalas because it takes too long to wait for the animals to move out of the trees,” he said.

“In effect, they are scaring the animals out of the trees.

“The response from TMR is extremely dismissive and demonstrates a high degree of negligence regarding their responsibilities to care for protecting the environment.

“I am concerned this could lead to the death and displacement of dozens of koalas.

“The Coomera Connector is going to have disastrous impacts on this ecologically significant area, as well as being a huge waste of taxpayers’ money.”