CSR’s Warner Quarry development has residents fearing for the future of an urban koala habitat

A council report has sparked fears for an urban koala habitat on the site of proposed 460-lot housing estate.

An aerial view of the Warner Investigation Area with CSR’s quarry development at the top, and Ausbuild’s Warner Rd development on the right.

CONCERNS have been raised over the future of a thriving urban koala population which some say is at risk from a new housing development.

Plans for a 460-lot housing development by CSR on a former quarry at 107-109 Kremzow Rd, Warner, will be determined today at a Moreton Bay Council meeting.

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While CSR has been praised for its efforts to preserve the local koala population, conditions that could be imposed on the development by the council have left residents in shock.

“After all the effort CSR put in with the community and for our koalas, they are being asked to remove trees and literally every aspect of their fauna friendly development is now in question,” a post on the Save Our Community Warner Facebook page stated.

CSR's Warner Quarry development landscape concept plan showing proposed wildlife corridors.

CSR has largely been commended for its “fauna friendly development” and the approach it has taken to involve the community — including schools, businesses and koala rescuer groups — in the design of the estate.

Others though have been critical of how CSR cleared around 16ha of trees on the quarry under its mining lease back in 2016, after it was approached by the council to discuss the site’s development potential.

The company said the trees were cleared as part of a quarry expansion.

CSR first lodged an application for the development in September 2018 and later carried out an extensive community consultation process which included the Warner Koala Management Project.

As part of this project, the local koalas were tracked and mapping was produced to show their habitats — which included trees in the north, south and east of the site.

Council planners have now recommended conditions on the development, that some residents say could result in the destruction of this habitat.

CSR quarry at Warner to developed into a mix of housing and open space. Picture: Google

To be voted on by councillors at today’s council meeting, the conditions stated that all of this koala habitat be handed over to the council “for open space purposes”.

Residents who have been fighting for more than two years to save the local koala habitat have been left stunned by the conditions, afraid that the habitat could be destroyed.

Though another condition asked CSR to create an Ecological Restoration Plan for “degraded areas” of the those habitat areas, suggesting the corridors would be maintained.

A sign on Warner Road in November, 2017. The community is concerned about plans to clear koala habitat in the area. (AAP/Richard Walker)

Residents are calling for an explanation of the conditions.

The CSR quarry makes up part of the so-called Warner Investigation Area, along with the Ausbuild site to the south and the Mordar site to the west.

Combined, all three developments could create about 1300 new houses for the area.

CSR’s quarry development would deliver up to 460 Next Generation lots at 20 lots per hectare — about 1500 new residents once completed.

Though Ausbuild’s application was rejected by the council in February, the developer has since appealed the decision in the Land and Environment Court.