Ormiston College asks state to step in as koala trees in way of state-of-art extension

An exclusive Brisbane school’s expansion plans are on hold because some koala trees are in the way and has asked the state to step in and approve the project after the local council refused.

The Ormiston College site where there are mature gum trees and where the college wants to build. Picture: Supplied

An exclusive bayside college is hoping to skirt strict local laws governing cutting down gum trees in a koala corridor by asking the state government to step in.

Officials from Ormiston College, on Brisbane’s bayside, want to build a state-of-the-art sports centre with a childcare centre and sporting fields on land where there are koala in trees.

They have put in a request to the state Development and Planning Minister, Steven Miles, asking for his department to take over the assessment role and allow the trees to be axed.

The “ministerial designation” is an alternative process to lodging a development application with the local Redland City Council, which the college did in August 2021.

But, the council had to send the application back to the school because it no longer had the authority to approve the development application as the Queensland government had taken over responsibility for such applications under new laws.

A koala in a tree at the Sturgeon Rd site at Ormiston College. Picture: Debbie Pointing

The council has strict rules in place under its planning and habitat protection laws banning the cutting down of trees that koalas are known to use.

The state government has not yet accepted the school’s request but at this point the state government has not contacted the college to request further information about the extent of any vegetation clearing.

“If the proposal is endorsed to proceed through the ministerial designation process, the college would need to provide more detailed information including the extent of any vegetation clearing,” a department spokesman said.

“The ministerial designation process would involve a comprehensive assessment of land use planning matters including potential impacts to native vegetation, koala habitat, traffic and amenity.

“This process also considers advice from other government agencies and technical experts and includes a period of public notification.

“When making a decision such as this, all proposal plans, technical reports and submissions are considered.”

A design of the site showing where the college plans to build. Picture: Supplied

Trees that are earmarked for removal are listed on Queensland government Core Koala Habitat Area and Koala Habitat Restoration Area maps.

The State Development and Planning Department said the alternative assessment process was used by groups, including public and private schools, to get complex community infrastructure.

Ormiston College principal Brett Webster said legislative changes meant the development application could no longer be submitted to the council and state assessment was the only option now available to the college.

“Should the development be accepted as a ministerial designation, the college will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to address their issues while undertaking detailed technical assessments to support the design,” Mr Webster said.

“The college shares the community’s ongoing commitment to strengthening koala habitat and has engaged ecological experts to look at the current master plan which includes management recommendations.”

Redland City Council was contacted for comment but had not yet responded.

Koala Action Group president Debbie Pointing said it was disappointing the college appeared to be trying to sidestep the council’s planning and habitat protection laws by asking the state to step in.

A map of the Ormiston College site with the dark-green areas showing Core Koala Habitat areas under state government mapping. Picture: Ormiston College

“Redland City Council would not accept the school’s plan calling it a prohibited development due to the koala habitat values on the site,” Ms Pointing said.

“We have no idea how many koalas will be impacted directly or indirectly as we haven’t seen any ecological reports.

“However, when I did a brief inspection around the school’s perimeter this year, I saw two koalas in mature trees that are likely to be removed to make way for the multiple new junior sports ovals.

“The college must have been aware of the development constraints when they purchased this site several years ago, so it’s not a good look that they appear to be giving very little consideration and compassion for the koalas and other wildlife that use the area.”

Ms Pointing said the plans could be scaled back to protect some of the koala habitat trees earmarked to be bulldozed for the campus expansion.

She said she believed the project should be referred to the federal government for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act regardless of what the state government decided.