Anger after koala trees flattened for QE11 hospital carpark

Southsiders are furious after waking up to discover 1ha of protected bush, home to koalas and other fauna, had been bulldozed for a carpark they say won’t help street parking woes.

Southsiders are furious after waking up to discover about 1ha of protected bush, home to koalas and other fauna, had been bulldozed for a carpark they say won’t help street parking woes.

Echoing the famous 1960s eco-anthem by singer Joni Mitchell, they said a natural paradise next to Toohey Forest was sacrificed for a carpark, expected to be finished in mid-2024.

QE11 Hospital visitors and staff often had to walk 1km along parked-out streets to get to the facility.

But angry locals said the new, single-level carpark would merely replace an existing facility that would be demolished for a five-level, 112-bed hospital wing.

Wildlife rescuer John Knight said if a multi-level carpark had been built in one corner of the now-cleared site the damage would have been minimised.

A Government information page said "some trees'' would be cleared. Residents said 1ha was removed with almost no notice to locals.

Brad Lambert, who launched the Toohey Forest Wildlife Facebook page about five years ago after discovering the area had experienced a huge rebound in koala numbers, said it showed the Government’s mapping of significant bushland was just a box ticking exercise.

He said only residents on two streets behind the clearing, which began on February 26, were notified but not wildlife groups, with leaflets in a letterbox drop undated.

However, it was understood they were distributed between February 22-24 and clearing began on March 4.

“Last year I learned that a significant proportion of remnant forest in Toohey Forest was owned by the State Government’s Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) group,’’ he posted.

“On February 22 this year I received a letter from (State Development Minister) Cameron Dick stating they had no immediate plans for this site.

“Sadly, EDQ has commenced planning for the clearing of the bush along the boundaries on these properties in preparation for potential sale.

“How is it possible that, with the SEQ koala population declining so fast, we continue the rampant destruction of essential koala habitat?’’

The Government’s website said only “some trees’’ would be removed.

But Queensland Health collaborated with two ecologists and the “impact footprint was planned to preserve the habitat, facilitating the movement of species throughout the site’’.

A survey was conducted before clearing began.

Ecologists reported limited evidence of koala activity, with no recent sightings.

The total land adjacent to QEII covered 4ha with only 1ha cleared for the carpark, nearest the hospital.

“Four options were reviewed. The endorsed option allocates three-quarters of the total land to preserve a potential corridor for koalas, ensuring support for their habitat,’’ a QH spokeswoman said.

She said the carpark would provide 550 spaces.

Clearing at the site.

Local Moorooka Ward Councillor Steve Griffiths said nearby Griffith University had shown how to expand with no bush clearing, by building upwards.

“I am appalled. While I understand there are parking issues for local residents, I believe there could have been an alternative solution such as building up on their (QE11’s) current footprint,’’ he said.

“Council is currently working on a parking proposal for streets it controls around the hospital.

“Once completed, this will go out for consultation.

“I do not support this unnecessary destruction of bushland and I am frustrated for the community who have received no consultation and only a short notification period.”

The hospital expansion was carried out under the controversial Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process, which bypassed Council rules.

Councillor Steve Griffiths. Picture: Liam Kidston

Two new offset carparks would be constructed for staff, patients and visitors, ahead of demolition of the existing carpark for a $465 million, five-level hospital wing.

Carpark 2 would be an open-air bitumen facility on the western side of the hospital campus and carpark 4 would be an open-air temporary car park on leased land adjacent to the hospital

ambulance entry on Troughton Rd.

The new 112 overnight bed wing would include treatment spaces.

Existing buildings and infrastructure would be refurbished, increasing surgical and intensive care capacity.

Coopers Plains resident Lee Cunningham said while locals had been frustrated for years over the lack of hospital parking, resulting in congestion in neighbourhood streets up to 1km away, native habitat was unnecessarily bulldozed.

“Residents have expressed anger over the lack of community consultation for an inadequate solution and short sighted (approach) to the parking problem,’’ he said.

Mr Lambert said the clearing shattered his trust in decision makers.

“Four years ago I was assured this land would not be developed,’’ he said.

Koala rescuer John Knight says a multi-level carpark on one edge of the site would have minimised damage.

“This land is in Toohey Forest and is still under threat of development.

“It has the same layers of environmental protection that the QE2 Hospital site has on it and has a huge amount of data about a number of vulnerable and endangered species living there on site.

“Ecologists on the (hospital) project suggested there was little evidence of koala activity on the site, but even the state’s own QWildlife app shows koalas have been spotted regularly there — and killed as well.

“This is an area where koalas cross the road regularly, especially during mating season, expecting to find trees which have been there forever.’’

Aerial view of the proposed development.

Metro South Health said on its project website that as the QEII Hospital catchment grew, demand for clinical services and on-site parking also would grow.

It said the expansion would address this, adding seven more beds in the intensive care unit, extra theatre capacity and refurbishment of clinical support and operational service support areas in the main hospital building.

It came after the recent opening of Ward 4A, a 28-bed general medical ward.

“We know parking is already a challenge at the hospital, therefore we have been working hard on alternate carparking arrangements, to be delivered early ahead of the expansion project,’’ the website said.

“This will include some tree clearing, which will be conducted carefully in line with independent ecological recommendations and environmental policies.’’