Conservationist sights two koalas within QSAC raising fresh calls for ‘koala-friendly games’

A Brisbane conservationist has recorded two fresh sightings of koalas within the grounds of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre. WATCH THE VIDEO.

A Brisbane conservationist has recorded two fresh sightings of koalas within the grounds of the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre just metres away from competitors running in a junior carnival.

Toohey Forest Wildlife’s Brad Lambert made the latest discovery of the endangered marsupials on Saturday at the Nathan precinct, which is playing host to the Queensland Little Athletics Championships this weekend.

Koalas are known to live in the Toohey Forest in bushland between the QSAC stadium and Griffith University but these sightings have confirmed their presence within metres of the site set to be demolished for a $1.6bn Brisbane 2032 makeover.

“They weren’t on the borders, they were actually in the stadium,” Mr Lambert said.

Brad Lambert from Toohey Forest Wildlife in known koala bush habitat near QSAC. Picture Lachie Millard

“The bushlands are a great place for them, but they’re actually on the site as well, so they’re everywhere.”

Mr Lambert has visited the precinct multiple times on the back of the state government’s announcement to invest $1.6bn in upgrading QSAC instead of building a $3.4bn new stadium at Victoria Park.

On Sunday, Environment Minister Leanne Linard said any investment into QSAC would be within the existing footprint without threatening koalas in the conservation park area mapped at 3km away from the stadium.

But Mr Lambert said he was concerned that approach would neglect recognising the number of koalas whose habitat extends past the conservation site into the stadium precinct.

“For me, the minister’s statement is basically saying ‘look, the protected part is over there, we can do whatever we want everywhere else’,” he said.

“Every single bit of bush land without conservation or national park status is available for bulldozing.

“These trees that are used by koalas, we have this tendency just to knock them down.”

Mr Lambert said he would continue spending time in the forest around the stadium to map vegetation and photograph wildlife in the area. “The whole purpose of them having ecological consultants is to push the development through, it’s not about how much ecological value that site has,” he said.

“The whole process is about pushing developments from just ticking boxes, not about protecting our native bushland at all.”

QSAC at Nathan