Expert warns the new ‘Borobi reserve’ may be hard to find

“IT IS all over red rover for koalas in the east Coomera area”: Koala Expert, as he warns Borobi Reserve might be hard to find

A KOALA expert has warned a $10.85 million Gold Coast City Council koala habitat acquisition project may be too little, too late.

Professor Frank Carrick, the chief investigator of the University of Queensland koala study program, said there was little viable property available for the council’s proposed “koala land” purchases, as announced as part of its 2018-19 local budget.

From this financial year ratepayers will contribute $3 per annum to the levy, set to raise around $800,000.

The council have also budgeted an additional $10 million boost for the land purchase fund.

“It is all over red rover for koalas in the east Coomera area,” Prof Frank Carrick said.

“There is no use trying to hold on to little pocket handkerchief bits that aren't going to achieve too much.

“Most of the best places for koalas happen to be the best places for people to build.

“Those lands are flat, low altitude and the type of soil that is often referred to as fertile.

“So unfortunately they are all the places that were developed early for farm land, or have been purchased for planned development on the Gold Coast like east Coomera,” he said.

Professor Carrick says habitat options are limited for Gold Coast koalas. Photo by Richard Gosling

Prof Carrick warned against making the mistake of buying cheap hillside land in abundance for the reserve.

“There is a terrible tendency for government boys to go for quantity rather than quality, when it comes to buying land for wildlife,” Prof Carrick said.

“This means the places are generally not the prime areas for animals to thrive. They tend to be high altitude stuff, and much more difficult to use for housing which makes them relatively cheap.

“Ultimately it needs to be done yesterday and before they start flattening more trees.”

Council planning committee chairman and area councillor Cameron Caldwell rejected the concern, and said work was already underway to secure suitable habitats as part of the council’s new acquisition fund and levy.

“We have done extensive work on our koala populations in the Coomera area,” Cr Caldwell said.

“Our 2017 East Coomera Koala Population Study, commissioned by council, has shown the population there is steady.

“I believe there are still many suitable areas for acquisition that would secure the koala habitat in the east Coomera population.

Cr Cameron Caldwell said the koala population in Coomera was steady and denied the suggestion the council’s land aquisation policy was a waste of time. Picture: Richard Gosling

“Council is now undertaking a significant body of work to identify these properties for acquisition.”

Mayor Tom Tate, who committed to a “Borobi Reserve” at Coomera last year, said the move was the first of its kind in Australia.

“The strategic koala land acquisition reserve — a first for any city in Australia and continuing to fund the implementation of our koala protection and management plan as well as properly fund the land acquisition reserve,” he said yesterday.

Queensland Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch with Ginger the joey koala. Photo: Kirstin Payne

State Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch, who released a Koala Expert Panel report earlier this year, said the Government hoped to assist in identifying priority habitat areas.

“Any funding and other support for the preservation of koala habitat will be identified as part of this process,” Ms Enoch said.