Creating connections for wildlife

Almost 13ha of key koala habitat has been added to Moreton Bay Regional Council’s property portfolio under a deal with a private landowner.

The Eatons Hill property links to neighbouring wildlife corridors and will be safeguarded from development as part of Council’s Land Buyback for Environmental Purposes Program.

Mayor Peter Flannery says the purchase is the third by Council since the program launched, and the largest to date, with plans to ramp up the buyback scheme in coming years.

“Moreton Bay is home to 119 rare, threatened or endangered wildlife species like koalas, the powerful owl, the rainforest Acomis plant and many more that are integral to our local ecosystem,” he says.

Saving flora and fauna

“We will now preserve and maintain this 12.75 ha site at Eatons Hill so these flora and fauna species will have a home in Moreton Bay forever.

“It’s the third parcel of land Council has purchased under the program, totalling 21ha, but this is just the beginning of this program as we aim to Green as we Grow over the coming years.”

Mayor Flannery says the properties are within existing green corridors and the aim is to maintain, connect and enhance the green corridors so wildlife can pass through safely.

“This is especially important for us to help balance our huge population growth over the coming years with the wildlife who have called this land their home for many years before we arrived.”

See the land

Councillor Cath Tonks (Div 9) says the purchase is a source of pride for residents, who have been asking for more green initiatives to protect wildlife.

“Whenever I speak to residents about what matters to them it always comes back to protecting the local environment and wildlife species like koalas and possums,” she says.

“The Land Buyback for Environmental Purposes Program is a direct response to those calls and I’m so proud to deliver on those promises, so that our children and future grandchildren have a beautiful region to call home for decades to come.”

See the video

Cr Tonks says Council has already planted 1200 trees at a Clear Mountain property bought last year, and more plantings are scheduled to rehabilitate the land.

“We’re planting thousands of trees at sites right across the region, we’re delivering targeted conservation at The Mill at Moreton Bay, we’re building green infrastructure like fauna rope bridges (and) we’re installing new road signs urging motorists to slow down in wildlife areas.”

Council also bought land at Flowers Rd, Caboolture in September that’s connected to several bushland parks, boosting the local wildlife corridor.

For more information about the Land Buyback Program click here.

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