Koalas face an existential threat from urban sprawl in South-East Queensland, according to a new report.
The Holding the Line report, commissioned by the Queensland Conservation Council, says the new update to the draft South-East Queensland Regional Plan (also known as ShapingSEQ) risks taking the region to below the international minimum benchmark of 30 per cent bushland coverage.
The report, developed by landscape planners Shannon Mooney and Andrew Davidson, was launched next to a koala habitat under threat of development at Palmview on Thursday.
The draft plan provides guidelines for creating almost 900,000 homes across the south-east, including 80,000 homes on the Sunshine Coast, to accommodate the region’s rapidly growing population, by 2046.
It was announced by Deputy Premier Steven Miles last month, when he said it would create “more opportunities for young people and future generations to buy their first home, workers to live closer to their jobs, and older Queenslanders looking to downsize but stay within a connected community”.
But QCC director Dave Copeman said further flora and fauna could be lost.
“South-East Queensland is an ecological treasure trove of rainforests, bushland and internationally listed wetlands and iconic species like the koala,” he said.
“All of that is at risk, with the new plan opening up more bushland and native habitat to urban sprawl and development.
“Currently South-East Queensland sits at 35 per cent bushland cover. This report highlights how almost 6 per cent of SEQ bushland is still at risk from new housing and other developments, putting the region at risk of falling below the globally-recognised minimum of 30 per cent bushland cover.
“The plan could be another series of attacks, putting the species at further risk of extinction.”
Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said last month that council welcomed the draft ShapingSEQ plan as a continuation of the planning model between state and local governments, and that council would try to preserve ecosystems.
“The question is how can we meet this challenge to create homes for our growing population and at the same time protect our enviable lifestyle and precious natural environments?” he said.
“Sunshine Coast Council has a strong legacy of planning positively to accommodate projected future population growth.
“Council will review and consider the full content of the plan, but I’m confident that our current and new planning projects will provide significant additional housing supply to meet the updated projection population and dwelling targets.”
Sunshine Coast Environment Council spokesperson Narelle McCarthy said rapid development could cause more problems.
“The findings in this report show how urban sprawl has been fast-tracking the extinction crisis by destroying koala and other threatened species’ habitat,” she said.
“This is a wake-up call that SEQ can’t continue to develop at any cost through further fragmentation of wildlife corridors, habitat and vegetation loss.”
Landscape planner and co-author of the report Shannon Mooney urged key changes to the ShapingSEQ plan.
“It is critical for the region to ensure the protection of all mapped biodiversity-significant areas within designated development areas, urban footprints and rural living areas, and undertake focussed ecological restoration in riparian zones, coastlines and hillslopes,” he said.
“We also recommend integrating green infrastructure like fauna crossings, conservation reserves and regional trails into the plan, to ensure the growing population has access to nature, and the community and wildlife remains in good health.”
Deputy Premier Miles said homes were desperately needed to address a booming population.
“We cannot only rely on traditional models and new greenfield development as the answer for housing choice and affordability given what we know about people’s preferences,” he said.
“This plan helps put in place a framework that councils can use to deliver more homes over the coming decade.
“This plan doesn’t mean growth everywhere – it plans for growth in the suburbs that can cater for growth.”
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