12:00a.m. 27th August 2008

| By Bill Hoffman

The Sunshine Coast Environment Council has called for a moratorium on new development on all designated koala habitat areas. Photo: Chris McCormack/177605

Photo Gallery: Koala receiving vet care

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The Sunshine Coast Environment Council has called for a moratorium on new development on all designated koala habitat areas.

Campaigner Annie Nolan said to protect the koala from extinction in south-east queensland, urban expansion in koala habitat and vegetation buffer areas had to be halted.

The push won the immediate support of the development industry.

State Urban Deveopment Institute of Australia delegate David Oliver said all the industry asked was that it be done reasonably.

MS Nolan said existing development conditions with specific koala codes must also be strictly enforced to ensure compliance with protection requirements coupled with community education and awareness to stop further loss of the inconic animal.

Koalas in south-east Queensland are listed as “vulnerable” under the Nature Conservation Act.

“The Sunshine Coast Environment Council calls for an upgrading of this listing to ‘endangered’ and the protection of their habitat,”’ Ms Nolan said.

“Conservation of the koala cannot be achieved if vegetation continues to be cleared.”

Sunshine Coast Council has allocated $70,000 to map habitat areas in the central region and would seek matching funding of $70,000 from the Environmental Protection Authority.

Environment portfolio chair Keryn Jones said council had completed habitat mapping in Caloundra.

“With the rate of habitat loss it is important to get in quickly (to arrest it) before animals are endangered,” Ms Jones said.

Ms Nolan said the government was continuing to allow urban development in koala habitat areas contrary to the 1995 Planning Guidelines.

She said recent announcements suggesting a ban on dogs in new developments in koala movement areas, mandating koala-friendly fences and the provision of koala crossing and signs failed to address the decimation of the SEQ koala population.

The damage was being done by destruction and fragmentation of koala habitat through incompatible urbanisation.

However, premier Anna Bligh rejected the criticism. “Despite Queensland having some of the toughest planning controls in the country to protect koala habitat, we continue to see a decline in the south-east’s koala population,’’ Ms Bligh said.

“And it is precisely for this reason I established a high-level, expert taskforce earlier this month to provide advice on what action can be taken.”

“I have asked the taskforce to consider a number of measures such as protecting key koala habitat from further development and banning the clearing of habitat trees in new development areas.”

But Australian Koala Foundation CEO Deborah Tabart said the premier was misleading people with emotive comments about koalas not backed by real solutions for their conservation.

Ms Tabart said koala populations only occured if there were tree species preferred by koalas.

She said the government had not protected koala habitat from further development at Ridges Peregian Springs and Peregian.

Koala habitat areas on the Coast

Weyba Downs – Murdering Creek Road

Ridges Peregian Springs

Noosa National Park

Caloundra mapping of habitat complete but yet to be released

Central Sunshine Coast mapping program planned for next 12 months