I could only spare an hour today to join the protesters at Minnippi West. I really enjoyed talking to the many people who took time out from their Sunday adventures to pull over to sign the petition. There were thank yous from them to us for protesting and thank yous from us to them for signing. All around it was a productive morning for the Minnippi crew.
The story in short:
A golf course, conference centre and housing estate is proposed for development on 125 ha of Brisbane City Council-owned bushland located alongside Minnippi Parklands at Cannon Hill.
A coalition of community and environmental groups including my Bayside Greens branch are opposing the development. Why? Because of the threat it will bring to the squirrel glider colony, other vulnerable fauna and the valuable wetlands. I cannot forget the fundamental necessity for communities to maintain and preserve green space.
In 2002 the Council itslef actually commissioned a study to assess the impact of development on squirrel gliders at Minnippi West. The option of ‘no development’ was shown to be the only option for adequate conservation of the squirrel glider population.
Unfortunately, the worst option of the seven options is the option that most closely resembles the proposal by BMD. Yet this is the one that has been chosen.
For Cr John Campbell to publicly state ‘The glider habitat would not be affected by the development’ goes against his own Council’s studies and is clearly rubbish.
I am asking for this development not to be approved, no future development application be considered and the site to be rehabilitated and conserved for its ecological values. It should really be put on the Council’s Natural Assets Register. It really is a wonderful spot – all 125 ha of it!
This is public land designated on the Council’s Town Plan for ‘Sport and Recreation’. The fact that a golf course was earmarked in 1992 doesn’t mean it has to happen – especially since all the research that has been done since then.
This area features the largest intact freshwater wetland system in Brisbane – and that’s next to the well-known Boondall Wetland and Bayside Parklands. Wetlands are meant to be considered high conservation grade areas. This development makes a mockery of that.
Fauna includes a dense colony of squirrel gliders, over a dozen species of bats, it is a habitat for migratory birds, home for the grey goshawk (endangered in Queensland) and the yellow-footed antechinus (a marsupial mouse).
Although there have been no sightings of koalas, scratchmarks from koalas have been found on trees.
I just wish Cr Campbell would realise that just because we don’t see these native creatures doesn’t mean they’re not there or not important. That’s often the difficulty in Australia with trying to save our native animals – they mostly come out at night and can be easily forgotton.
I ask what percentage of the population plays golf? Of that, what percentage of golfers are already content with having five golf courses within 15 minutes of this proposed development? Of them, what percentage appreciate the importance of conserving our native flora and fauna?
This is not the place to have a golf course as the water golf courses drink is enormous compared to the amount of water Australia has available. The bushland that needs to be cleared to create a fairway is enormous. The silly thing about this particular golf course is that it’s being build on a floodplain with acid sulphate soil which really shouldn’t be disturbed.
What annoys me the most about Council is that they raised $97 million in 2002 to buy back bushland, yet it’s all set to go ahead and give away this publicy-owned green space. How bizarre is that? All they need to do is keep it. Too easy.
Hopefully the independant assessor who has been chosen to assess the application will see the number of signatures and letters from people who disapprove of this development and recommend that it be denied.
So far the Minnippi Bushland Defenders have got over 1000 signatures (at the very least). However, I call on all residents of Brisbane to get behind this cause and sign a petition. The Minnippi Bushland Defenders team will be at King George Square this Tuesday from 11am to 3pm to collect signatures. I urge you to go along and sign.
If you’re local to the area, from 4pm-6pm Wednesday to Friday as well as each Sunday morning there’s a protest group on the corner of Creek Road and Foxmont Street, Cannon Hill. Perhaps I’ll see you there!
I am one of the protesters who stand vigil along the roads that bound Minnippi. We are a strong group of people who feel it is wrong to take away our greenspace and wipe out local wildlife for an out-dated concept, a golf course.Worse, the housing development that has been ‘slipped into’ the whole plan is not in line with the local area plan. How are we to trust our councils if this type of malarky goes on. Worse still, Councilor Campbell (Doboy) has been sprouting $2 mill on replanting of trees, but what he fails to make clear, is there is no MINIMUM amount, so he can just spend $1.50 if he chooses. I will be there for you with maps, back-up information, petitions, letters of protest if you would like to know more. I have met 1,000’s of people on the roadside over the last 8 months of protesting, and many are from the UK. Every one of them say that all the greenspace is gone over there, and they dont want Brisbane to go the same way. Greenspace is being filled with houses at an alarming rate. We are running out of land, so lets fight for the land that is rightfully ours, our Greenspace. See you on the road. Julia
As a protester on the roadways that bound Minnippi, I have been gathering thousands of letters of protest, petitions, and giving information to the general public. Many of the public I speak to are very protective of their dwindling greenspace around Brisbane. Of most concern is the loss of open space around Manly/ Wynnum. Many people from the UK sign my documents as they are witnessing what has happened in the UK, “NO MORE GREENSPACE – its all houses now.” Councilor Campbell (Doboy) has sprouted ‘up to $2 million in replanting’, yet what he fails to mention is that there is also NO MINIMUM amount to be spent on rehabilitation for the wildlife. This means he could spend as little as $1.40 on trees. I am a part of a group of dedicated members of the public who have decided to take a stand against the alarming loss of public greenspace, in the guise of an outdated idea, a golf course. Yet, there must be a trade off of enough land for a housing development to pay for this golf course. We would like the parklands (that were once a RESERVE), bit by bit this site is being downgraded to a housing development. I will be there for you with information, back-up documents, and forms to sign if you would like to object to this development. Julia
hello my name is monica and i have found your site while i was searching for information on my assignment. My task is to present an oral on an enviromental issue. I have chosen the loss of biodiversity and am using minnippi parklands as a case study. i feel that development of buildings is a unwise choice how much more new housing do we need??? plus i have enjoyed the many walkathons i hae completed there. i would appreciate it a LOT if i could get some more information on how it would affect our native plant and animal species, since you seem to know so much about the issue. Thank you
I read in the paper that Minnippi will be bulldozed for housing, shopping centre, golf course. I can see that there is nothing that can stop the greedy grab of land here in Brisbane. We have a Government who refuse to halt the mass exodus of people from other parts of Australia to our state here in Qld, and all the land will be filled up with houses. There seems to be no care for the treasures that are still here, ( just).There seems to be idiots in charge who kill all the beauty. What for? MOre people who will take more resources, create what??? Industry?? What are we doing here on this planet?? In the end we will just have to limit population, but it will be too late. we will have no animals left. Just ugly humans.
How dose it help the housing crisis by building a golf course if any thing it worsens the crisis by attracting more people.
It would be ok if they only built the proposed housing.
BMD are retards.
This development needs to be stopped. A golf course is not needed in this area and the amount of water to lay and maintain it is outrageous. The council pays lip service to water conservation and reducing effects of climate change and then approves this development on our (not their) land. The type of housing this company builds leaves a huge carbon footprint in both manufacture (concrete)and the need for airconditioning (No eaves and no privacy for open windows!!).These 2 companies BMD and Australand seem to have an unnatural relationship with the Brisbane City Council especially in this area eg Belmont Hill travesty (where they were allowed to cut down all trees and remove half the hill in topsoil), that awful estate next to the Carina Bus station, the high rise at Carindale, their proposals for taking over Wynnum etc etc. These companies make the Dean brothers like like greenies. All is not lost-lets stop this outrage!! Ropes hanging for sugar gliders!!-Is that a joke-hanging from what?-powerlines?This type of Development (esp high density )brings vandalism, graffiti and arson-Belmont used to be a quiet leafy suburb-now we top the state for theft!!Kids need their own yards to play in-otherwise they use community areas-form gangs-and all of the aforesaid is the result.Don’t think the golf course can be used for recreation other than golf-thats too dangerous and they’ll surround it with a pool fence!
Elizabeth Franklin