Return to Verrierdale
Our Verrierdale planting occurred at a wonderful Eco Retreat called “Amara”. Sitting on 44 acres, it’s a gorgeous and well maintained property set among rolling hills and endless pathways to explore. We secured a grant from the Federal Government in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee, in early 2022 and Amara’s caretakers agreed to be the flagship planting site. In fact, because of the efforts of one of the neighbours, Maxine, several of Amara’s neighbours have asked to be planted as well.
We planted 120 trees around the lovely little dam which is set against the hillsides, just down from the Guest House and adjacent to the Ruby Baby Bus accommodation.
In just two short months, the loving care being provided by David and Susannah Crouch, the owners, has resulted in new growth, even during the summer months.
We will return in the Autumn to plant more trees and natives, to hopefully give neighbouring koalas a place to call home. With the neighbours agreeing to be planted, we expect to establish a wonderful wildlife corridor in the area.
Two Little Witches Cottage Retreats planting
The second planting we did, in early January was in Mt. Pleasant at the property of Arif and Kavita, who are the new owners of what will become a nature-based accommodation and education center. They are coaxing the rocky landscape into a lush and luxurious experience with a few small cabins and plans to conduct workshops for native plant gardening, and help to foster a love of the land.
Kavita even wielded a power auger for the first time to drill holes for the plants and she did it like an absolute boss! I think she really took to it, because once she got started, she finished drilling all the holes. A girl and her power tools!
Their property is called “Two Little Witches Cottage Retreats” and you’ll be able to see it soon. If you’d like to join us for future plantings on this gorgeous property, nestled in the clouds and surrounded by rolling hills, please watch our socials for the next scheduled plantings.
Future plantings on the property will help establish both a wildlife corridor and a food plantation for locally based carers to have plenty of fresh leaf for animals in care.
We are so excited to be part of the journey for both of these lovely property-owner families.
Roving Restorers Program - Noosa Chapter - Friday 3rd March
When: 8:30 AM, 03 Mar 2023 Friday
Where: Boreen Point
Join the Roving Restorers Noosa Chapter, removing and treating Cat's Claw Creeper Vine at a property at Boreen Point and help contribute to the biodiversity of the property and improve important linkages through the surrounding landscape.
Please contact Noosa Landcare Project Officer – Tamara - tamara.kubica@noosalandcare.org for further details.
Participants will be notified the day before the event of the exact location of the works.
Please arrive for an 8:30am start.
All tools will be provided.
Bring gloves, water, boots, sunscreen and insect repellent. Long-sleeved shirt, trousers and hat are essential (Workplace Health and Safety Regulations).
A surprise gift from Sasha
In early January, when we went to the nursery at Friends of Lagoon Creek for stock to plant in Mt. Pleasant, we met with Alina and her son, Sasha. Imagine our surprise when Sasha presented us with a brightly decorated jar with his savings for an entire year!
When the young ones show they care….it really warms the heart!
Autobarn Sausage Sizzle
In February, we were contacted by the Manager of Autobarn Rothwell to participate in a “Sausage Sizzle” to help them drive membership in their loyalty program. On a pretty warm day, we were joined by one of our members, Evaline Rawlinson who helped set up and cooked sausages on bread, with drinks and good humour for everyone who came by. It was a lot of fun and we hopefully helped them establish a new benchmark for their customers!
IFAW Step Up to Save Koalas challenge
The challenge aims to raise awareness about the plight of endangered NSW koalas, 6,400 of which were lost during the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020. For the month of February, everyone who has joined the challenge will do 6,400 steps per day to raise money to protect and care for koalas.
A few of our team, past and present, have been participating in this challenge for February. We certainly hope they all reached their daily targets and walked away unscathed.
The Koala Kiss Project Comes to Town
A Community Workshop in Warialda NSW 2023
In mid-February, Ambassador Meghan Halverson travelled to NSW to meet with a group of participants to be introduced to the “Koala Kiss Project”, an initiative brought forward by the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF). She spent quite a bit of time with the leadership of AKF and with other volunteers who are keen to help bring the project to this area of NSW.
The Koala Kiss Project involves establishing a “Koala Kamino”, or a connection from Victoria to North Queensland, to connect pockets of habitat with wildlife corridors. The AKF plans to add three new jobs to the region and will appoint a “Koala Kiss Ranger” who will mobilise teams to work with the communities to create innovative solutions to effect habitat retention and regeneration.
The koala conservation movement as a whole recognises the need for bold initiatives and creative ideas to ensure the survival of the koala as a species, and QKC is proud to be involved in these projects.
We will be watching closely as the Koala Kiss Project and the Koala Kamino come to fruition. Good things are happening for the koala through these initiatives!
Griffith University AI Project
QKC were contacted by Griffith University to provide a Letter of Support in their grant application to secure funding for an exciting AI project. In our discussions, we were able to bring forward several locations to nominate for the equipment, which will hopefully provide researchers with far more insight and information as to koalas’ movements, and eventually help bring about ways to reduce their challenges to survival. We brought forward Bernard Jean, one of our members in the Noosa area, as a local subject matter resource, and his knowledge of koala behaviour and cameras will make him a valuable asset to the project.
RACV Noosa Resort Development
We also became aware of an application for a Material Change of Use, (MCU) at the RACV Resort in Noosa, and met with the proponents of the project. After reading the oft-amended project plans, and consulting with Vanda Grabowski, our Policy Advisor and President of Koala Action, Inc., the decision was made to offer no objection at this time to the project moving forward. We believe that of the options available for this block of land, the plan brought forward by the RACV team was the least objectionable for all wildlife. We will be watching this project closely as it unfolds.
We’re introducing a new feature with this issue of the Newsletter, called “Member Spotlight” where each month, you’ll meet one of our members and learn why they joined QKC, what they’ve gotten out of being a member, and what they do in their “non-QKC” time.
Bernard Jean
This month, we’d like to introduce you to Bernard Jean, of Tewantin. A long time member, Bernard has been instrumental in many of our initiatives and can always be counted upon to lend a hand. He’s attended plantings to which he’s had to travel quite a distance. He’s been our guide and advisor for koala behaviour in his area, and has wonderful stories to tell about the resident koalas in the Tewantin-Noosa area. An avid photographer, he often fills the role of “official photographer” at our events, and is an inspiration to so many of us.
Bernard currently rescues and releases koalas with Wildcare in the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions, and works as well with Wildlife Noosa, another rescue organization that works with possums, birds and other wildlife. He has even produced a lovely book about “Cuddles the Koala” which is available for purchase.
When he’s not rescuing or releasing koalas, he enjoys beach volleyball and travel. Originally from the south of France, his grandparents were winemakers and he travels back to the area whenever he can to revisit his origins.
We are so grateful to Bernard for his continued support and tireless enthusiasm for all things koala.
Join us and Bernard by becoming a member today
Koala survives crossing busy highway with human help
The video of Will Thornton stopping traffic on the Gold Coast Highway to let a koala cross made big news. Queensland Conservation Council said that the video was a reminder of how koala habitat was shrinking due to development and clearing.
Survey of community attitudes to koalas in Central Qld
CQUniversity are running a survey to study the attitudes of Queenslanders towards koalas. The survey is open to residents of Mackay, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Central Highlands, Emerald, Longreach and across North Burnett, the Bowen Basin Coalfields and Birdsville and to the Queensland border.
Children at a tiny bush school in NSW helping save koalas
Kids at a tiny bush school, which has a thriving population of the cuddly marsupials, are doing what they can to help save them. Tamworth reporter Don Sheil has the story on their ambitious project.
Watch the inspiring ABC story
Support growing for Great Koala NP in NSW
NSW Labor have once-again promised to support the Great Koala National Park proposal in northern NSW, if they win government. Labor won’t commit to the size of the Park, and the proposal would be subject to consultation, and an economic assessment of the park’s impact on jobs & communities.
NSW Liberal Party have dismissed the proposal outright.
Climate 200 “Teal” candidates are hoping to pressure the government into supporting the National Park, accusing them of undermining koalas.
Watch a drone find a Koala
University of Sunshine Coast drone finds a population of 32 koalas in Ngunya Jargoon IPA near Wardell NSW
150,000+ trees planted for koalas across NSW, Queensland & Victoria in 2022
These 5 small ENGOs (environmental non-government organisations) have managed to plant over 150,577 trees for koalas in just one year.
Note: This is not a competition for high numbers, every region has different threats and needs, and different solutions. This just shows what is possible with community action.
Bangalow Koalas: 82,648 trees planted
Koala Clancy Foundation: 38,629 trees planted, 259,350 invasive weeds removed, 882 volunteers, 2409 volunteer hours
Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation: 20,300 trees planted.
Eurobodalla Koala Project: 6,400 trees planted.
Queensland Koala Crusaders: 2,600 trees planted.
Many organisations, supporters and donors contributed to these totals - go to each group’s website for more information.
