The Bribie Islander

Dear Editor, I send you some details regarding wildlife, something that is at the back of my mind or constant is that there does not seem to be a strong food source for the wildlife as we know the kangaroos have little habitat left and are always having it infringed upon by burn-offs or invaders such as 4WD drive tourists etc or local hooligans.

There is a mob of kangaroos that usually reside at the back of the Golf Course, Red Beach side, they have been forced back into the small areas of bush in between dirt tracks behind the nursing home since the holidays and other incidents involving dirt bikes and other intrusions such as people walking dogs etc.

In my job, I am an Animal attendant in horse racing and I am familiar with what you would call a ruminant animal. They need to graze and gather certain elements to obtain the process of fermentation before they can digest their food, only a trained wildlife ranger would have this knowledge.

It is fairly obvious that local traffic is also impacting on them from recent stories published in your magazine. In 2008 Bribie Island became a part of the newly formed Moreton Bay Council, references are available that boast the most of the entire of the Island is National Park. Which you would think would mean that a preference would be assumed by right of entitlement regarding wildlife and habitat.

Council at present are spending tens of thousands of dollars resealing roads for visitors and local traffic which will more than likely encourage speeding, yet they can not afford funding to promote the entitlement of wildlife on the Island or invest in the replanting of fauna that has been destroyed by development.

I have attached some photos and some correspondence I received from Allan Sullivan following an Australia Day event. I did not receive any correspondence from his office initially so I then raised the issue with the Department of Heritage, it was only then that I received an official reply from him.

This is an example of the conflicting agendas and of how our Islands are being sacrificed because funding is being supplied to councils regarding wildlife management in council wards but this very implementation is obstructing any real initiative or planning for the benefit of wildlife on the island.

Council does not collect data or use any data collected as a format for future reference to the effects on habitat, expertise needed to make decisions regarding these issues can only be achieved by funding being restored to the rights of entitlement or the Department of Heritage and wildlife to access through parks and wildlife services. Perhaps if our Wildlife Groups could lobby for more signs but in reality, people just do not take any notice as they ignore all existing sign already.

So only an enforcing approach can be implemented which can only be achieved by taking funding back from councils and returning it to an appropriate agency that has the training and ability to make decisions relating to wildlife and to manage the future of wildlife on the Island or Islands.

If all volunteers across the entire of the Islands of the South East lobbied Government to restore funding to the appropriate entity on the basis of the right of Entitlement. You only have to look at the example of the signs on the bridge for no fishing no one takes any notice of those either. I have written and provided damage to signs to the Department of Fisheries but they have no funding as council take up the funding but have no way of enforcing the embargo without any quantification.

It is something that has been constructed so it makes it impossible to achieve reallocation through any other channel than a legal one. In the greater context, a minister would be the preferred person to take up the fight if it was to get off the ground in any event. Food for thought,

Susan Kopittke Bongaree (ED: Letter edited for space)

Dear Editor, As a resident of Bribie Island, l would like to comment on the article a few magazines ago RE: 4WDs on the beach. I own a 4WD and have a pass which I keep up to date. Being ex-military, I know my limits when it comes to driving in sand and on beaches, where to drive, where not to, and how to. Yes, there are some idiots out there who take no care, but there are idiots everywhere, so instead of trying to shut the access down I believe; if caught, you’re off.

More policing by the authorities. I have done several trips now with relatives from other states and they are impressed with what they see, especially the history in the old war bunkers and how peaceful it is. What good would it be if it was all locked up, the only ones that would benefit and still have fun would be the greenies. But let’s see you walk in instead of driving your big rigs.

Just this weekend gone (16-17 Feb), I was driving down Rickman Parade in Woorim and noticed fewer trees on the sand dunes and large groups of people sitting under what little vegetation was left enjoying their day. I don’t hear any argument about this. These sand dunes are slowly breaking down and in another 10-20 years all those houses will have water frontage, normally that would be great but not at the expense of erosion. Also, when is the sand pumping supposed to start?

There is a lot of gear laid out and has been for months.

Thanks, Geoff Walsh, Bribie Island.

Dear Editor, I read a piece in this months Bribie magazine regarding wildlife in Cotterill Avenue, I have also had similar experiences with wildlife on the Island I have provided some photo’s I also have supplied them to wildlife Bribie so they are aware. I wrote to the Department of science, main roads, and the council requesting the need for a speed reduction and the possibility of cameras.

I have attached a letter I received from the Department of Roads and it was good to get some feedback, the response from council and Environment and science was negative they basically told me that my options were to stake out the area with my own funds or buy a camera and if you can catch people in the act then it can be referred to police. I have also attached a letter from another Island regarding the speed limits and wildlife as it seems up to 13 Islands are accessible in our region and all have similar issues.

Such as part suburbia and part National Park. And it is left up to volunteers in all circumstances to volunteer their services in such circumstances as injured wildlife. I live around in Bestman Avenue Bongaree and run early and have witnessed 4wd’s intentionally going off road and trying to hit roos and the photo’s I have attached are a consequence of those acts as they also graze across from the pool.

The deaths do not seem to impact the roos as they return and are unaffected by carcasses that lay for weeks rotting when a member of the public has not bothered to report it. I have contacted the council regarding wildlife signs being damaged or run over and they have repaired them.

I am guessing it is because the roos have nowhere else to go. Maybe a unity of all surrounding Islands for the protection of wildlife could form a protocol for future legislation regarding speed limits and protection of vulnerable areas that can only be viable through the introduction of Rangers to individual Islands on a full time basis with access to legislate or investigate occurrences or individuals breaking laws already established such as rubbish dumping and destruction of wildlife and animals.

The introduction of full-time rangers would also aide other volunteer organisation such as the SES by establishing first-hand knowledge from a ranger who will learn the integration of wildlife through management practices. I have also attached photos of a fire hydrant that is continually used by passers-by to wash the sand off their 4×4’s behind the Aussie Rules Footy Club on st Avenue and a video of youths on motorbikes riding through bushland. I have reported it to authorities as they requested information regarding grass fires in recent weeks.

Having Rangers full time on the Island would also save the Government in the long term as currently police are left to enforce fines for speeding on the beach and are removed from more important issues such as high numbers of break-ins and assaults on the island, drug issues etc. It is amazing just how selfish people are referring to the misuse of the fire hose with the current conditions of the Island almost in drought, and the stupidity of youths risking sparks from riding unregistered bikes in bushland.

It all adds up to monitoring and education if there was a full-time presence of rangers and information gathering then the uptake of that knowledge by residents would be encourage-able instead of a negative and destructive attitude people seem to reflect. I have also attached an old TV in bushland I have reported it to council twice over 12 months and it is still there on 1st Avenue near the SEQWATER plant if a ranger was employed this issue could be dealt with immediately.

We need a lobby group on all our Islands to unite for full-time rangers HOW CAN WE DO THAT THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Susan Bongaree

Dear Editor, I have been interested in finding out the truth about the CO2 causing the Climate to change around Australia, your readers may be interested in the Truth about Climate Change.

First, the climate has changed over millions of years and will continue to change into the future a huge amount of evidence is available, just one item, the Sahara Desert was once a lush fertile area supporting many animals, that has been proven but is only one of many examples. Why is it so! Well, the Earth’s Climate is controlled by the Sun, Ask any professional weather expert I was researching the claims of Australia contributing to pollution providing CO2 in the Atmosphere.

We should all know that trees, all crops (grass . sugar cane etc require CO2) in my search for evidence I found a site NASA CO2 Dispersant Map. There are three pictures click on the centre one and enlarge. You will notice the NASA Satellite is unable to detect any measurable CO2 below the Equator i.e the Southern Hemisphere, there is a narrative to explain the reasons for no CO2. The Governments Chief Scientist Professor Fingal has said there will be little change in 100 years. A temperature of I think he quoted .4 of one degree. Some of your readers may be interested in the facts.

Cheers Ron, Bribie Island

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR AND VOICE YOUR LOCAL OPINION! [email protected] PO BOX 116, Bribie Island 4507