When we saw survey stakes go into the ground around your favourite trees we were so alarmed and worried of things to come. We set out to make people understand how important this patch of earth is for you Glossies. You see, they are building a retirement village where your feed trees still stand as I write.
Chicken Little, the sky is falling! But is it really? Nick Hluszko digs deeper to find the story behind Noosa River's biodiversity troubles and concludes that the sky may not fall just yet.
By Nick Hluszko
President, Noosa North Shore Association Inc
Introduction
I want to be very clear from the start. I (like most NNSA members) support most initiatives that do anything to protect the river, coastline and our environment for now and importantly...
Noosa North Shore President Nick Hluszko reasons that the Precautionary Principle espoused by Cr Brian Stockwell could land Noosa Council in hot water should the scientific qualifications of ‘Fresh Advisory’ was found to be unable to provide a scientific, research-based paper for the ’Noosa Fishing Futures’ strategy.
The story of how since 2000 Noosa Council has been paying for free holiday buses and then - after extensive work, expense, public consultation and approval of a comprehensive strategy to address traffic, parking and transport issues - the Council continues to mainly offer free buses.
NIMBYism has got a bad reputation, and rightly so. In this post, Desi makes the case for NIMBYism and a community's rights to stand up for NO EXTINCTIONS in our back yards. Save our Sunrise Glossies!
Is the Biosphere beef cattle project doing the best for a sustainable planet - and our health?
In recent times, grass-fed cattle raised on pastures as a human food source is receiving much attention in the beef industry as an...
The following letter was written by Spencer and his mum Maxine and sent to the Uniting Church President Deidre Palmer, who has referred their concerns to the Synod of Queensland. The quote "Killing the planet is against our religion” referred to in the letter was found on the Uniting Church Australia Facebook page and we totally agree that killing the planet is not okay.
Desire Gralton believes the Sunrise Beach Community will pay for a lack of vision for many decades to come as bad decisions are enforced on residents without due acknowledgement of valid concerns and without any community engagement. What do you think?
Things are starting to move at the Sunrise Beach Blue Care development with Glossy Bob reporting the start of electrical infrastructure for the site. This post give an update on a response Bob received from Noosa Council and subsequent communications with Lendlease, the company appointed to manage community engagement.
Bob followed up with Conor Neville from Noosa Council - he does Ecologist Development Assessments for the Environment and Sustainable Development department. Here's his response:
The current funding deed under which Noosa Council wholly finances the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation (NBRF) terminates on Saturday 30 June and the next day, 1 July, a new three-year agreement will kick in.
After years of efforts to get the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation out of the cupboard to demonstrate that it is eager to engage and be more visible and disclosing about its decisions and operations, here we are in mid-2018 and that cupboard door has resisted all efforts to prise it open.
When a temporary art installation of Glossy Black-Cockatoo feathers popped up on the corner of Grasstree Court at the edge of the proposed development over Christmas, Spencer was there to capture it in his own thoughtful style.
We do not question the worth of trying to restore oyster reefs in the Noosa River, but questions need to be asked about the way the funding is being pushed through with a disregard of - and indeed at the expense of - other programs run by local organisations and council.
This letter was sent to the Queensland Moderator and President of the Uniting Church and copied to Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart who is willing to meet and discuss alternatives to the Blue Care development at Sunrise Beach. We are still hoping the Church will acknowledge the wishes of the local community to save this important habitat and take up the offer to meet with Noosa Council.
Desiré Gralton reflects on the juxtaposition of the Blue Care / Lendlease project with Bob Carey front and centre in her mind. Here we have a man who has spent decades of his life fighting to protect the remaining habitat of the Glossy Black Cockatoos in our region, yet could be in the market for a facility just like this. So would this suit his needs? Here's what Bob had to say...
It is 2018 and the 10 year UNESCO review for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve is overdue. It was due last year. It has a number of postponements since. Fortunately UNESCO is not a hard taskmaster.
My own involvement with UNESCO's...
Cr Ingrid Jackson's explains her rationale for voting against agreeing in principle to funding for the Bring back the fish project without open and fair processes.
Before he entered local politics as Councillor the Sunshine Coast Council in 2012, Noosa Mayor Tony Wellington numbered amongst his activities the publication of a newsletter, ‘The Gumshoe’.
'The Gumshoe' was used as the main communications vehicle by a small...
The Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation (NBRF) has put out a call for volunteer directors. We were nudged to reach out to our networks in a much welcome attempt to gender-balance the currently all male board.
Someone asked me recently why I am so interested in this subject of oyster reefs and "bringing back the fish".
Right from the very beginning I questioned the absolute need for this investment. This was because of what I was...
