The public community meeting which was cancelled has been rescheduled for next Thursday 26th October in Albert Waterways Hall. The public meeting calls for urgent reforms in Gold Coast Council to ensure much improved transparency, accountability,ethics and equity following the revelations on 4 Corners program All that Glitters and the conclusions of the Crime and Corruption Commission Belcarra Report. The issues that concern community members are many and include – The undue influence of the development industry, the trashing of our new city plan without regard to community amenity, Using our parklands as some sort of land bank for developers, Failure to provide additional public open space for our growing population and to protect our wildlife Failure of many Councillors to represent their constituents properly. The impact of light rail on koala habitat and community amenity The failure to protect dwindling koala populations from land-clearing Secret meetings and large blacked out sections of reports paid for by ratepayers Failure to leave the chamber for votes on matters declared a conflict of interest

Internationally-known film maker Lin Sutherland will be sharing her story with us and a sneak preview of her next series Endangered (Channel 9) at Gecko Talks at Currumbin RSL later this month.

This temporary installation in Winders park next to Gecko House was an artistic expression of sea level rise and how our grandchildren will experience rising tides by the end of this century. Held on the banks of the beautiful Currumbin Creek during the SWELL Sculpture Festival, 8th to 17th September 2017.

When Kevin Tracy talks about bees, it’s not just about how to produce raw unprocessed honey. He believes they also have much to teach us as humans—and can aid our psychological and physical health. ‘Bees are intriguing animals,’ he says. ‘Hives are very complex and act as a super organism where it’s never about the individual, but about the colony. We’d be a more peaceful world if we learnt from them.’

Paul Revie is a zoologist and ecologist currently working with Seaworld’s penguins while undertaking a number of research projects in southeast Queensland. Gecko’s online magazine Hills to Headlands, is also lucky to have Paul as a regular article contributor. Paul’s popular and informative articles also include his up close and personal photographic encounters with wildlife, As his passion is small carnivorous mammals, notably the spotted-tailed quoll, it was no surprise that his Hills to Headlands’ article ‘Quolls of the Gold Coast Hinterland, Our Last Carnivores’ was soon picked up by local mainstream media, further leading to the activation of a Facebook page called QuollSA (Quoll Society of Australia); to help raise awareness and funds for the dying species in the Gold Coast Hinterland and surrounding areas. In other Hills to Headland’s articles, Paul has introduced readers to the fascinating world of penguins; our feathered fishermen the ospreys; the amazing frogs of the Coastal Wallum, and more recently our largest migrating locals, the humpback whales. After dreaming of visiting the Galapagos for much of his life, Paul finally had the opportunity to travel there earlier this year as part of a small group of environmentalists. His talk will discuss how the special flora and fauna of the Galapagos have evolved, and convey his first-hand impressions of the conservation issues facing these remarkable islands.

Dr Tuszynska will talk about fungi’s vital impact on the environment, and humans, covering areas from transforming pollutants such as pesticides and petrochemicals, to fungi creating soils and nourishing all life forms by munching on rocks and wood, to how universities and companies are actually growing myco-plastics, clothing, furniture and buildings with fungi.

Come along to Gecko Environment Council’s Guest Speaker Night this month to hear experienced environmental scientist Sam Howard from Wild Encounters talk to you about his close encounters with both furry and scaly wildlife who visit our gardens. Animals can be safely captured and returned to a suitable habitat by a trained expert like Sam, providing the best outcome for both the beautiful but uninvited animal guest and its reluctant host.

Wildlife Preservation Society actioned a petition which was presented to Council in October 2014. Gecko has written to Council requesting that the Lake remain and that Council consider some type of park and ride arrangement for events at the Turf Club in line with Council policy to encourage the use of public transport. Below is a copy of that letter and a media article about the issue. A decision from Council is pending.

Gold Coasters have been dealt a combo of low blows over the proposed oceanside cruise terminal pre-election promise from Mayor Tom Tate with LiQUiFY able to reveal multiple issues which defy belief – namely that the actual cost for the ‘modest $70 million terminal’ floated by the mayor will now be half a billion dollars – that’s right, $500 million!

Gecko Environment Council has a number of concerns about the Our Natural City Strategy and the HaveYourSay Questionnaire. We urge you to respond to the questionnaire before COB Tuesday 16th May and you are welcome to make your own choices but we ask that you bear these matters listed below in mind. To view the Strategy click on Strategy . For the survey go to www.gchaveyoursay.com.au/naturalcity. The draft strategy is not written from a protection of nature perspective as the previous Nature Conservation Strategy was. It is focussed on what recreational activities the conservation/ natural areas can be used for regardless of whether they are high impact or not. The Natural City does not give enough weight to important issues of conservation and protection of rare and threatened species, ecosystem services and impact of climate change. The questions do not differentiate between areas of high, medium or low conservation values in proposing all sorts of human recreational activities.