Gecko Talks-25 March-Helping Powerful Owls Through Citizen Science

Australia’s largest owl, the threatened Powerful Owl, should be living in the Gold Coast. With much of its habitat destroyed in the recent fires, and impacted by land clearing, a study to learn more about its local whereabouts urgently needs your help.
Dr Rob Clemens, Powerful Owl Project Coordinator for Bird Life Australia, will discuss this, and more about owls, when he speaks at Gecko Talks on March 25 in Currumbin RSL

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK – Changes at Gecko to Help Control It

The physical and mental wellbeing of our volunteers and visitors is very important to us at Gecko. We understand that the recent outbreak of Coronavirus has had an effect on everyone’s everyday life, including visiting Gecko Office.Firstly, please visit the Australian Government website for updates, medical advice on how to keep yourself safe. The office will remain open with restricted staff; enquiries phone 55341412.

Update about City Plan 2nd February 2020

On 27th September the Gold Coast City Council called for public submissions on amendments (changes) to the planning scheme (City Plan) and established a number of pop-up information sessions at various places throughout the city. Gecko urges all residents of Gold Coast to check out these proposed changes to the City plan and put in a submission. The amendments (changes) are intended to improve the City Plan and the way our City responds to the ongoing population growth. Not everyone will agree that all amendments are an improvement and this is why your submission is vital.

Koala Conservation Update 2020

The State Government has been developing a koala conservation strategy for several years in response to the alarming decline in koala numbers over past decades. This is mainly due to loss of habitat, 74% since 1967, vehicle strikes, dog attacks and disease. A Expert panel examined the situation and provided the Government with a number of recommendations to respond to this situation. The Government has accepted all of the recommendations and the Strategy and mapping is the first of several actions to address the situation

Annual Report 2018-2019

On the 29 October 2019, Gecko celebrates its 30th anniversary. The organisation is planning a year long calendar of celebrations to mark the occasion.

Gecko is a volunteer, not-for-profit, non-party-political organisation operating on a volunteer base of approximately 100 active volunteers. The organisation is steered by a Management Committee which is elected once a year at an Annual General Meeting.

There has been a lot of activity at Gecko over the past 30 years. Apart from campaigning, Gecko educates approximately a thousand of children and students annually through GeckoEd. coordinates Clean Up Australia Day on the Gold Coast, Gold Coast Green Week, Annual Environmental Awards, monthly Gecko Talks as well as participate and host numerous one-off events. We also operate a variety of field work and citizen science activities such as Elanora, Tarrabora and Nicoll Scrub bushcare groups and Clean Creeks water testing program. Gecko is in the process of starting two new citizen science projects; Cane Toad Challenge and Osprey Nesting Platform monitoring at Currumbin Creek beachfront. Gecko is also the major shareholder in Regen Australia, a regeneration company on the Gold Coast, and as such involved in the overseeing the operations of the business.