Last week a group of locals had the opportunity to get an update on the progress of the Currumbin Eco Park. The Queensland Department of Economic Development had invited members of Gecko Environment Council and Friends of Currumbin to an information session and brief walk up into the Blackbutt forest. Read more…
Please sign and share this e-petition for a wildlife overpass across the Gold Coast Highway at Burleigh. Koalas, wildlife, and drivers trying to avoid them are in danger daily. Yet experts in road ecology and engineering tell us it’s super achievable to build a land bridge for wildlife and reconnect Read more…
Koala conservation in Burleigh: challenges, solutions and the community’s role Endangered koalas in Burleigh were the focus of a Gecko interactive community evening with four experts providing a range of insights about how we can continue to protect and conserve this resilient urban population, and Uncle John Graham joining us Read more…
The public consultation of the concept plans for the light rail stage 4 finished on 17th September. While there were certainly plenty of opportunities for residents of the southern Gold Coast to view the concept drawings and talk with Transport and Main Roads (TMR) officers, there were few answers to questions. Gecko’s full submission is available on web site – https://gecko.org.au/campaigns/liveable-and-green-city/
City Planning Amendments Again!
Round 4 of the latest version of the Amendments to the City Plan are out and there is an opportunity to make a submission by Thursday 8th April by email to cityplansubmissions@goldcoast.qld.gov.au or on online gchaveyoursay.com.au/ourcityourplan
Gecko has put together a submission which you can find on our home page of the website www.gecko.org.au
You are welcome to use any of the information from this submission or all of it or you can simply write and say you endorse the Gecko submission. More submissions tell Council the residents are watching what is happening in planning for our city’s future.
The Spit continues to be very popular with residents and visitors as a place to relax and recreate especially in the challenging year that was 2020. Its value to the Gold Coast community cannot be disputed as the public sought to enjoy our green and blue recreational areas. The commitment of so many in the community since 2003 to protecting The Spit has been justified over and over again and they will continue to watch over it during the implementation of the Master Plan and beyond. There are many positive happenings on The Spit, but still some issues that require on going advocacy and vigilance. The positives are the projects relating to the adopted Master Plan and issues relate to the cruise terminal in Phillip Park and helicopter flights.
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.
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
Cruise Ship Terminal – Now Called the Oceanside Terminal – the next stage In the 2019-2020 Council Budget a sum of $1.2 million was allocated to continue to gather information for various reports on the cruise terminal and an Initial Advice Statement was lodged with the independent Coordinator General to Read more…
An innovative program to plant koala trees on golf courses has been developed by Helensvale Green group leader David Cuschieri. David has convinced the managers of the Arundel golf course that they can help the local koala population by planting food trees along the sides of the fairways. Golf courses are small havens of green in our city and often link remaining patches of bushland while providing safe, car free places to live, feed and breed