Koala Winners and Loosers
After Round 1 of the development fight and approval given under conditions we have found some totally absurdities in the legislation Council basis its decisions on Koala conservation.
My point of contention lays with the categorisation of NEW GROWTH/OLD GROWTH trees and locations, and the impact on those interpretations on land clearing and registered Koala Habitats.
In MY Case we bought on Girral when ONE tree was on my property 4 decades ago yet still we had a koala population which still survives today.
Although our trees mainly, Council habitat garden recommended have expanded their food source and colony accordingly.
Now the crunch, those trees we planted 40 years ago on scorched earth developments are NOT regarded as OLD GROWTH by the current legislation, hence can be bulldozed.
Koalas cannot be relocated to other areas as if the food source is not identical they will die., their digestive system cannot cope.
I have corresponded with State and Federal members pointing out this absurdity ( LOOP HOLE) and the State member has referred my issue to the minister concerned and no response from the federal members as yet.
TO BE CONTINUED>>>>>>> with Passion.
Now the GOOD NEWS.
You might have noticed the property just over the Seven Mile outbound left from Rosewood is being worked and a Koala leaf plantation is being created on the flood plain and if you check out MacGearies Road towards the Bremer River properties cleaned up and more planting is to occur on those ex mining owned properties.
Non confirmed but it’s rumoured the same people who did the Calvert Grandchester plantings are contracted here at Thagoona.
Locals Turn out For The Community Forum
Monday nights meeting at the library was well supported and Council officers delivered a comprehensive account off the processes that are required and the reasons behind the approval; and non approval of building applications.
The Mayor and Councillors were on hand to advise how thwarted “accounting” systems work in regard to state and federal funding with shortcomings and winners getting a Guernsey in the dollar stakes.
A number of maps were displayed with proposed, existing and potential developments which alerted some, educated some and angered some as I think was part of the entire exercise which overall sent people away thinking which was a positive.
NOW THE GRUMPS VIEW
My humble observation in the art of running a community forum on behalf of a public utility was brought back memories.
Those days it was the Old Power Point Presentation silent for the courtesy half hour then out came the actual meat of why people attended and then the rest of the night was spent explaining out peoples genuine concerns on a singular level in a open forum which is a very hard act, and I feel does not always work for either party in the complete understanding of a issue. But…..
Like many attendees I moved here as a lifestyle change decades ago and living the dream at Thagoona a place I love to death, but life sometimes deals some crap cards and change is will always arrive and its how we manage it counts.
In our development we want it managed sustainably and we want input from day one as every car extra car in our 45 years old dead end will make a difference on our lifestyle BUT to this point of publication **THE DEVELOPER WILL NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUESTS OR COUNCIL’S ON OUR BEHALF TO COMMENCE DIALOG ON THE PROJECT
This posture is not a good look for the future and I hope if our hand of consultation is greeted with arrogance then so be it and our options will be explored in detail. Minute detail, and I’ll leave it there for the present.
Another aspect of the meeting was the age group of the attendees.
90% of the class were boomers me being one, and we have a tough time arriving at the logic our kids and their kids have differing views on what housing is, where no back yards, smaller living spaces and close living areas are all perfectly acceptable, but I worry we may be creating gettos not initially but when development ages, when living and standards may depreciate bringing all the bad symptoms of society to our doors.
That’s when Community Counts and its benefits can protect you and yours.. Work on it , it works, and start setting it up now …See Below 🔽🔽🔽
In closing some will run’, some will stay, some will manage and welcome change, see a vision, while some want time to stand still but life will go on and please don’t let the turkeys get ya on this.
Reach out for advice, and go to people who know ,not the sceptics or con artists who send out the letters and cold calls all wanting to sell you a car with a free bumper bar, and to be quite honest some sellers have been caught out badly by rushed or ill advised entities in these times.
THE GRUMP>>
🔽🔽🔽🔽
Your Community Needs You in these times
Just an opinion.
We all hesitate or cringe when it comes to change and when it comes to your home we do get really sensitive depending of course how long you have been in the house or neighbourhood.
We are living in a time where housing is a big issue and what was normal to own a home or attempt to own one is so hard to the younger generations, not because lack of trying but because the pricing exceeds the earning power of the normal Jack and Jill.
Hence we have a situation when we have to downsize living spaces and increase volumes of people, to suit the capitalism system equating the dollar outlay to return, and stuff the side effects to society.
Well let’s get our shit together and work out a way how we can all live in smaller, shared surroundings and still maintain our privacy and make the best place for kids to grow up and stay away from the authorities.
Let’s take a example from other countries and put in place communities that have the same ideals and standards like we had when no one had anything .
After the wars as that’s when those European communities got their roots when enemies and friends were tight looking after each other..
This community type does not suit some and they leave or hide by themselves, their choice, but in saying that it takes work and lots of it to keep a community attached and functioning and a lot of tolerance to views and ideas being shared.
In my case at Thagoona we have a development about to explode but we have a advantage it will be over time not thrust upon us so we do have a advantage to start by letting the change agents know they will not have a open slather on our piece of dirt and our neighbours.
Shops and schools in place before the kids hit the houses, sporting facilities ready to go with community and as in Europe community facilities with hospitality and medical and transport all within short distances of the homes and most of all social activities for the youth keeping them out of the courts.
It does take a mindset change as we all have been manipulated to thinking our own individuality is premium and sharing stuff is not good for business even demonised.
So let’s take the initiative and start your community, your neighbours your street , your block and you’ll be surprised how it spreads and the fun you’ll have and it’s free, the wine and BBQs, the beers and discussions about crap will be entertaining and don’t take them seriously from experience all in fun..
Your kids will” make new friends and learn about other kids outside the school blanket and new networks can be life long experiences, and they will get up to mischief but that’s why networks help damping down trouble before it hits the fan
It boils down to you, are you willing to step outside your bubble ?. From experience it worth every bloody minute once the first top is opened and BBQ fired up.
Our Bazza after his lunch of bugs.
The Girral Geek
Fire season is here and you need to be informed.. For $1.99 one off you get a top App that can be set up so you know exactly what is happening on your patch … 🔽
The Girral Grump 