My name is Annette House and I have been focusing on the Environmental aspects of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Terms of Reference (TOR) for several months. I have lived in and around this area for the past 30 years and am passionate about preserving this very special piece of paradise that we call our home. This area is particularly abundant in rare and endangered flora and fauna and I feel that it is imperative that we identify and document the species that are here before there is any detrimental impact from the proposed devastation by Powerlink.

We are very fortunate to have Dr Scott Burnett who is a lecturer at the Sunshine Coast University conducting wildlife surveys. On the 14th March Scott set some camera traps in the corridor for a documentary later shown on 7.30 Report and Stateline regarding Extinctions and Threatened Species. At this point he is concentrating on the quoll as there was a northern quoll skull found and identified in this corridor.

We need your assistance in gathering any wildlife sightings to expedite the process of locating any of the species that may still exist. If possible we need a photo and sound recording as well as time and location data. This data goes on to the Faunawatch data bank. Scott will be putting more camera traps out at the beginning of May but he needs some idea of the distribution of sightings not just quolls. If anyone sees a dead animal, bird or frog that they suspect may be one of interest to us please phone me on 5447 0410 or mobile 0407 636 199 so that I can collect it and pop it in the freezer for Scott to pick up.

We are also encouraging anyone who may be interested to apply for Land for Wildlife status. There are no legal ramifications nor does it convey the right of public access. This is purely voluntary and encourages and assists landholders to provide habitat, integrating wildlife conservation with other land management activities for wildlife on their properties. I have the application forms here. The Environmental Officers of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council are David Burrows – Noosa office ph: 5449 5202 and Amanda Ozolins – Maroochy office ph: 5441 8414.

Landcare are also very active in removing weeds and exotic species and replacing them with native endemic plants and trees. Paul Sprecher is the Landcare Project Manager ph 5485 2155.