Mt Gravatt Reserve | Mount Gravatt Environment Group

July 22, 2011

Flora and Fauna Assessment – Funding Approved!

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Bushcare, Mimosa Creek Precinct, Mt Gravatt Environment Group, Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: BAAM, Biodiversity Assessment and Management, Brisbane, Bushcare, Butterfly, Echidna, Environment, Habitat, Kate Jones, Koala, Mimosa Creek Precinct, Mt Gravatt Environment Group, Mt Gravatt Historical Society, Mt Gravatt Reserve, Mt Gravatt Then and Now, Phil Reeves, Roly Chapman Reserve, wildlife, Wildlive corridor |
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Echidna - Photo Bill Semple

Phil Reeves, State Member for Mansfield, has now confirmed funding for our key research project: Flora and Fauna Assessment – Management Issue Identification and Fauna Movement Solutions.

This research, to be conducted by respected professionals at Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd, is a key part of our Mimosa Creek Precinct Landscape Plan. The southern face of Mt Gravatt, adjoining Klumpp Road, includes three strategic wildlife corridors which have the potential to link Mt Gravatt Reserve with Mimosa/Bulimba Creek and Toohey Forest habitats.

Imperial Hairstreak - Photo Sue Jones

Environmental restoration and long-term protection of our mountain habitat will strengthen existing populations of Koalas, Echidnas, Gliders and a wide diversity of birds and butterflies. A unique bushland experience right in our suburbs and only ten minutes from Brisbane CBD.

Mt Gravatt Environment Group is developing long term strategic plans for restoration and protection of Mt Gravatt Reserve through consolidation of existing habitat parcels and creation of wildlife links between habitat parcels. Queensland Government funding for this research will complement the strong community commitment represented by over 4,000 hours of volunteer labour and commitment of sixteen private property owners to restoration of their land in the Fox Gully and Firefly Gully wildlife corridors.

(l-r) Hon Kate Jones, Helen Schwencke, Michael Fox, Hon Phil Reeves

On behalf of our Mountain community, I thank Phil Reeves and his electoral office team for their ongoing support and encouragement. I also thank the Hon Kate Jones, Member for Ashgrove, who in her role as Minister for Environment and Resource Management visited Mt Gravatt Outlook then approved our research funding. In her letter, Kate acknowledged “The strong commitment and efforts of the community group for restoring, strengthening and linking Mimosa Creek, Roly Chapman Reserve and Mt Gravatt Reserve.”

We can all be proud of the strong community we are building with the support of our government representatives. Reading Mt Gravatt Then and Now, Mt Gravatt Historical Society, tells us that this strong community spirit has a long history with the Queensland Premier acknowledging the community commitment in July 1893 when announcing the establishment of Mt Gravatt as an environmental reserve.

June 25, 2011

Do Koalas visit you at home?

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under Wildlife of Mt Gravatt Reserve | Tags: Koala, Mt Gravatt Reserve, Shanghai student, wildlife |
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11.40 p.m…What is that scratching sound outside on the deck? A Possum?

Certainly the scratching of claws on the metal railing sounded possum-like. Imagine our surprise when, on turning on the deck lights, we saw this young male koala. He had clambered up the timber post, nearly coming to grief on the stainless steel wires, coming to rest with his butt on the metal rail.

From there, he allowed a couple of photos until we tried to get Jian into the picture too…that was enough and he continued up the post, finding at ceiling height, that he had reached his limit.

We tried unsuccessfully a few times to help him down, but as cuddly as he looked, those claws are ferocious and he warned us off any further attempts with ‘stay clear’ growls and grunts. Not wanting to stress him, that is where he is staying for now…..hopefully he can find his own way down by morning…or we’ll have to build a tree for him to climb down.

Read Koala update: the morning after.

Shanghai student Jian meets a local

March 7, 2011

The Summit Clean Up

Posted by Mt Gravatt Environment Group under MEG Activities | Tags: bushwalk, China, Clean Up Australia Day, Garden waste, Ian Walker, Krista Adams, MEG, Mt Gravatt Environment Group, Mt Gravatt Reserve, Southern Star, USA, Veolia |
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Congratulations to Sue Jones who organised Sunday’s Clean Up Australia Day in Mt Gravatt Reserve.

Left to Right - Sandra, Jian, Nancy and Sue

The team arrived early to prepare for sign-on and safety briefing.

Clean Up results were excellent:

31 volunteers
35 bags of rubbish (white)
20 bags of recyclables (yellow)
Most unusual item found:
- a full suitcase of clothing!

Michael from BCC Local Area Services also provided excellent support: ferrying ute loads of filled bags back to the Summit. I was little surprised to see an office chair go up on one load. Dumping of rubbish and garden waste is still one of the three big threats to Mt Gravatt Reserve. However, there was general agreement that the new gate at the Shire Road entry has made a big improvement. On Sunday we had a skip provided thanks to Clean Up sponsor Veolia.

The MEG Summit Clean Up was certainly the place to be on Sunday morning. Cr Krista Adams and Ian Walker the new LNP candidate for Mansfield Ward, and Ian’s wife Heather all joined the clean up. An official Clean Up Australia team to see the clean up on one of Brisbane’s iconic sites and the Southern Star was there: so be sure to read this week’s paper.

We had representatives from China and USA joining in to help Clean Up Australia along with members of a walking group, who love the Reserve.

At the end it was a real pleasure to be able to sit in the sun sharing a coffee from the Echidna Magic Kiosk.