Sugar Gliders Petaurus breviceps | Mount Gravatt Environment Group

By: Michael Fox

Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve has no permanent water and no safe access to water or breeding opportunities in surrounding bushland.

The Koala Drinker research is providing vital baseline information on the potential of providing water for wildlife to maintain and strengthen populations of vulnerable Koala Phascolarctos cinereus and other species in isolated urban bushland habitats. The Koala Drinker Research Project is supported by Communities Environment Program and sponsored by Ross Vasta MP.

Combined with the excellent Koala fencing built by Department of Transport and Main Roads (Queensland) keeping Koalas from being killed on the Motorway water for wildlife drinkers will strengthen the Koala population in the Reserve.

We are also working with Cr Steve Huang on his concept for a wildlife bridge across Klumpp Road from the bottom of Fox Gully to the Hibiscus Sports Complex then Mimosa Creek.

One very clear result of our research is how water for wildlife is valued by a wide range of species, particularly with over 6,000 visits by birds in a 6 month period. Special visitors are three bird species not previously identified in the Reserve: Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus, White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis and Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops.

Some of birds using the Koala Drinkers:

Other regular visitors to the water include Lace Monitors Varanus varius, Sugar Gliders Petaurus breviceps, Brush-tail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula, Koalas Phascolarctos cinereus, Long-tailed Rat (Research required to identify). The wildlife cameras also captured Wallabies and a European Red Fox Vulpes vulpes.

White Throated Honeyeater is one of the species added to Flora and Fauna of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve:

Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis

By: Michael Fox

Key threats to Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve:

Weeds/Garden Waste/Dumping
Downhill Mountain Biking, Trail Bikes & Unofficial Tracks
Feral and Domestic Animals

Much of our work in restoring habitat in the Reserve is cleaning up damage done by easy to avoid action, like people dumping their garden waste in the bush when they could often simply put it into their wheelie bin.

Keeping our family cats inside at night takes a bit of effort. However it is still a relatively simple action that has huge benefits for our nocturnal wildlife like gliders and possums.

Gliders are one of the cutest of our Australian native animals. Sugar Gliders Petaurus breviceps and Squirrel Gliders Petaurus norfolcensis are found in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Restoration work at Fox Gully Bushcare site includes installation of nest-boxes to provide habitat for hollow dwelling animals like gliders, possums and birds.