By Margaret Maccoll
Having amassed an incredible 39,000 signatures on a petition to save Glossy Black Cockatoo habitat at Sunrise Beach from development Glossy Team Sunrise last Sunday launched their inaugural art protest and walk in their “Save our Glossies Forest”campaign.
Led by 10-year-old Spencer Hitchen and his mother Maxine the protest has been supported by Birdlife Australia, Birdlife Queensland, Noosa Biosphere Foundation and Noosa Integrated Catchment Association (NICA).
These groups and many individuals have written letters to the Uniting Church to voice their protest at the proposed clearing of five hectares of habitat to make way for their 102-bed residential aged care home.
In addition Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart said that Council would be
willing to meet with the Church to discuss
options, but that the initial approach would
have to come from their side since all Council
approvals had been granted.
Co-producer of publishing platform Open Noosa Desiree Gralton said the group understood that
approvals were made based on a historical
decision to allocate that land to community
use, and that the initial approval was granted
by the amalgamated Sunshine Coast
Council more than ten years ago.
“From discussion with the Mayor and a number of Councillors, there is a general consensus that the development would not be approved if it came in front of Council today,” Desiree said. “The long time that had lapsed from the initial approval means that many people in our community weren’t even aware of the development and always believed that the land formed part of the Noosa National Park. This leaves Council in a difficult position because approvals have been granted, but they now realise the distress of the local community in our efforts to save this iconic species.”
Maxine said the Glossies relied on the mature favoured feed trees on the site throughout the year along with other areas that form their home range.
“This time of year we see the flocks arrive from different areas to this highly significant feeding ground,” she said.
“We have had 12-24 Glossies feeding in the trees in the last three weeks. It is the only known site on the mainland that we are aware of that the Glossies flock like this to feed, drink, roost and mate. We believe the loss of this Forest will lead to the Extinction of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo in our area and surrounding areas. Since this development was approved in 2011 the Glossies habitat has become more and more fragmented with development.”
In November 2020 the Noosa Biosphere Foundation held a Glossy Black-Cockatoo forum attended by Noosa Council, conservation groups and leading Glossy Black-Cockatoo researchers attended which concluded habitat protection was the best way to ensure the survival of the Glossies into the future.
Maxine said she was deeply saddened by the response she had received from the Uniting Church.
She said they had failed to acknowledge their petition of 39,000 signatures, were yet to respond to questions asked at a webinar on the project held last December by Lendlease which is overseeing the project and had asked her to stop contacting the Uniting Church of Australia Queensland Synod.
“We have treated you with great respect as has our community. We are asking you on behalf of all of our community and the almost 39,000 people who have signed Spencer’s petition, to please hear our voice,” she said of the Uniting Church.
“We need the Uniting Church Australia, Queensland Synod decision makers on Grasstree Court, Sunrise Beach, Queensland to come to our Noosa Council and discuss other options for this development. We are not saying don’t build this we are just saying don’t build it on this crucial habitat the Glossy Black-Cockatoos rely on for survival, along with many other species of flora and fauna.”
Maxine said she’d like to remind the church of its own environmental statements and resolutions set out by the UCA Assembly, in particular, from Point 6 of its Rights of Nature 1991, Sixth Assembly, Uniting Church in Australia. The Assembly resolved: 91.14.18: ‘6. Rare ecosystems, and above all those with an abundance of species, are to be placed under absolute protection. The driving of species to extinction is forbidden’, she said.
The Uniting Church did not answer questions Noosa Today asked about its acknowledgement of the petition and concerns voiced by residents or whether it would meet with Mayor Clare Stewart to discuss other options for the development. The Church did not answer when asked by Noosa Today if it was proceeding with the development against its own environmental guidelines, nor did it respond when asked if local parishioners had voiced concerns about the protests against the development.
In a statement Blue Care director of corporate affairs Matthew Cuming said:“As a not-for-profit and mission-led aged care provider, Blue Care has been implementing innovative resident-centric changes across its aged care homes since 2018, consistent with its best-in-class ‘Tailor Made’ care model philosophy. These changes to the way Blue Care designs and operates its aged care homes commenced prior to the Royal Commission into Aged Care, demonstrative of the importance Blue Care places on the needs, wants and preferences of the people and communities it serves.
Blue Care has been greatly encouraged by the overwhelming support of the greater Noosa community and their encouragement for the development of this much needed community service at Sunrise Beach to proceed as soon as possible, and we’re excited to deliver this new 102 bed Residential Aged Care Home as Stage 1 of the Sunrise Beach Integrated Development.
The built-environment of Blue Care Sunrise Beach will deliver all of the benefits of Blue Care’s ‘Tailor Made’ care model for prospective residents, and will be the first purpose-built aged care home in Australia for this model of care that includes COVID-19 safe elements.
The Blue Care project team has worked alongside expert ecologists and Noosa Shire Council to agree an Ecological Management Plan (EMP) which will protect and enhance the local natural environment for generations to come.“
