Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that as part of the current and future construction works at Steve Irwin Way on the Sunshine Coast, adequate funding be allocated to design and build wildlife corridors, including road overpasses and underpasses as well as wildlife fencing suitable for koalas and other wildlife to move between Mooloolah River National Park – Meridan Hills Section and Beerwah State Forest Lot 1 AP22457 next to Ewen Maddock Dam (Ferny Forest) as identified in the Sunshine Coast Environmental Council’s Habitat 2000 Wildlife Corridors Report. Both forests are described as Core Habitat in the Sunshine Coast Biodiversity Report 2020. Financial contributions from stakeholders such as Unitywater and Stockland should be required. The koala is on an extinction trajectory having been uplisted to ‘endangered’ in Queensland. Thousands of local residents have rallied against the proposed logging of Ferny Forest as it holds significant ecological, recreational, cultural and tourism values for the community. Ferny Forest is part of the Sunshine Coast UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The wildlife corridors would be part of a winning solution and a forward-thinking demonstration of how the Sunshine Coast actively enhances biodiversity and retains its natural beauty and assets amidst rapidly increasing urbanisation.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to ensure the requested and necessary wildlife corridors are created and preserved, as a fundamental part of the construction works and ultimate upgrade of the Steve Irwin Way.