We thank you for your kind ongoing support! Thank you for your comments and personal emails sent to Somerset Regional Council, to voice your opinion. Please keep sharing...
Please consider writing just 2 lines to Council, if you haven't had the opportunity to do so just yet.
Every email of opposition they receive, will greatly help our cause.
Our concerns for the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby...
The National Recovery Plan for the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, authored by Peter Menkhorst and Emily Hynes, was prepared under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Conservation Act. 1999, with the assistance of funding provided by the Australian Government. In partnership with relevant State departments in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, the plan details the actions needed for the conservation of Threatened native Flora and Fauna.
It states the following...
"Degradation of the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby's (BTRW) habitat has been caused by a number of factors. Habitat modification continues due to rural residential and tourist developments adjacent to some colonies, and the current trend of locating these developments near escarpments and cliff lines to maximise scenic opportunities. Such sites are often core BTRW habitat and development increases the risk of colony fragmentation, permanent changes to potential dispersal corridors, an increase in the numbers of domestic animals and the removal of tree cover".
Therefore, this would mean the planned MTB trails and Rock Climbing locations on and around Mount Glen Rock, will impact the Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies there.
"Predation by introduced predators, especially the Red Fox and possibly feral Cat, poses a significant threat to small Mammals, including the BTRW. Because of their reliance on particular secure refuges, BTRW are susceptible to predators that can learn the location of refuges and the movement pathways to them. The current restriction to BTRW's to rocky habitat is possibly relatively recent, and may well be an artefact of fox predation, as well as habitat destruction, with foxes able to prey more easily on BTRW's structurally less complex habitats. Therefore, distance to cleared land, or highly disturbed land, including vehicle tracks and logging coupes, may be an important variable in determining the persistence of BTRW colonies".
Whilst not vehicular, over 25kms of MTB trails for the Mount Glen Rock Adventure Park could provide predator pathways into BTRW habitat.
The strategy for the Recovery of the BTRW concentrates on the identification and management of threats to the species.
Our neighbouring Ipswich City Council have a 64 page document detailing their own Recovery Plan for the BTRW in their region.
Why then, is Somerset Regional Council choosing to develop Mount Glen Rock purely for Adventure tourist dollars?
Where is our Councils commitment for the Recovery of the BTRW ?
Surely Council know the significance of them being listed as one of Australia's 20 most Threatened Mammals?
On March 5th, 2022, I was thrilled when a local resident confirmed a BTRW sighting, just 2 weeks prior to our conversation.
They had been quite elusive after the fires went over Mount Glen Rock in late 2019.
With the known threats of predators and fires, do the already Threatened Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies deserve further threat to their very own survival, by Adventure tourists?
It is unfathomable to think that between the 3 neighbouring Regional Council's of Somerset, Toowoomba & Lockyer Valley, over $12 million dollars will be spent predominantly for MTB trails!
Is this the best way to spend taxpayers money?
Especially at the expense of our Wildlife and Environment?
Note: Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby Stock Photo