We are Hervey Bay locals who love our area, the rail trail and the wildlife. We are petitioning the local council to not allow the development of 142 Madsen Road into 1 acre lots, or another retirement village, but rather see the land conserved as a refuge for the flora and fauna of the area.

At a minimum we demand that the roughly 13 acres of land directly adjacent to the rail trail be preserved, which appears to contain trees over four decades old, contains land which is of Matters of State Environmental Significance Wildlife Habitat (Endangered or Vulnerable Wildlife), Regulated Vegetation (Category B and C; land which often provides habitat for threatened species or supports biodiversity) and High Ecological Value Waters (Wetlands). 

Please read on for more detail.

Recently we became aware of the listing of 142 Madsen Road in Nikenbah for sale. It is listed for sale as a potential "Development Opportunity Delivering circa 160 lots" or "Potential Retirement Lifestyle Village" both STCA of course.

This parcel of land abuts the existing "The Springs" development which has already ravaged so much of the natural habitat. You can see comparison photos from 2008 to 2025.

We do not want to see more destruction of this land. The land in question is a huge refuge area for many species of native wildlife, that are so quickly being forced out of our region because of the rapid and vast growth of these developments that our council approves.

This has got to stop. For this pursuit of meeting housing quotas, we see the continued loss of species diversity. 

Australia has one of the highest extinction rates in the world, and the highest rate for mammals of any continent. It shouldn't be like this. We want our kids to grow up knowing what a kookaburra sounds like in the afternoon, or the sound of a pair of black cockatoos flying over head - you don't hear many of those these days.

We have been called as a people to care for this land and country that we have been graciously given by God. This section of bush land is full of many native species that need protection from us. The way that these developments proceed mean that everything is knocked down to start from scratch. This clearing forces the wildlife to move on, into areas they cannot compete for food or shelter and die. Meanwhile the sentiment of "revegetation", or kerbside planting of natives, do not come to maturity quick enough, and the species that required them for food or nesting, are long gone. For example, the hollow-bearing trees that are 100+ years old cannot be replaced, and even if they are, will not regain the status of naturally bearing a hollow to be seen by anyone alive today.

We are forcing hectares of wildlife, into very small pockets of vegetation. It doesn't take a degree to figure out that all of these competing species wont survive. Many don't.

We're not so much advocating for the magpies, noisy miners or black wattles that can live easily in urban environments. Its the scrub wrens, the whip birds, the echidnas, eastern rosellas, king parrots, yellow tailed black cockatoos, bandicoots, Christmas beetles, and sugar gliders to name a few. The ones that by each passing year, we see less and less of. 

Try if for yourself. Download iNaturalist and go down for a walk along this stretch of the trail and snap some pictures. See what you can see to catalogue what's out there. 

Regardless of what this property was in years past, it is now a refuge. This property must not be developed, but needs to be kept as a refuge for the flora and fauna. 

We need to do more now to care for this beautiful region. To save these pockets that are huge and vital safe havens for many species for generations to come.