The last big block of forested hill country in Springfield has been proposed by Stockland to be totally cleared and hills cut down.
This area provides a central view of tall forests along a high ridgeline for residents of Brookwater, Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Camira and Bellbird Park.
This is a steep wild block with deep gullies and high ridges.
This is a block that carries Koalas and other wildlife.
This is a block that supplies lots of nectar resources and vegetation resources for all manner of species.
This is part of a collection of linked pockets of forest – called The Woogaroo Forest – that spread out through the eastern suburbs of Ipswich.
Koalas are now considered an “endangered” species of national significance.
Their populations have crashed in SEQ in the last decade.
Yet we still see them regularly in the eastern suburbs of Ipswich.
Brookwater residents see them regularly around their suburb.
So what does Stockland want to do? They want to squeeze 1800 blocks out of this wild block and the only way they can do it is to flatten the whole ridgeline with up to 15m of cut, and fill up all the deep gullies, with up to 15m of fill, and leave nothing.
120Ha cleared and reshaped. Unprecedented!
And to add insult to injury they want to call it “Springview”. They are cutting down any view of Spring Mountain.
The view from Brookwater across Possum Creek to this block will see a reduction of over 60% (2/3).
They will look down on a vast sea of rooves. Views from Springfield on the other side will be even worse.
They will see into a mine site for many years. People who study Koalas fear that such massive destruction will lead to the extinction of Koalas in the eastern suburbs of Ipswich.
This area is the heart of the Woogaroo Forest. Rip out the heart and the whole thing will die.
Living with our wildlife in a sustainable community will be impossible.
Stockland wants to make koalas extinct.
No wonder the residents of Brookwater are up in arms.
