Community Protests Queensland School's Plan to Clear Koala Habitat Trees
Protesters have gathered outside a prestigious private school in Queensland, rallying against proposals to cut down hundreds of trees in an area identified as protected koala habitat. The demonstration at Ormiston College in the Redlands, south-east of Brisbane, drew an estimated 60 local residents who oppose the college's development plans.
Development Plan Sparks Community Backlash
The controversy centres on the college's proposal to demolish approximately 650 trees to make way for new sporting facilities, including additional playing fields, an Olympic swimming pool, and boarding houses. Protest organisers argue the trees form part of a core koala habitat that should be preserved.
"Ormiston College wants to remove 650 trees that are inhabited by koalas for a development plan where they want to build more playing fields, an Olympic swimming pool, and boarding houses," said protest and campaign organiser Una Sandeman. "There are other options. They could look at building upwards and they could save these trees. They already have quite a number of playing fields, why do they need more?"
Designated Koala Protection Zone
The protest highlights a significant conflict between development ambitions and environmental conservation. Redlands City Council designated Ormiston as a koala-safe neighbourhood in 2018 and has previously rejected development applications from the college. The grounds around the institution are officially recognised as koala habitat and a priority area by the Queensland government, situated within a habitat restoration zone.
"We, as a group, are saying that this is actually a core koala habitat," Sandeman explained. "And it was actually the state government that first said that. It was mapped by the state government, and should be protected."
School's Response and Alternative Process
In response to local council opposition, the college pursued a Ministerial Infrastructure Development application with the state government last year. This process effectively bypasses decisions made by local council, allowing the proposal to proceed despite community objections.
Headmaster Michael Hornby acknowledged the importance of protecting local wildlife while defending the development plans as crucial for the school's future. "The master plan is about a long-term vision across the college," Hornby stated. "It incorporates not only sporting facilities, but also education facilities and arts precincts. This plan looks into the future for maybe the next 20 to 25 years."
Conflicting Environmental Assessments
The school maintains it has conducted extensive consultations and made adjustments based on feedback from neighbours, the Koala Action Group, and Redland City Council. Hornby emphasised that despite the removal of some bushland, only just over 50 koala food eucalypt trees would be eliminated.
"We will plant a lot more koala food trees through the centre of the school to create a corridor," he promised, noting the college plans to provide a one-to-one replacement of koala habitat area with no net loss overall, including planting 526 new preferred koala food trees.
Environmental consultants working with the school described the proposed development land as functioning primarily as a transit corridor rather than permanent koala habitat. However, protesters strongly dispute this characterisation, pointing to local koala population data.
Endangered Species Concerns
The timing of the development proposal is particularly sensitive given Queensland's official listing of koalas as endangered in February 2022. Sandeman, who has lived in the area for 38 years, expressed concern about declining koala numbers.
"I've seen the koala numbers decline. They're an endangered species in southeast Queensland," she said. "If you look at the data on the Redlands City Council koala database, in the last six months, the Ormiston area had the most recorded koalas for Redlands. It's one of the highest populations."
The protest organiser added that development could proceed without destroying wildlife habitats. "There are other ways to develop and keep the wildlife that we have," Sandeman argued. "There is still quite a bit of bushland, but it's just going quite rapidly."
Community Tensions and Information Disputes
As the standoff continues, Hornby has urged protesters to respect the school community while expressing concern about student and parent nervousness during the demonstrations. He advised community members to verify information carefully, suggesting some misinformation may be circulating about the development plans.
The controversy at Ormiston College reflects broader tensions between educational institution expansion and environmental conservation efforts, particularly concerning endangered species protection in rapidly developing urban fringe areas.
