Updated March 04, 2019 15:19:31
![]() The Australian humpback whale population has recovered from near-extinction linked to hunting, but new Queensland research warns that numbers could soon fall again due to the effects of climate change. Key points:Humpback whale species has recovered rapidly since commercial whaling ended in 1962, averaging a 10.9pc increase per yearResearchers remain worried the whale population may be overshooting the carrying capacity of the environment to maintain its numbersIf there was going to be a whale population crash, researchers say the modelling suggests it will be soon The University of Queensland (UQ) study monitored humpback whales migrating past North Stradbroke Island off Brisbane on the southern Queensland coast, over a 12-year period. Associate Professor Michael Noad said the species had recovered rapidly since commercial whaling ended in 1962, averaging a 10.9 per cent increase per year. "The good news is that the whales have recovered, but the bad news is that the whales don't seem to have realised that," he said. "Australian humpback whales were hunted to very, very low numbers almost completely wiped out by the early 1960s but since we've started [taking] surveys, the population has essentially been doubling every seven years or so. "The last survey in 2015 found that the population has essentially recovered back to our best guess of the population prior to whaling in the 1950s, reaching an estimated 25,000 whales." ![]() Despite the good news, Dr Noad feared the species still faced many threats. "We don't really know what is going to happen in the future, but we worry that the population may in fact be overshooting the carrying capacity of the environment to maintain that population, so we might see a spike in the population followed by a crash," he said. ![]() He said if there was going to be a crash, the modelling suggested it would be soon. "The thing that's most likely to have an impact on these whales is them starting to run out of krill in the Antarctic and we predict that to happen somewhere between 2021 and 2026," he said. "On one hand they're recovering quickly, but these whales are also threatened by climate change and its impact on Antarctic krill, their main food source." ![]() The most recent data was collected in 2015 by scientists observing whales from a platform at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island off Brisbane. "This is a fantastic place to monitor the whales because they come very close to the headland," Dr Noad said. "We know that about 80 per cent of the population passes within 5 kilometres of the headland, so they're easy to see it's a bit like counting sheep as they go through a gate." ![]() If there was a population crash, it could have several consequences for Queensland. "There'll certainly be fewer whales and those whales might be struggling you might be seeing sick calves not in good condition and that could have an impact on the east coast whale watching industry, which is worth more than $100 million to the economy," Dr Noad said. "We are very likely to see an increase in the number of strandings as well possibly sick whales beaching themselves, and also whales that die at sea will represent a shipping hazard." The research has been published in the scientific journal Population Ecology. ![]() First posted March 04, 2019 14:32:05 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-04/humpback-whale-migration-numbers-off-southern-queensland/10867396?source=rss
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Updated March 05, 2019 17:43:22
![]() The Queensland Government has announced it will search for a developer to build a second casino on the Gold Coast, with the promise of a swag of new jobs for the rapidly growing city. But the announcement has also alarmed anti-gambling groups, who say Queensland is being turned into Australia's version of Nevada, the home state of Las Vegas, and is a magnet for problem gamblers. On the other hand, Star Entertainment Group, which runs the Star Casino at Broadbeach, has said the city's gaming machine market is already saturated. Authorities will need to balance the potential economic benefits from such a big project against the potential for further harm to families and the broader community. What's been announced? Tourism Minister Kate Jones told ABC Radio the Queensland Government will open an expression-of-interest process, allowing companies to put forward proposals for a casino and integrated resort. She said it would be a $1 billion development and that it had to include several key elements, including "a major Gold Coast concert venue, new entertainment facilities, convention space, high-end dining and retail experience". The location for such a venue within the city would be proposed by the organisations applying to build and run it. But the Queensland Government has already ruled out The Southport Spit, a major park north of Surfers Paradise, as well as Wave Break Island in the Southport Broadwater the sites of the ASF Consortium's previous failed casino proposal. "We don't want a decision made in Brisbane about where the best place on the Gold Coast should be," Ms Jones said. "What we are saying is we'll go to market and the market can come forward with what the sites they think stacks up." ![]() Ms Jones said a Gold Coast Tourism Advisory Panel would be created to offer advice on the proposed casino. She said the State Government estimated a second casino and resort would create 6,000 local jobs. Why are anti-gambling groups alarmed? Stephen Mayne from The Alliance for Gambling Reform said Queensland was already the second-worst state in Australia for gambling losses, running at an average of more than $1,000 per person. "The idea they are going to have six casinos (in Queensland), I mean they are turning it into a Nevada," Mr Mayne said. The anti-gambling activist is concerned about the impact of a second casino on the city. ![]() "It will be very interesting to see what the proposal is in terms of any more poker machines will they have to buy them off existing pub and club operators?" he said. "Or will the Government allow an increase? "We think there should be a decrease in Queensland and there certainly shouldn't be any increase on the Gold Coast given that $330 million a year is already lost at Gold Coast pubs and clubs which have poker machines." Mr Mayne said he did not believe job creation justified an extra casino. "Ultimately the jobs are coming off human misery and there is massive amounts of suicide and family violence and fraud and imprisonment and mental health issues and homelessness that flows from gambling," he said. "Gambling is a fundamentally destructive industry that doesn't create any net economic benefit because of the huge social harm it causes." Could Star build the second casino? Ms Jones told ABC Radio the Star Entertainment Group, which runs the Gold Coast's existing casino, is free to apply to the State Government's expression of interest process for a second casino. "If The Star wants to put forward an integrated resort and can build the case they should be the only proponent (on the Gold Coast) then we are welcome to that, but we want a true integrated resort that delivers increased public infrastructure for Gold Coast residents," the Minister said. She said the company did have expansion plans but were not locked into any future development. "At the moment they have a proposal but they are not contractually obliged to deliver any of that infrastructure, and certainly through this process we will be asking a proponent to deliver infrastructure in a timeline in a contractual arrangement," she said. But Star Entertainment Group Queensland managing director Geoff Hogg said they had already committed to $2 billion expansion plans at their Broadbeach site. "We are very pleased to have done public consultation in 2016 and then to get the Government approval to be able to expand up to another four towers on the island, in addition to the tower we have already commenced," he said. ![]() Mr Hogg said the city's gaming machine market is already saturated and that Star Entertainment Group would not be increasing its gambling services. He said the Queensland Government held no conversations with the gaming company about signing contracts to guarantee its expansion plans. "For us, we have got to find out a bit more about what that means, what it involves, I don't have enough information to comment," he said. "The key message for us is we have just been getting on and doing our development and continuing to invest in the coast." State Opposition tourism spokesman David Crisafulli criticised the Government's process, saying the plans kept changing. "This has been a moving feast, it has been a moving feast when we had proposals cancelled and back on, and then we had pokies in and then out and it is just going nowhere," he said. "We need certainty, we need a proposal and a project that can deliver for the coast." Topics:gambling,urban-development-and-planning,tourism,state-parliament,activism-and-lobbying,southport-4215,brisbane-4000,qld First posted March 05, 2019 16:44:08 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-05/second-casino-gold-coast-call-from-queensland-government/10872640?source=rss Posted March 20, 2019 18:53:42
![]() The Queensland Government is being urged to expand the controversial practice of koala translocation, despite previous programs having a high mortality rate. Key points: The East Coomera translocation project had a 42 per cent mortality rateGold Coast City Council says the program "a success" as the mortality rate "very similar" to koalas not movedThe council said the impact of wild dogs was "higher than anticipated" Under present Queensland law, koala translocation, which involves relocating the animal to similar bushland, is only permitted if it is part of a scientific research program. The chair of the state's Koala Advisory Council, Mark Townend, has told 7.30 it should be made easier to move koalas, whose habitat is under threat, to similar bushland. "At the moment you can only put a koala back within 5 kilometres of where it came from," he said. "Why would you put them back in danger? We need to review that policy. "You've got all these admissions to wildlife hospitals of koalas because they're not mixing right with people, dogs or cars," he said. "So we need to try and review that policy." The comments have shocked leading koala researcher Professor Frank Carrick, who is worried a change in policy will encourage further destruction of koala habitats. He said translocation was highly risky and past programs had failed. "It's a zero-sum game. If you have x amount of habitat, you remove half of it, by and large the population in that region will decline by at least half, probably more," he said. "Shifting them around is the old classic, shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic." Currumbin Wildlife Hospital veterinarian Dr Michael Pyne said translocation was a useful tool, but only as a last resort. "Movement of koalas from one area to another in many cases is a necessary evil," he said. "When you've got young koalas that are dispersing and moving through urban areas, there's no choice but to try to find a better spot for them." ![]() The Queensland Government has announced a review of the translocation policy after it was revealed in State Parliament last August that the mortality rate for the project at East Coomera was 42 per cent. 7.30 can now reveal more details about the project, which relocated 180 koalas between 2009 and 2014. Documents obtained under Right to Information laws show the death rate was blamed on "unforeseen wild dog attacks". A scientific permit report from the council to Queensland's Environment Department in 2014 admitted "the impacts of wild dog predation were higher than anticipated in the early stage of the project". But despite the high death rate, the council argued the project was a success, as the mortality rate was "very similar" to the rate for koalas that were not moved. Under the heading "relocation success", the report said "at six months after relocation, approximately 80 per cent of koalas had survived and generally appeared to have coped with the initial stress". "At the 12-month mark, approximately 70 per cent of koalas in the relocation group had survived and had essentially become residents at the recipient sites," it said. The 2014 report also promised to submit "a series of research papers" that were "planned for preparation to scientific journals over the next two to three years". A Gold Coast council spokesman told 7.30 that the papers had yet to be submitted. But the council's 2014 report was already claiming significant scientific findings. "Koala relocation is a complex undertaking, but can be achieved with success in many cases where the koala is healthy, in good body condition, is at least 4 to 5 kilograms in weight and aged from two to around seven years," the report said. Critics say program 'a failure' ![]() Australians for Animals, which obtained the Right to Information documents, said the council was drawing a long bow. "It's really important to understand that these Coomera koalas were nationally significant," Australians for Animals coordinator Sue Arnold said. "They're the heartland of koalas in south-east Queensland and the translocations were a failure." Koala researcher Frank Carrick also remained sceptical about the council's claim of translocation success. "If that's their idea of success, I'd hate to see what failure looks like," he said. "If you accept at face value what we've been told, and it's on the basis of, 'trust us, we're politicians', then it's a pretty dismal outcome. "But we can't judge, because we don't have the actual data." Questions remain about East Coomera program The Right to Information documents show the sites where the 180 East Coomera koalas were resettled had not be surveyed since late 2014. However, the Gold Coast Council has confirmed to 7.30 that it commissioned further surveys of the translocation sites in the Lower Beechmont and Wongawallan conservation areas in November and December last year. "The report detailing the results of these surveys is currently being prepared and is expected to be presented to council in mid-2019," a council spokesman said. Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Enoch said she would wait to hear the final report from the Koala Advisory Council before making a decision. "That's why we've got a koala expert group a council an advisory council to provide all of that input to government to make sure we have the right policy that gives us the best practice is this area," she said. Watch the story tonight on 7.30. Topics:animals,human-interest,environmental-impact,environmental-management,environmental-policy,environment,coomera-4209,qld,australia http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-20/controversial-koala-relocation-policy-urged-to-expand/10917602?source=rss Posted February 16, 2019 10:00:00
The designers behind a pair of ethically sourced jeans worn by the Duchess of Sussex during her Australian visit last year have had to double their staff to meet global demand. James and Erica Bartle founded the Outland Denim company at Mount Tamborine in 2011 and train and employ young women in Cambodia who have been rescued from human traffickers. "When we started we had five seamstresses who came in and learnt the craft of jean making," Ms Bartle told ABC Radio Brisbane's Rebecca Levingston. "Now, we have over 100 people working in the Cambodian operations, including management. "That has doubled since October and it's extraordinary what this level of exposure has been able to do for us and the opportunities it's been able to create for these young women." Ms Bartle said the publicity around Meghan Markle's outfits had opened doors and "pressed the fast-forward button" on the business. "Despite the exposure, our team has also done a lot of hard work over the past eight years to get to this point," she said. "It's a very involved business and the non-government and government partnerships take a lot work." ![]() The royal connection came through friend of a friend who introduced the Duchess to the jeans she was said to be quite taken with the backstory of the jeans as it resonated with her humanitarian values. Ms Bartle said she had an inkling that the Duchess had a pair of the jeans in her wardrobe when she came to Australia but had no idea if she would wear them. "She had just fallen pregnant and the chances of her wearing skinny jeans was slim to none, but there was hope," Ms Bartle said. "We actually found out like the rest of the world did on Instagram and then we had it confirmed. "There was a process we had to go through to ensure they were Outland denim before we could broadcast the message to the world." The phone then ran hot with media requests and people wanting to buy the jeans, she said. "People are obsessed with having exactly what Meghan has and the jeans walked out the door. "Our website traffic increased 3,000 per cent and the order spike lasted for at least two to three weeks. "It's hard to put a figure on it, but we had hundreds of jeans going through our Australian website and we had to reorder an inventory of that particular jean." ![]() Due to the nature of Bartles' profit-for-purpose business model, they could not simply hire another 1,000 people to meet demand; instead they had to be strategic in the way they expanded to handle the level of interest. "We give the women the training, and jean making is a highly specialised art and it takes them two years to learn how to make a full jean," Ms Bartle said. "There's 25 parts to each jean and we couldn't overwhelm our little group of seamstresses, so we took new women on over the past few months to get them up to speed." Why jeans? Ms Bartle said when planning their business, she and her husband wanted to produce something that people would continue to use and not just throw away. ![]() "We didn't want to make a t-shirt that would be thrown away, we wanted something that had value and that they would wear time and time again. "We wanted it to occur in the wearer's wardrobe to remind them about the purpose behind them and that they could share the story behind them and the problem we were trying to solve." She said she hoped to maintain a relationship with the Duchess of Sussex in the long term through friends but hoped that other brands also received acknowledgment in the future. "There are so many brands doing wonderful things in the world and I think we've had our time in the sun. "We want to see more people wearing ethical clothing, but we're not going to exploit the relationship; that would go against the fabric of what we stand for." Topics:fashion,ethical-investment,design,lifestyle,royal-and-imperial-matters,brisbane-4000,mount-tamborine-4272 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-16/sustainable-jean-company-see-meghan-markle-royal-effect/10815116?source=rss Forgotten railway tunnel on track for heritage protection after locals get up head of steam4/2/2019 Posted January 27, 2019 07:15:00
A disused railway tunnel, rumoured to have been frequented by Gold Coast bikies and clandestine groups, has been reclaimed by local residents and artists who are now fighting for its preservation. Built in 1888, the Ernest Junction railway tunnel at Molendinar is a remnant of the South Coast railway line, which connected Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Judith deBoer remembers catching the train when she was a young girl. "I used to catch the train from Brisbane to Southport at Christmas time to visit my aunt and I realised it was through this tunnel," she said. Five years ago she and her husband, Ted, were looking for a venue for a music concert and thought of the tunnel. "We came out to take a look at it and it was ghastly," she said. Both entrances were overgrown with lantana and the 110-metre tunnel was filled ankle deep with mud, empty spray cans, and rubbish. Ms deBoer went to a heritage fair and asked for community help to clean up the tunnel. "We had one Saturday morning work party fill truck, after truck, after truck and then Ted and I just kept going," she said. ![]() The couple do a weekly rubbish run, mow the lawns and it has now become a community asset. "The community thinks they own it now," Ms deBoer said. The tunnel walls are lined with graffiti and the volunteer said locals and artists had reached a truce. Spray painting is welcome as long as the messaging and the tunnel is kept clean. "We always call them tunnel artists," Ms deBoer said. "We don't refer to their work as graffiti and it's the only place on the Gold Coast, or I think in south-east Queensland, where they can actually create and not get into trouble. "All creative endeavours are welcome. A lot of filming wonderful stuff goes on here." ![]() Photographer Ness Stretton used to ride her motocross bike through the tunnel as a child and now uses it as a backdrop for her photography. "You can do things during the day that you can [usually] only do at night like steel wool spinning," she said. "The university is using it for film practice now. "I see a lot of independent photographers bringing models down here for photo shoots, which I never expected. "The tunnel is alive at last now." Tunnel history The South Coast rail line was used to transport people and goods until it was shut down in 1964. Amateur historian, Peter Jones, said the tunnel was one of the last remnants of the railway line. ![]() "There's only two main items left of the railway line this [tunnel] and the Nerang Station which is at the Mudgeeraba Museum and that's all that's left," he said. He said the railway line was ripped up because the weight of the trains kept increasing beyond the engineering design of the tracks. "They would have had to have rebuilt the whole line due to the engines getting heavier," Mr Jones said. "The track was not designed that way." Heritage protection The tunnel has been placed on the Gold Coast Heritage Register, but Judith deBoer, and a committed group of locals, now want it placed on the Queensland Heritage Register to give it another layer of protection from future development in Molendinar. Divisional Councillor, Dawn Crichlow, said the tunnel had two owners and an agreement was needed. "We had a problem before because it was half-owned by the council and half-owned by the state," she said. "Now the state is happy to pass it over to the council and the council has supported the Heritage Register. "I feel very confident." The Friends of the Ernest Junction Tunnel are hoping the tunnel will be added to the Queensland Heritage Register by the middle of 2019. ![]() http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-27/gold-coast-rail-tunnel-on-track-heritage-protection/10732322?source=rss Forgotten railway tunnel on track for heritage protection after locals get up head of steam4/1/2019 Posted January 27, 2019 07:15:00
A disused railway tunnel, rumoured to have been frequented by Gold Coast bikies and clandestine groups, has been reclaimed by local residents and artists who are now fighting for its preservation. Built in 1888, the Ernest Junction railway tunnel at Molendinar is a remnant of the South Coast railway line, which connected Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Judith deBoer remembers catching the train when she was a young girl. "I used to catch the train from Brisbane to Southport at Christmas time to visit my aunt and I realised it was through this tunnel," she said. Five years ago she and her husband, Ted, were looking for a venue for a music concert and thought of the tunnel. "We came out to take a look at it and it was ghastly," she said. Both entrances were overgrown with lantana and the 110-metre tunnel was filled ankle deep with mud, empty spray cans, and rubbish. Ms deBoer went to a heritage fair and asked for community help to clean up the tunnel. "We had one Saturday morning work party fill truck, after truck, after truck and then Ted and I just kept going," she said. ![]() The couple do a weekly rubbish run, mow the lawns and it has now become a community asset. "The community thinks they own it now," Ms deBoer said. The tunnel walls are lined with graffiti and the volunteer said locals and artists had reached a truce. Spray painting is welcome as long as the messaging and the tunnel is kept clean. "We always call them tunnel artists," Ms deBoer said. "We don't refer to their work as graffiti and it's the only place on the Gold Coast, or I think in south-east Queensland, where they can actually create and not get into trouble. "All creative endeavours are welcome. A lot of filming wonderful stuff goes on here." ![]() Photographer Ness Stretton used to ride her motocross bike through the tunnel as a child and now uses it as a backdrop for her photography. "You can do things during the day that you can [usually] only do at night like steel wool spinning," she said. "The university is using it for film practice now. "I see a lot of independent photographers bringing models down here for photo shoots, which I never expected. "The tunnel is alive at last now." Tunnel history The South Coast rail line was used to transport people and goods until it was shut down in 1964. Amateur historian, Peter Jones, said the tunnel was one of the last remnants of the railway line. ![]() "There's only two main items left of the railway line this [tunnel] and the Nerang Station which is at the Mudgeeraba Museum and that's all that's left," he said. He said the railway line was ripped up because the weight of the trains kept increasing beyond the engineering design of the tracks. "They would have had to have rebuilt the whole line due to the engines getting heavier," Mr Jones said. "The track was not designed that way." Heritage protection The tunnel has been placed on the Gold Coast Heritage Register, but Judith deBoer, and a committed group of locals, now want it placed on the Queensland Heritage Register to give it another layer of protection from future development in Molendinar. Divisional Councillor, Dawn Crichlow, said the tunnel had two owners and an agreement was needed. "We had a problem before because it was half-owned by the council and half-owned by the state," she said. "Now the state is happy to pass it over to the council and the council has supported the Heritage Register. "I feel very confident." The Friends of the Ernest Junction Tunnel are hoping the tunnel will be added to the Queensland Heritage Register by the middle of 2019. ![]() http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-27/gold-coast-rail-tunnel-on-track-heritage-protection/10732322?source=rss |
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