Geography in Conversation
Speakers: Mr Chris Walker, founding member and Secretary of the community group Redlands2030 which has advocated against inappropriate development at Toondah Harbour for over a decade. Ms Una Sandeman, Australian Conservation Foundation Bayside’s creative advocacy lead and Dr Robert Bush, president of the Australasian Wader Study Group, who has a vast experience throughout the world in medical and epidemiological positions.
The panel will share with us the science and the community action which resulted in the Minister for the Environment and Water the Hon Ms Tanya Plibersek, rejecting an application for development and the withdrawal of the Walker Corporation’s application under the national environment law.
The wetlands where this project was proposed are rare, unique and are important to prevent the extinction of animals. These include loggerhead and green turtles and the critically endangered eastern curlew, which migrates 12,000 kilometres from Russia to Australia and relies on Moreton Bay as habitat for feeding and roosting. The project would also have had significant impacts on a range of other species including iconic Australian animals like dugongs and dolphins. The proposed dredging and land reclamation would have also destroyed and disturbed 58.7 hectares of the internationally protected wetland of Moreton Bay – that’s around 24 times the size of the Gabba. (Plibersek website).
Theregion is part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and is home to internationally significant wetlands listed under the RAMSAR Convention — a global treaty established to “halt the worldwide loss of wetlands.” These wetlands provide critical habitat for global populations of migratory bird species — including six per cent of all Eastern curlews and 50 per cent of all Grey-tailed Tattlers. It’s a last remaining stronghold for these birds in Australia’s East Asian Australasian Flyway.
Each speaker will have 8 minutes to spotlight their work.
During the Q&A forum the audience will have up to 60 minutes to ask questions of the experts on their roles in the “fight for Toondah Wetlands” and what’s next?
Light refreshments are served before you settle in for an informed conversation on a topic of interest to us all.
Please post your questions on notice to:
Email questionsonnotice@gmail.com
Date: Tuesday 26 November 2024
Time: 5:30 pm light refreshments – doors open @ 5:15pm
6:00 – 6:30 pm Presentations
6:30 – 7:30 Q&A Forum
7:30 – 8:00 Mingling
Place: Gregory Place, Level 1, 28 Fortescue St. Spring Hill
Cost: $5.00 for refreshments, included in registration.
Cost: $5.00 Members
$5.00 Non-Members
$5.00 Students
Photo - supplied by Chris Walker
