Belmont Hills to Whites Hill Koala Precinct Project
Brisbane City Council is building a clean, green and sustainable city by preserving our urban forest and protecting our rich biodiversity for future generations. By protecting and expanding greenspace within the city, Council is making it easier for residents to enjoy the unique lifestyle Brisbane has to offer.
With the Belmont Hills to Whites Hill Koala Precinct Project, Council is protecting one of our city’s most significant koala populations with targeted infrastructure and restoring natural habitat to keep these koalas healthy and safe.
Project summary
| Location | This stage of the project initially includes areas adjoining Tillack Park, Edwards Park and Secam Street Park in Mansfield and Carindale |
|---|---|
| Ward | Chandler |
| Project outcomes | The project aims to increase habitat availability and quality for koalas and other wildlife and increase the resources available to them to better protect them into the future. |
| Latest update | Council commenced revegetation works at Tillack Park and Dividend Street Park during September 2021-April 2022. An expanded revegetation works program will occur across the project area from July 2022. |
About the project
The Belmont Hills to Whites Hill Koala Precinct Project targets one of the most significant koala populations in Brisbane. Council is working with conservation and habitat groups and researchers at the University of Queensland to research, design and implement solutions to protect koalas and other wildlife in this area.
As part of the project, Council will plant approximately 51,000 koala habitat trees and 210,000 other native plants over 20 hectares in areas of Mansfield and Carindale at Tillack Park, Edwards Park and Secam Street Park to provide natural habitat cover for koalas and other native wildlife.
By improving habitat availability and quality, the project reduces the need for koalas to move around or venture far to find the resources they require. This helps keep koalas away from vehicles on busy roads, dogs on residents’ properties and other situations that commonly cause koala injuries.
Council has also installed key Wildlife Movement Solutions (WMS) in the area, including wildlife awareness signs, wildlife exclusion fencing along Donnington Street, culvert shelves - or ‘fauna friendly furniture’ - under Pine Mountain Road and Donnington Street, habitat poles and escape poles. This infrastructure helps keep koalas and other wildlife safe when they do need to move about.
Project timing
Starting in September 2021, Council began the initial stages of the project which included removing non-native plant species and planting koala habitat trees and other native plants in areas adjoining Stan Fraser Oval and Tillack Park.
From July 2022 an expanded revegetation works program will occur across the project area, weather and site conditions permitting.
Council anticipates the rehabilitated habitat will reach establishment and complete the project in five to ten years.
Project benefits
A section of this precinct is one of Brisbane’s most densely populated areas for koalas and supports a healthy koala population; however, the population here still faces the typical threats for koala populations - vehicle strikes, dog attacks and habitat loss and degradation.
Research and previous Council projects, like at Lambertia Close Park on Pine Mountain Road, demonstrate that restoring habitat sites in areas where Council has installed WMS encourages wildlife to use the infrastructure while also increasing additional habitat areas. The project will increase and improve the condition of habitat along this 20-hectare corridor, with the team planning to install approximately 51,000 koala food trees and 210,000 other native plants over the life of the project. By rehabilitating and improving habitat quality, the team aims to increase the available habitat for koalas as well as other species, including wallabies.
Project milestones and updates
- 9 September 2021 – Began initial stage of project in areas adjoining Stan Fraser Oval and Tillack Park. Removed non-native species and weeds and began planting koala habitat trees and other native plants.
- 22 October 2021 – Began next stage of project in areas adjoining Stan Fraser Oval and Tillack Park. Planting understorey species under trees and shrubs.
- 10 April 2022 – Revegetation works at Dividend Street Park commenced, which involved a range of tree, shrub and groundcover species suited to this riparian context.
- July 2022 - An expanded revegetation works program will occur across the project area.
Check back here for regular updates and project milestones throughout the life of the project.
More information
For more information about the Belmont Hills to Whites Hill Koala Precinct Conservation Project, you can:
- phone Council on 07 3403 8888
- email the Planning team.