Gecko Environment Council in Gold Coast, Queensland | Community organisation

Gecko Environment Council

Locality: Gold Coast, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 5534 1412

Address: Gecko House, 139 Duringan Street 4223 Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.gecko.org.au

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• Non-profit organisation
• Charitable organisation
• Community organisation
• Environmental conservation organisation

24.01.2022 Take the foot off the gas. It is puzzle that our Federal Government is not more responsive to the electorate on climate action. New polling shows 79% of Aussies care about climate change. So why doesn’t the government listen? Polling released by The Australia Institute shows climate change and its impacts remain a prominent concern to Australians, even amid the upheaval and uncertainty wrought by COVID-19. The Climate of the Nation report has tracked Australian attitudes to ...climate change for more than a decade. This year, it polled 1,998 Australians aged 18 and over, and found the vast majority (79%) hold views in line with the best available scientific evidence. That is, four in five Australians agree climate change is occurring. This is the highest result since 2012. An even greater majority, 82%, is worried climate change will result in more bushfires, up from 76% in last year’s report. Only 12% of Australians want to see Australia’s economic recovery led by investment in gas, a plan the Morrison government is set on carrying out. In contrast, a majority (59%) would like to see the recovery driven by renewables. https://theconversation.com/new-polling-shows-79-of-aussies See more

24.01.2022 Gecko’s research demonstrates that noise and air pollution near major roads are not just a problem they are a serious health threat as numerous studies have demonstrated, so the news that RMIT are developing a technical ‘solution’ to road noise is welcomed. While the expansion of the M1 in the southern end of the Gold Coast is welcomed for reducing congestion the noise pollution for local residents is a major issue as it will be for those residents sandwiched between the M1 a...nd Coomera Connector in the north. We all love our cars, but we pay a price for the endless expansion of roads and failure to lobby for better public transport and work from home. Let’s hope the politicians and Main Roads bureaucrats can embrace new technology. Gecko has been advocating to TMR for green noise barriers with vertical vegetation, an innovation also developed by RMIT, to reduce air pollution and it may be trialled on the Coomera Connector. https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au//d675a3e4eb4fcf175f01 See more

23.01.2022 Gecko agrees with Matt Collins on a couple of things in the article (GCB 5th December) Dear Santa. Firstly that the public consultation on The Spit was excellent and achieved an outcome that most were happy with and secondly that the power in planning matters should be with the people. In this latter the people of the Gold Coast are disempowered which has made them unhappy and angry. There is no dispute that growth will continue, but the unhappiness stems from the community ...belief that the way our City Plan is interpreted in planning decisions that there will be serious loss of amenity and liveability. The City Plan was agreed to by the community in 2016, but since then its requirements have been steadily eroded due to the perceived and actual undue influence of the development industry with the catch cry that if they don’t get their way they’ll all be rooned. A performance based planning system is supposed to deliver better planning outcomes, not a manipulation of the rules to deliver more profits to developers at the expense of the community. The evidence is all around us and we can only blame those councillors who only hear the voices of the development industry. A classic case in point is the undue delays in the Amendments 2 and 3 package which only benefit the developers claiming they can’t build and survive with the improved rules, despite the fact that the industry has thrived on the Gold Coast for decades with more prescriptive planning schemes. They got their way and the community will be lucky to see any improvements in liveability, let alone neighbourhood plans, for the next 2 years as Councillors grant the developers relaxations after relaxation. The public consultation for the Amendments was so poor that the Community Alliance was forced to provide their own community meetings to explain what they were all about. Let’s hope this does not happen when the amended Amendments finally come to consultation again in February 2021. https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au//147c1408f70e67953662

22.01.2022 It is worth reading the detail of this post to know what a brilliant job the community group is doing in keeping the residents and wildlife safe from the expansion of this quarry. They have not had a lot of help from Council so congratulations are in order for their efforts to keep a crucial ridgeline from devastation. There is still a lot of work needed so your support with emails or Facebook comments to Councillors is essential. Council needs to know that concern is city wide not just local.

22.01.2022 Toondah Harbour is an important wetlands site protected under the international Ramsar agreement to which Australia and Queensland are signatories. Please support the good people of Redlands who have been fighting this development proposal for over a decade now. If this Walker Company development goes ahead the Ramsar agreement will be made null and void in this area and set a precedent for other areas such as North Harbour proposal on the Sunshine Coast. Take Mum or yourself along on Sunday and enjoy this beautiful part of the world.

19.01.2022 It seems to Gecko Environment Council that our leaders are bereft of ideas to stimulate the economy and keep producing the same old suggestions. This beach bar idea is the same old grab by some business entity wanting the use of public open space for his own commercial benefit. The beach bar concept was first raised in 2013 and a report to Council, after substantial consultation of 1297 residents, demonstrated that only 4 % of those surveyed wanted a bar or café on the beach.... 44% wanted no alternatives to activities on the beach and 37% were happy with the existing allowable activities. This means that 81% did not support a beach bar. In addition to that a letter from Council to Gecko Environment Council dated October 2020 stated Bars and food outlets are not included in the list of businesses permitted under the local laws. In addition there are currently no changes proposed to these Local laws or the Ocean Beaches Strategy 2013-2023. Unlike Europe our beaches are public for all to enjoy and most do not want alcohol sold and imbibed on our beaches. We have ample Surf Life Saving Clubs for that purpose immediately adjacent to the beach. A temporary permit would soon become permanent and set a precedent for other undesirable activities on our beautiful public beaches. https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au//beach-club-gold-coas Beach Club Gold Coast again-open-public-beach-house-to-boost-tourism/news-story/85a7dce8bee4233accd3b88be4d84939 See more

17.01.2022 Bitcoins are not something that Gecko is very familiar with and we were surprised to learn that those involved in this currency industry are called miners We were also surprised to learn how energy hungry this industry is. China powers 80% of this industry through high power computer transactions and unfortunately 40 % of this power is from coal. This year the crypto-mining industry is expected to use 0.6% of the world’s total electricity production, or more than the annual use of Norway, and may undermine China’s intention to be carbon neutral by 2060. And yet there are articles telling us that this is the way to go, without any consideration of the need for green energy to power this industry. Do bitcoin enthusiasts invest in renewable power? https://www.theguardian.com//china-bitcoin-mining-climate-

16.01.2022 It is Valentine’s Day, a day to show our love and one woman’s love for Australian wildlife has thrown a life line to the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital as well as other charities. Ms Iris Ripley’s home is to be sold following her death and the proceeds split between 6 charities including the Wildlife Hospital. The Hospital which treated 14,000 injured and sick wildlife last year was in the news recently because of the dire straits of its finances. As land is cleared our wildlife... are left with nowhere to live and become victims of starvation, vehicle strike and dog attacks. Urgent attention is needed not only to patching up those which survive but also protecting habitat. That way we can all show our love for our Aussi battlers. You can also watch Catalyst on ABC Channel 2 next Tuesday 16th at 9.30pm about the survival of koalas. https://www.realestate.com.au//currumbin-wildlife-hospit/ See more

14.01.2022 It is International Composting Week. Don’t forget to take advantage of the wonderful Community Composting Program with Palm Beach Currumbin State High and drop off all your food scraps at Gecko House! #geckogc #geckogoldcoast #community #composting #partnership #communitypartnership #currumbin #palmbeach https://gecko.org.au//2021/04/community-composting-program/

13.01.2022 Research oddities. Can you imagine spending your time researching wombat bums? That is what scientist Alyce Swinbourne does and she has found that a wombat’s bum is its best form of defence. A wombat’s backside is made up of four fused plates surrounded by cartilage, fat, skin and fur, which it uses to mate, excavate and defend. In fact, using its exterior to block its burrow is one of its primary defence mechanisms, not only against predators, but also other wombats. Apart from blocking their burrows to intruders wombats use their bum in courting rituals as the pair chase each other around biting the other’s bum. Australia has such interesting animals and they all need protection. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au//wombat-bums-ther/

13.01.2022 Interesting talk about Ecovillage

12.01.2022 For the first time ever! we have ended up with some vacant spots for our Friday Afterschool program!! The program runs from 3.30pm to 5.30pm each Friday and we are offering it on a week to week basis for the reduced price of $10 per week (normally $15). If you would like to book your child for any remaining weeks of the term you can email [email protected]

11.01.2022 Congratulations to Jess, coordinator of the newly formed Friends of Nerang National Park, for a very successful bush care day at the National Park. 44 people turned up to help with weeding and planting and the extra bonus of a talk on the fascinating platypus on a wet and windy day. There are many groups using the National Park for mountain biking, walking, horse riding, 4X4 driving so it needs a lot of care to ensure its essential qualities of being a national park aren’t de...graded. In fact other places for the high impact activities need to be found if we are to retain this national park for its primary purpose of conservation of nature. It is great to see so many people caring about our local bushland and willing to put in the time to care for it. There will be regular days with the Friends so watch their Facebook for news https://www.facebook.com/nerangnationalpark/. See more

11.01.2022 What is your opinion- should media weather reports include information on climate change? The words ‘climate attribution’ in this article was new to me and the definition is Understanding and quantifying the role that rising greenhouse gas emissions has on weather events, and it describes what the ABC weather man Graham Creed has been doing for two years, linking our weather, especially rising temperatures, to the impact of climate change. He has had very little negative fe...edback from his audience. Professor David Holmes of Monash University Climate Communication Hub has found that the considerable public concern about climate change is not matched with their understanding of it. He fully supports Creed’s efforts as an important way to improve the public literacy of climate change. He says When it comes to who people trust on climate change, research has found that climate scientists are highest on the list, followed by farmers and firefighters. Fourth are weather presenters so a weather presenter who uses Monash University’s data and research can be seen to be trustworthy. https://www.theguardian.com//a-change-in-the-weather-new-d

10.01.2022 RSPCA calls on Qld environment minister to pledge new wildlife hospital. It is an indictment of our management of our beleaguered wildlife that a new wildlife hospital is needed to care for the injured, sick and homeless wildlife. We have had decades to plan for more conservation reserves and wildlife corridors, but it has always been a very low priority for both Government and development industry alike. Queensland’s incoming environment minister Meaghan Scanlon must realise... the need for a new wildlife hospital, as the number of injured animals soars, the RSPCA says. Earlier this year RSPCA Queensland chief executive Darren Maier said the RSPCA’s animal wildlife hospital at Wacol was struggling to cope, with a five-fold increase in injured wildlife. At the present rate, the wildlife hospital which was planned for a maximum of 8000 animals would need to find places for 32,400 animals this time next year. "[Environment Minister Leeanne] Enoch was very interested in it, but unable to commit because she had no budget at the time to deal with it. "The Queensland government has committed $1.9 million to the network of injured wildlife hospitals for the next 12 months. However we must ask, what sort of future are we saving the wildlife for? https://www.smh.com.au//rspca-calls-on-qld-environment-min See more

10.01.2022 Who doesn’t enjoy going to the coastal areas to watch the birds among wetland fossicking for food. Some are amazing having flown many thousands of kilometres to get here. However wetland have other purposes other than habitat, essential though that is. Wetlands have saved Australia $27 billion in storm damage over the past five decades and storms are getting stronger. Wetlands such as mangroves, swamps, lakes and lagoons bear the brunt of much storm damage to coast, helping p...rotect us and our infrastructure. But over the past 300 years, 85% of the world’s wetland area has been destroyed. It’s clear we must urgently preserve the precious little wetland area we have left. Our recent research shows 54 cyclones struck Australia in the 50 years between 1967 and 2016, causing about A$3 billion in damage. We found the damages would have totalled approximately A$30 billion, if not for coastal wetlands. https://theconversation.com/wetlands-have-saved-australia-2 See more

09.01.2022 It is worth reading all of this post to see what a brilliant job this community group is doing in protecting their community and wildlife from the expansion of this quarry. Your supportive emails or Facebook comments on Councillor pages will help them as well. Nucrush Proposed Quarry Expansion Important update After a long year since public notification was closed (a year ago today in fact). We finally have some positive news to share with you. ...Continue reading

05.01.2022 Gecko is committed to protecting threatened species such as migratory birds and supports to fight to stop the Toondah harbor development at Cleveland. A Freedom of Information request has succeeded in demonstrating unacceptable behavior by a past Federal Environment Minister and the unhealthy influence of the development industry on government decisions. It outlines how the Environment Minister sought to enable the Walker Company’s Toondah Harbour development on the internati...onally listed Ramsar wetland site in Moreton Bay. Without considering what a terrible precedent this totally unacceptable action would have on conservation, in a letter to the Queensland Government, he says it would be difficult to approve the 3000 unit development on the Ramsar site because of its international significance. He then goes on to say that it could be done if the Queensland Government applied for delisting because it was in the urgent national interest. Since when has a unit development been in the urgent national interest? Isn’t an environment minister supposed to protect and conserve wildlife and its habitat, not try to bend the law for the benefit of a substantial donor to the LNPhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/03/frydenberg-proposed-delisting-wetland-to-allow-queenslands-toondah-harbour-development See more

03.01.2022 Gecko is relieved to hear that the small community of Happy Valley on K’Gari (Fraser Island) is currently safe from the fires that have been burning for 7 weeks and we will be most interested to hear from the enquiry into how the management of these fires has been handled so poorly. What are your thoughts on this? In addition to those who live there our concern is for the wonderful wildlife and amazing plants that make this place so special. It is indeed fortunate that so far... the Valley of the Giants with the amazing Satinay trees has not been burnt. Gecko can’t help wondering if this World Heritage beautiful place has been starved of management funds like all other national parks. Governments are keen to get the tourism dollars that are generated by our national parks, but reluctant to provide adequate funds for their management. This cannot go on if we are to save our diminishing biodiversity as well as our tourism industry. Conservation must be the priority of national parks with tourism a definite second. John Sinclair, founder of Fraser Island Defenders Organisation, would be so distressed by these fires after all the tribulations he went through to get this magic place protected. https://www.couriermail.com.au//cc1b1585654c8f1b96e27acd86 See more