Hello Birding-Ausers,
(Especially anyone contemplating looking for the possible Yellow Wagtail in the
Nathan Rd,
Redcliffe, SE Queensland, area.)
At the risk of being labelled: negative, a party-pooper, a wet-blanket, a
spoil-sport, a cranky old
fart, anti-social, a mean old codger, suffering some sort of disease of the
liver, a cynical
misanthrope (now...that one could be correct), etc, etc....
I feel I should suggest caution to anyone considering accessing the area near
the Redcliffe
Aerodrome where the Yellow Wagtail was reported to have been recently sighted.
Please note that I am not TELLING anyone to not go there but I am simply
suggesting that caution be
observed.
The area in question can be found on Map 81 at B14 in recent editions of the
Brisbane UBD Refidex
Street Directory.
It is at the eastern end of the Redcliffe Aerodrome.
Access to the area is quite easy by going over or through the simple fence
along the boundary.
Many people do traverse this area for a number of reasons, e.g., fishing,
trail-bike riding, car
hooning, vandalism, habitat destruction, fire-lighting as well as birdwatching.
Obviously, many of these activities are frowned upon by the 'Authorities' and
are, indeed, illegal.
Some of these activities can also cause a hazard to the aircraft using the
aerodrome.
For these reasons the area in question is classified as a restricted access
area.
In fact, there is a clearly defined sign near the 'entry' point declaring
access prohibited to all
but authorised personnel.
I must admit that I have traversed this area during a club outing many years
ago but in recent times
I have become very reluctant to do so again.
The main reason being that most of the apparently vacant land shown on Map 81
in that area is, in
fact, 'owned' by a developer who is very anti bird-watchers and the like. This
developer has
actually publicly stated they would prosecute trespassers (including
bird-watchers) found on their
land.
The problem is knowing where the council land ends and the developer's land
starts.
To obtain some clarification regarding access to the council land I visited the
Redcliffe Council
Chambers today, 12/11/02, and spoke to a Technical Support Officer about the
issue.
She informed me that in light of the recent problems with damage and fires in
the area, probably
caused by people other than birdwatchers, it was not council policy to grant
access-permission to
anyone.
It appears that the responsibility for the area is in the hands of the
Aerodrome Manager.
It was suggested that if I was really keen on the idea of accessing the area I
should approach this
person, however, it would be most likely that I would not be granted my wish.
Another suggestion was that anyone wanting to visit the area should go to the
nearby flight training
school(?) and speak to the officials there.
The upshot of all of this is that the area where the possible Yellow Wagtail
was sighted IS
restricted to the general public and anyone found there without lawful excuse
could be subject to
prosecution.
Many people do traverse this area without 'trouble' but they do so at there own
risk.
It is a shame but that is what is happening in our society these days.
The many who do the 'right' thing are often penalised for the actions of the
irresponsible few.
Cheers
Bob Inglis
Woody Point
Queensland
Australia
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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