Hello birding-aus
I hope you all had an enjoyable even exhilarating time birding over the
Easter break. I don’t mean to spoil this by reflecting that it may be a
rare privilege not likewise available to future generations of Australians
and birders. Take the example of the Southern Cassowary. It features
prominently in the public advertising materials of Johnstone and Cardwell
Shires, now amalgamated into a new Cassowary Coast Regional Council. The
cassowary attracts many tourists to this region and has become the regional
“brand”. And yet development continues to be allowed to chip away at
cassowary habitat.
The local conservation group, Community for Coastal and Cassowary
Conservation Inc., recently lodged an objection to a decision by Johnstone
Shire Council. The objection begins: “The recent [Council] decision to
grant a material change of use from rural to commercial of a lot which
incorporates two cassowary corridors and is a known cassowary crossing area
was made without any consideration for the impact this may have on the
locally known cassowaries which range from the world heritage area to the
west across Cassowary Drive to access the remaining essential habitat to the
east”.
It will be very interesting to see how the new Regional Council deals with
this matter inherited from Johnstone Shire Council. Unlike such rarities as
the Coxens fig-parrot in SEQ, the cassowary is an often seen bird that can
only be ignored at the observer’s risk! If the residents and councilors of
the Cassowary Coast cannot be motivated to do what is necessary to keep this
magnificent “golden goose” at viable population levels in the region for
future generations, what chance have the rest of us got when we go into bat
for our shy mallee fowls and bristlebirds??
For anyone who wants to support C4 (Community for Coastal and Cassowary
Conservation Inc.), please visit:
HYPERLINK
"http://www.cassowaryconservation.asn.au/"www.cassowaryconservation.asn.au
Good birding!
Andrew Thelander
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