Folks
Had some hassles forwarding to the list. Please sign the petition
here:
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields
[1]
And here's the text of the original email dated 17/1/14 from Judi
which was missing from my earlier posting. Sorry about that.
Regards, Mick Atzeni
"Dear Friends,
It is with some urgency that I contact you for your support about an
Urgent Campaign to Preserve the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland
Reserve on O’Brien Road at Highfields.
Sign the Petition here:
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields
[2]
I have been working on this campaign only for the last week, many of
you have supplied information to support me in my campaign to preserve
the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields. This
has now become a matter of urgency with Council making a decision this
coming Tuesday 21st January 2014.
This Bushland Reserve land was donated by local Highfields Residents
Mr & Mrs Charles and Motee Rogers to the Crows Nest Shire Council in
1994. It was the wishes of Mr & Mrs Rogers that the Reserve land was
preserved as it was (remnant bushland) for future generations to
enjoy.
Currently the Transport and Drainage Department of the Toowoomba
Regional Council have surveyed an area within the reserve and are
proposing to clear a 3 metre wide strip of land through the bushland
reserve for a footpath/cycleway for Highfields State High School
Students travelling from the new school on the corner of O’Brien
Road and Polzin Roads, to the Highfields Town Centre. The
Engineering section of this department has not consulted with the
Parks and Environment Department or any other departments about this
project. I have had full written support from Cr Bill Cahill, Cr Sue
Englart and Cr Geoff McDonald about the issue They are all against
any destruction of the Rogers Reserve for any reason.
We are not against a footpath for students and residents to travel
safely on, but we are against the location of the proposed one
Currently there is a footpath section allocated adjacent to the
reserve on O’Brien road which would be an ideal location for
students and residents to travel safely on to and from the Highfields
Town Centre, Highfields State High School and local residential
areas. We propose that the Toowoomba Regional Council re-locates the
proposed footpath to O’Brien Road, not through the reserve.
WHY YOU SHOULD SIGN THE PETITION:
· Students and Residents will be far safer travelling
on a footpath along O’Brien view with street lighting and no chance
of being in an unsafe environment. A footpath through a reserve
would not be ideal for students and it is not an ideal location for
high foot-traffic as there would be a risk of falling tree limbs from
gum trees within the reserve.
· Students and residents using a footpath through the
reserve on a regular basis could feel unsafe travelling through a
thickly treed area on a daily basis.
· High Foot-traffic through a nature reserve could
result in further damage to the surrounding environment, increased
littering and nature vandalism.
· The Charles and Motee Bushland Reserve has been
identified of “Endangered” Ecosystem under the Queensland
Vegetation Management Act 1999 and is of Ecological Significance.
The Reserve is a “Biodiversity area” on the Highfields Town Plan,
while the adjoining Highfields Cultural Centre and the Highfields
Sports Centre are “Community Areas”. Any encroachment of a
biodiversity area for a community project like a cycleway .
· Any removal of undergrowth or trees from this
reserve would only “snowball” over time and would require widening
of the path for the safety of people using it on a daily basis.
· Removal of any undergrowth or hollow trees would be
detrimental for the animal species living in the reserve. Currently
there are Echidna’s, Brown Bandicoot’s, Long-Nosed Bandicoot’s,
Sugar Gliders, an extensive variety of birds and butterflies who rely
heavily on the plants in the Reserve and at times there have even been
Koalas seen in the Reserve. Due to urban development, this small
block of land is one of the only habitats left for these species of
animals in Highfields.
· There already a Nature Trail in place at the
Reserve that was officially opened in 2001 by Mayor Geoff Patch of the
Crows Nest Shire Council. This track has been maintained and travels
through the park with an exit option near the corner of O’Brien and
Polzin Roads. Anyone interested in travelling through the reserve to
enjoy the surrounding bushland can use this existing option.
· A cyclepath/footpath on the scale that the
Toowoomba Regional Council is proposing would be a very expensive and
un-necessary project that would effect all rate payers. Using an
existing kerb along O’Brien road for a footpath (similar to the
existing one on Rogers Drive) is a far more affordable option.
Street lighting is already in place along O’Brien Road on the
opposite side.
· Mrs Motee Rogers passed away in 1980 and Mr Rogers
in 1994. They did not have any children and do not have anyone who is
able to speak on their behalf about seeing that their wishes are
adhered to. This is your opportunity to preserve a rare natural area
of significance for your children, their children and future
generations to come.
Toowoomba Regional Councillors will VOTE on the proposed footpath and
tree clearance through the Charles and Motee Rogers Reserve this
coming Tuesday the 21st of January 2014. It is imperative that we
gain as many signatures as possible to the on-line petition. I have
had to set up an on-line petition rather than a paper one due to the
limited time left. Please forward this email to your friends and
family and encourage them to protect the communities natural assets by
signing the online petition. Councillor Bill Cahill will present the
petition on behalf of myself at the meeting on Tuesday. All
signatures are required by Monday Night the 20th of January.
I thank each and everyone of you for your support of this petition and
am very grateful in the support that I have received. I have heard
some wonderful stories about Mr and Mrs Rogers and feel that as a
community we have to make our voices heard.
I have set up a Facebook Page where you can follow any updates about
what is happening with the reserve. If you are a facebook user,
please go to the page and press the “Like” button as this will add
to our number of supports and will enhance how many people support the
preservation of the reserve. You can follow the facebook page
here: https://www.facebook.com/charlesandmoteerogersbushlandreserve
[3]
Here is the online petition link – please sign it as soon as
possible – every signature helps!
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields
[4]
Thank you,
Kind Regards
Judi Gray
PO Box 40
Highfields Qld 4352
[5]
0458155177"
Links:
------
[1]
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields
[2]
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields
[3] https://www.facebook.com/charlesandmoteerogersbushlandreserve
[4]
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields
[5]
_______________________________________________
Birding-Aus mailing list
To change settings or unsubscribe visit:
http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org
|
