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Australia Day Award Nominations are OPEN!

Nominate someone today who has made a significant contribution to the Lockyer Valley community! Applications close Monday, 9 December. For more information and to apply, click here.

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Wildlife

If you find sick or injured wildlife, call 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625)

Koalas

Koalas are widely distributed across the Lockyer Valley region. Throughout South East Queensland, koalas are listed as Endangered under both State and Federal legislation and face a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Koalas are difficult to see. If you go searching for koalas, look for these signs that show a koala might be in the area:

  • scratch marks on trees (these may also be from goannas or possums).
  • Koala scats (poo) around the base of trees (they are bullet-shaped and smell of eucalyptus if they are fresh). To learn how to identify koala scat, please visit What scat is that?
  • Listen for the bellow of the male koala during breeding season.
Threats

The biggest threats to koalas are habitat loss, disease, vehicle strikes and dog attacks. Download this poster and go to wildlifewater.com.au for information on what to do if you see a koala and how you can help them.

How can I help koalas?
  1. Watch this video.
  2. Tell your neighbours when you spot a koala in your street or suburb, to help spread awareness in your community.
  3. When driving at dusk or dawn, slow down and watch out for koalas on the move, especially during breeding season from July to January. Be careful around corners, crests and in areas with roadside vegetation. If you see wildlife on the road at night, slow down, sound your horn and dim your lights.
  4. Know what to do if you find a sick or injured koala .

5. Scan or click (or click and hold) on this QR code to save the local Lockyer Valley wildlife carers' contact details.

6. Create a koala-friendly backyard.

7. Keep your dog contained at night either in a kennel or inside. Learn more about the benefits of crate training at Is your dog crate trained? | LeaveIt.

8. If you have room, plant koala-friendly trees in your backyard. Contact Council at communitywellbeing@lvrc.qld.gov.au for a list of suggested tree species.

9. Always walk your dog on a leash.

10. Learn more about training your dog to avoid wildlife with the Leave It program and click here to register your interest in any future wildlife avoidance training workshops.

11. Support wildlife carers in your region.

12. Become a wildlife carer yourself. Watch this video to see what it's like as a local wildlife carer.

13. Report koala sightings and photos to iNaturalist or on the QWildlife app.

14. For more information about koalas, please visit Queensland Government - Koalas or wildlifewatcher.com.au.

Flying-foxes

Flying-foxes are the largest flying mammal in Australia and are critical to the survival of Eucalypt forests and the overall health of the ecosystems. Every day on dusk, flying-foxes leave their roosts to feed on flowering or fruiting plants and trees.

Flying foxes are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, with some species listed as vulnerable under federal legislation. There are three species of flying-foxes that occur in the Lockyer Valley - the grey-headed flying fox, black flying fox and little red flying fox.

Council understands the community can sometimes experience negative impacts from flying-fox roosts and have adopted a Management of Flying-fox Roosts Policy and the associated Regional Flying-fox Management Plan. These two documents aim to balance the impacts of flying-fox roosts on public health, amenity and critical infrastructure with conservation considerations in a long-term, holistic and balanced way. This Statement of Management Intent summarises the Regional Flying-fox Management Plan by clearly setting out Council’s policy position and documenting its roles and responsibilities.

If you see a sick or injured flying-fox – DO NOT TOUCH IT.

For helpful information on what to do when living near flying-foxes and how to safely and correctly dispose of a dead flying-fox, please read our factsheet.

If a flying-fox is alive and in distress (sick, injured, coming to the ground, flying around erratically) do not attempt to assist the animal yourself. Phone:

Magpies and Plovers

Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) and masked lapwings/plovers (Vanellus miles) are Australian native animals and are protected by State legislation.

Individual magpies and plovers will occasionally defend the immediate area around their nests with great determination. Walkers and cyclists entering these areas can experience swooping or even pecking.

You can report swooping magpies or plovers to Council for temporary signs to be installed to warn others.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) has some useful information and advice relating to Magpies and Plovers.

Fire Ants

Non-native

Fire Ants are a risk to the economic and agricultural status of the Lockyer Valley. Residents and businesses are urged to be aware of the current status of the Fire Ant program and the effects it has on homes, businesses and agricultural production.

Further information can be found on the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries website.

Indian Mynas

Non-native

Indian or Common Mynas (Acridotheras tristis), not to be mistaken with the native Noisy minors, are a member of the starling family and were introduced into Australia to control insect pests in market gardens. They are now prevalent in many parts of eastern Australia and are commonly associated with urban or developing areas.

For more information about Indian Mynas, you can refer to the RSPCA website.

What Council is doing?

In April 2021, Council adopted an environment strategy that identified natural assets, sustainable development and land management as pillars. This strategy sets a way forward for Council to continue to implement actions that support positive environmental outcomes, such as:

New Developments

Council is constantly working on refining its planning and environmental policies. Development approvals are conditioned to ensure wildlife habitat and movement are considered in the design, construction and operation of the site. Conditions often include habitat tree retention, restoration works, wildlife friendly boundary fencing, wildlife exclusion fencing where dogs are kept, wildlife crossings and signage.

Restoration

Through Resilient Rivers funding, grant funding and Council's Environment Levy, wildlife habitat is being restored throughout the Lockyer Valley Regional Council area through weed management, cool cultural burning and tree planting.

Supporting the community

Council is dedicated to raising community awareness of local wildlife populations and movement during breeding season. It supports the community to protect and restore habitat through the Land for Wildlife Program and restore habitat and care for wildlife through the Community Environmental Grants program.

Collaboration

Council collaborates with the State Government, other councils, NRM groups, universities and community groups to deliver a range of planning, policy, research, monitoring and delivery projects related to protecting and restoring wildlife and their habitat.

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