The Queensland Conservation Council believes they should all be reimagined as environmental tourism drawcards – within 30 minutes of the CBD – for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Brisbane has three major environment centres:Boondall Wetlands,Downfall Creek at Chermside West and Karawatha Forest in Karawatha near Stretton and Underwood.
Staff from the Boondall Wetlands centre may be relocated to operate the Planetarium at Mt Coot-tha.Brisbane City Council
Each has walking trails through different ecosystems – Boondall has wetlands and wet sclerophyll forests,Downfall Creek has small patches of rainforest and dry sclerophyll forest,while Karawatha has koala eucalypts.
However,Boondall Wetlands has had its opening hours cut back from July 6 and Downfall Creek no longer opens on weekends. A spokeswoman for lord mayor Adrian Schrinner rejected rumours of.
QCC’s director Dave Copeman said he was worried the reduced hours were “the thin edge of the wedge”.
Many endangered species – including koalas,sugar gliders and birds – can be found at Downfall Creek.Tony Moore
“Brisbane City Council should be doing more to engage people in conservation and environment issues,not less,” he said.
“We are facing increasing pressures on housing and I would be concerned that at a time when council facilities like Boondall,Downfall Creek and Karawatha should be inspiring more people to learn more about our incredible nature in south-east Queensland,they are actually winding them back.”
Copeman said each should be boosted for tourists – perhaps with Queensland government help – because they offered glimpses of Queensland’s original wilderness close to the CBD.
“It would definitely be an opportunity for the[2032] Games and the best ambassadors for the Games will be Brisbane people,” he said.
“But they have got to know about our beautiful heritage.
“I would be concerned that there is an attitude in council that they don’t want people activated around their forests and their parkland and protecting them.”
The issue of Brisbane’s three environment centres facing reduced hours was raised by Brisbane City Council’s opposition leader Jared Cassidy a fortnight ago.
“I have been advised that the Boondall Wetlands Environment Centre will have its weekend hours slashed from July 6 and will now only be opened from 9am until 12pm,” he said in a question to environment committee chair Tracy Davis on June 4.
Rare wetlands at the Boondall Wetlands Environment Centre where the Labor opposition says opening hours are being restricted because of budget cuts.Tony Moore
“I have already been contacted by distraught volunteers,who think this is a terrible decision.”
“Are you doing this as part of your so-called sensible savings?” he added,referring to council’s decision to.
Brisbane Times on Friday received an internal council email confirming Boondall’s reduced hours.
Cassidy also referred to the environment centre cutbacks in his budget reply speech last week.
“With close to council services are being wound back,environment centres closing their doors,waste services being cancelled,and concrete orders are being cut back.”
Davis said no jobs would be lost,nor volunteer hours reduced.
“My understanding is that some of those casuals may be relocated to assist with the Planetarium at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens,” Davis said.
“But I can assure the councillor that no hours will be reduced for any of those staff.”
While two of council’s three environment centres are closed on weekends the walking trails and car parks remain open.
