Up in flames: harrowing footage shows koala habitat burnt and bulldozed in Queensland

Today, new footage from the Wilderness Society and Queensland Conservation Council shows potential habitat for the endangered koala being deliberately burnt and bulldozed to make way for beef pastures. The footage comes just weeks before Queenslanders head to the polls for the state election, with both major parties yet to outline clear plans to protect and restore forests and bushland.

The burnt and bulldozed forest is likely habitat for numerous federally-listed Endangered species that rely on these decades-old regenerating forests for survival, including the Australian Painted Snipe, Koala, Greater Glider, Northern Quoll, Red Goshawk, and Star Finch.

Queensland is Australia’s most biodiverse state, however has the highest rate of deforestation and land clearing on the continent year on year. Between 2021-2022, 323,676 hectares, an area the size of more than 43,000 Suncorp Stadiums was bulldozed.

Wilderness Society analysis shows that in 2021, 75% of all ‘unregulated woody vegetation’ was at least 15 years old and therefore functioning forest ecosystems, consistent with High Value Regrowth regulated under the Queensland Vegetation Management Act. 90% of this deforestation was in threatened species habitat. The latest Queensland government data showed that 58% of deforestation and land clearing across the state occurred in vegetation that was over 15 years old. As functioning forest ecosystems, forests over 15 years old can be hollow-bearing, providing near-irreplaceable habitat for threatened species like koalas and gliders. These forests also act as carbon storage, helping to stabilise the climate.

Wilderness Society’s Queensland Campaigns Manager Hannah Schuch said that the harrowing footage is just one example of rampant forest and bushland destruction occurring in Queensland due to loopholes in state and federal laws.

These trees are decades old and home to an array of endangered species. The fact that they can be destroyed without so much as a look from the Queensland government is truly appalling.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. The majority of deforestation happening right now across Queensland is in regenerating forests that fly under the radar of Queensland’s vegetation management law. Even when their destruction might mean the loss of decades old hollows for native animals.

Some companies that source and sell beef like Woolworths and Aldi and international markets like the EU are going deforestation-free. Unless the Queensland government reins in deforestation of unique forests and bushland, they will only fall further behind–failing nature and regional Queenslanders.

As long as Queensland’s vegetation management law remains woefully inadequate, and the Commonwealth Government remains unwilling to enforce its own environment laws, we will continue to see horrifying destruction of native habitat like this.

Queensland Conservation Council Nature Campaigner Natalie Frost said,

This footage exposes the shocking truth of what’s happening throughout Queensland. Swift action is needed to not only protect the threatened animals that live in these forests but drive down the climate pollution that comes from deforestation.

Both major parties need to come clean on their plan to ensure that Queensland producers can still access markets and compete on the international stage as the world moves to deforestation free products.

It’s clear that Queensland laws and incentives to protect forests aren’t working. Whilst the LNP have committed to retain the current laws, they don’t have a plan to actually protect forests and woodlands and ensure that regional communities have access to high integrity incentives.

Under the former LNP government deforestation rates doubled, leading to more than half a million more hectares bulldozed in just one term of government and a doubling of koala deaths.

With the state election just weeks away, both major parties need to be clear about their plans to protect Queensland’s iconic forests, home to koalas and greater gliders.

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