11/06/2024

Media Release: Stop Lotus Creek wind farm, Central Qld

Now is the time to shut down the Lotus Creek wind farm!

Our iconic Endangered koalas need their climate refugia habitat conserved. It's not too late for Minister Plibersek to do the right thing and put a stop to this project.

Shamefully the Qld state gov have just announced they will allocate $500 million of taxpayer dollars towards building the Lotus Creek wind farm on critical koala habitat - disgraceful in an extinction crisis. This must be stopped.

Construction of the Lotus Creek wind farm is destroying the critical habitat of the thriving onsite koala population. Each and every koala matters in this extinction crisis. Destroying their old growth habitat is beyond disgraceful. Clearing rare old growth forest to "save the environment" makes no sense!

Koalas need their specific feeding trees, otherwise they starve. If relocated, koalas will most often perish. We need to speak up for them now because the Lotus Creek koala colony cannot protect itself. Their habitat at Lotus Creek wind farm site needs saving. This habitat must be left intact.

The nearest vet clinic able to care specifically for koalas is at Australia Zoo, approx 800 km away. Who will care for koalas hurt by clearing of their trees? Are qualified wildlife carers onsite, and if so, how will they care for a critically injured koala who really needs a hospital?

All in all, the Lotus Creek wind farm will involve the decimation of 341.36 ha of Koala habitat, 16.39 ha of Squatter Pigeon breeding habitat; 32.35 ha of Squatter Pigeon foraging habitat; and 48.75 ha of Greater Glider habitat. 55 wind turbines will be installed on habitat critical to their survival. Raptors will become victims of turbine strike and bats too in this high biodiversity landscape.

We visited the Lotus Creek wind farm site ourselves and couldn't believe the abundant nature we found. We easily spotted koalas up trees. Other threatened species such as the greater glider live in peace here. Here in these remote and peaceful climbs, nature is flourishing. Now let's leave it alone.

After seeing so many koalas firsthand, we wept bitter tears at finding out the wind farm had been approved.

Now we need to stand up to say NO to this ecocide before it is too late for our threatened wildlife. Let's make our voices heard and let Minister Plibersek know Lotus Creek wind farm needs to be stopped.

Please contact us at info@rainforestreserves.org.au to arrange an interview.