The plight of power

Powerlink, a corporation owned by the Queensland State Government, have imposed a proposal which will damage one of the most pristine wildlife areas in South East Queensland.

The plan is to construct a high voltage transmission line and fossil fuel based sub-station in through the Noosa hinterland between Cooroy and Eumundi.

A short description of their project is outlined on their website.

“To meet the growing demand for electricity in the large area comprising the northern Sunshine Coast and Gympie and surrounds, Powerlink is undertaking an Environmental Impact Study for a future powerline from its existing substation at Woolooga (north-west of Gympie) to a new substation at Eerwah Vale (presently named Cooroy South). The project is needed to ensure a reliable electricity supply into the future for the large area encompassing the Maroochy River north to Tin Can Bay, west as far as Amamoor, Imbil and Kenliworth, and to the towns of Gympie, Rainbow Beach and Noosa.”

Constructing a powerline through this area will result in a 60m wide strip of deforestation from Cooroy to Eumundi. The area is part of the protected Noosa Biosphere, recognized by UNESCO, and is a nature corridor for Australian fauna including koalas, possums, birds and wallabies.

Nature corridors are extremely valuable for the survival of our native species as they provide strips of habitat for animals to use to travel from one place to another. Our threatened fauna are not stationary and cannot survive if cut off in to one small area, they need to be able to move around to find shelter, food and mates.

There is a significant population of koalas that live in this area and their future is now threatened. It has been estimated that the koala will become extinct in Queensland within a few years if projects like these do not stop immediately.

To learn more, watch this short video by clicking here.