Bushfire-ravaged Queensland rainforests given $4m recovery boost

Healthy Land and Water – an independent not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving and protecting south-east Queensland’s environment – will receive an additional $1.65 million to control foxes and cats on private properties adjacent to the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, and to prevent livestock entering the national parks.

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley, who was at the Gold Coast’s Currumbin Bird Sanctuary on Wednesday morning, announced the extra funds with federal Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud.

Queensland had previously received $1.95 million from the $200 million federal government bushfire recovery package, but more was indicated at a bushfire recovery forum in August.

The implications for the rare Gondwana rainforests were contained in an article published last month.

The federal government will give the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary an extra $802,000 for captive breeding programs for endangered native wildlife.

Ms Ley said the breeding program would help boost the number of eastern bristlebirds and critically endangered Kroombit tinker frogs, found in Kroombit Tops National Park near Gladstone.

“Captive breeding has become an important tool for conservationists post bushfires, helping to steady the numbers of endangered species like the endangered smoky mouse and regent honeyeater,” Ms Ley said.

“That is why I am pleased to announce that Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary will receive $802,000 to boost populations of the eastern bristlebird and Kroombit tinker frog,” she said.

“This will lead to a greater number of these threatened animals released back into their natural habitats.”

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The Australian government is investing $4.5 million in breeding programs for 11 bushfire-affected species to increase their numbers in captivity before they are released into the wild.

The Nationals’ deputy leader, Mr Littleproud, said the additional money would help a range of restoration and breeding projects identified since the bushfires.

The new investment was guided by a regional co-design workshop, held in August, which brought together natural resource management groups, traditional owner representatives, environmental organisations, scientists, wildlife experts, and governments to set priorities for the recovery to June 2022.

The Queensland Government was allocated $2.3 million of the Commonwealth Government’s phase two funding to recovery of identified priority areas in Main Range, Mount Barney and Lamington national parks and the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park.

In partnership with traditional owners, rangers will deliver fire management planning and implementation, weed and pest animal control in these areas, a spokeswoman said.

The state’s Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service concentrated on re-opening the national parks to re-build tourism and visitor infrastructure, she said.