News

Clean Up Australia Day		Come and help me clean up, fix up and conserve the environment by participating in the 2010 Clean Up Australia Day. Site Address: Tulloch Drive, Birkdale QLD 4159 Meeting Point: Meet near the children's playground on Tulloch Drive. Date: 7th March 2010 Time: 8:30am - 11:00am This will be a fun event where you can enjoy a morning amongst nature and preserve the environment at the same time. For more information please visit Tarradarrapin Wetland's Clean Up Australia Day website. p.s. Everyone is welcome and please feel free to bring a friend. :-)
Woodford  Folk Festival		Mark O'Connor, author of Overloading Australia, spoke at the Woodford Folk Festival on Monday 28th December. His books are available for purchase via his website: http://www.australianpoet.com/
***New Article***		26th December, 2009. New article added. Topic: Water and Population.
MERRY CHRISTMAS		2009 has been an eventful year, which has resulted in many changes. New groups and new friends have been formed, and my devotion to the environmental cause and my commitment to our community has dramatically increased. There are some special people who have helped me along the way and I would like to thank them for their friendship, understanding, encouragement...and patience. I would especially like to thank Jenny Miller, Michael Lusis, Boyd Essex, Jan Smith, Don Baxter, Baz Bardoe, Jane O'Sullivan, Nick Hoffmann, Robert Ashdown, Ken Sketcher, Mark O'Connor and Simon Baltais. Redlands is a wonderful place and full of amazing people and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Craig Ogilvie , Melva Hobson, Wendy Boglary Mark Robinson, Wendy Boglary, Scott Hogan, Mrs Claus (Linda Coady)		The Christmas spirit was alive and well last Thursday (10 December, 2009) at Wellington Point’s Village Green. Scott Hogan from Hogan’s Wellington Point Hotel remarked that it has been thirty years since the last community gathering at this location. While the elves were busy helping Santa Claus up at the North Pole, Mrs Claus (aka Linda Coady) entertained the children of Wellington Point by reading to them a Christmas story.   Laughter was heard throughout the night and residents had fun decorating their tables. Alistair Bye from Pizza Capers presented the winner for the best table to the Dunn family with a free pizza.   Two tireless volunteers for Cancer Council Queensland, June Craven and Barbara Waters, sold Christmas goodies with all proceeds supporting this good cause.   Many thanks must go to the wonderful volunteers who gave their time to help others, and special thanks must go to Cr Wendy Boglary who made this all possible.   On Thursday Redlanders came together as a community, celebrated an event and highlighted to all that the Redlands is alive and well.
		Today I came across a very sick koala. This koala’s eyes were inflamed, infected and heavily crusted. He was very skinny, had a dirty bottom, appeared to be very weak, and was sitting at a base of a tree and unable to climb. The thing that astounded me was that this particular koala was sitting right next to a busy walking path at Victoria Point, which attracts a large number of daily walkers. Judging by the number of droppings, this koala had been sitting there – in the same spot – for a good few days. It appears as if no-one had bothered to call for help. My heart went out for this little fellow so I contacted the Daisy Hill Koala Centre and within forty minutes two caring people came to the rescue. Sadly, the life of this particular koala hangs in the balance, but it could have been saved if someone simply called for help. Sick or injured koalas can be saved, but urgent action is required. Please phone if you see a koala in distress. Indicators of sickness include: Crusted, infected or inflamed eyes; Bleeding; A wet and dirty bottom; Sitting at the base of a tree for an extended period. However, phoning for help can be difficult as not everyone has these important numbers on hand, so I am urging everyone to take note of he below numbers and store them in your mobile phone - it could save the life of a koala. Please call the Daisy Hill Koala Centre between 8:00am and 4:00pm - phone 3290 9136. Or phone the 24-hour Redlands Wildlife Rescue on 3833 4031.
Joshua Miller holding his prize		Tarradarrapin Bushcare On Saturday, 15th November 2009, bushcare volunteers reopened an old bush track that was badly overgrown. Keeping with tradition, a lucky door prize was drawn. This month's prize was won by Joshua Miller from Logan city. For an hour and a half, Joshua pulled out weeds, cut overgrown vine, carted rubbish and trimmed trees. He is to be praised for his hard work and enthusiasm. This was our last bushcare meeting for the year, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my bushcare volunteers, supporters, friends and the companies who have generously donated gifts throughout the year. The Tarradarrapin Bushcare group is a fun and friendly group and everyone is welcome to join. We seem to discover something new at each bushcare meeting. We are very fortunate to have a wide variety of wildlife at Tarradarrapin. While there are a variety of available tasks, sometimes simply turning up and saying a quick hello can be the most helpful thing that a person can do. The support of the public encourages Tarradarrapin's dedicated bushcare workers. Cheers, Di.
Spiny Seastar Simon Baltais holding a hermit crab		Seagrass Watch Day to Blue Hole. On Saturday, 14th November 2009, volunteers from a variety of sites were treated to a Seagrass Watch day to the Blue Hole, near Moreton Island.  The day was a success and enjoyed by all.   We were fortunate to see an abundance of wildlife. Dolphins, dugongs, turtles and sting rays all swam past our boat, and once we disembarked, we came across crabs, sea stars, clams, anemones and a myriad of other creatures. Everyone wore a smile, had a laugh and enjoyed each others company - a good day all round. Thanks must be given to Paul Finn, Nick Hoffmann, Simon Baltais, and Nicola Udy and the staff from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. It was their hard work and great organisational skills that made this day a success. Additional wildlife photos can be found on the Aquatic Fauna and Flora page.
		Help Protect Australia's Coral Sea "The Coral Sea is a tropical marine jewel which lies east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It’s one of the last places on Earth where large marine animals can still be found in great numbers. Yet less than 1% of this Serengeti of the Seas is protected" (protectourcoralsea.org.au) Please sign the petition, tell your friends and pass on this important message.
		Urgent!!! Koalas need your help!  Please visit the Koala page.  Many thanks to the wonderful individuals and organisations who support the preservation of our iconic species.