Ipswich in Autumn 2021

PRIME LAND ACQUIRED FOR EXTENDED CONSERVATION ESTATE

Ipswich City Council has purchased 65 hectares of prime conservation land at Woolshed, which will be added to the Mount Grandchester Conservation Estate. Council had been working with the owners for some time and the acquisition was confirmed in January. The Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy funds will be used to purchase the land. Mayor Teresa Harding said the land purchase will deliver on council’s commitment to preserve and protect our natural environment and cultural heritage, and create opportunities for environmental tourism. “We are delighted to secure this land for the community. It is important not only for Ipswich, but for all of South East Queensland,” she said. “This will increase the capacity for nature-based recreation activities and enhances visitor experience when the estate is activated and developed.

“It also secures and actively restores vegetation containing unique patches of rocky outcrops and habitat areas for significant species, including

the vulnerable koala and glossy-black cockatoo.

“It will protect Aboriginal cultural heritage landscape values as well as aesthetic values along the regional significant Little Liverpool Range corridor.” The council acquisition will double the width of the protected area for the north-south wildlife movement corridor at its narrowest “pinch” point to 1,000m from the current 400m. Wider protected and managed corridors support safer movement for wildlife through the landscape. It also increases the size of the Mount Grandchester Conservation Estate by 7 per cent to 1,042ha.

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