Gold Coast acquires new land for conservation
The City of Gold Coast has recently acquired a new parcel of land as part of its Natural Areas Acquisition Program.
The 143-hectare area – a major habitat for Glossy Black Cockatoos and koalas – is located in Mount Nathan, within the Clagiraba to South Moreton Bay Wildlife Corridor.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the area’s large size and strategic location made it a prime candidate for the program.
“Our latest land acquisition will provide a critical link between Nerang National Park in the northeast and Lower Beechmont Conservation Area in the south,” Mayor Tom Tate said.
The Natural Areas Acquisition Program has purchased over 322.7 hectares of land across eight properties since 2021. The city now holds over 14,000 hectares of conservations sites spread out across 800 nature reserves.
You might like
The Natural Areas Acquisition Program links environmentally rich land with the city’s biodiversity network, ensuring long-term protection and wildlife pathways. The program is funded by the City’s Open Space including Koala Habitat Maintenance and Enhancement Separate Charge levy.
Other initiatives restoring natural habitats across the Gold Coast include private land partnerships and natural area reserve management.
These efforts tie in with the Council’s ‘Naturally Unique’ and Our Natural City Strategy 2032 plans. Since 2013, the Gold Coast has been working towards a goal of connecting and restoring 51 percent of native vegetation cover in the region into open area assets.
Mayor Tom Tate said the city was slowly but surely getting closer to this goal.
