Plan to address the ‘Triangle of Death’ for koalas

A SERIES of fauna crossings will address one of Brisbane's worst corridors for koala deaths.

A small section of Creek Rd linking the Bulimba Creek corridor to Salvin Creek and Whites Hill Reserve from Donnington St to Pine Mountain Rd was the site of 20 koala deaths in 2018.

The site is one corner of the so-called Triangle of Death for koalas.

Chandler councillor Ryan Murphy confirmed this week $16,000 had been allocated to draft designs for koala crossing furniture at about four culverts under the section of Creek Rd.
Cr Murphy said he and Holland Park Councillor Krista Adams had pooled Suburban Enhancement Funds for the wards to commission design works for the fauna crossings for koalas under Creek Rd.

One very lucky koala was photographed in 2019 crossing six lanes at the intersection of Creek Rd and Pine Mountain Rd in the early hours. An hour later and the intersection, now being investigated for fauna crossing work, was choked with traffic.

The area is where an off-duty policeman photographed a koala crossing the busy intersection at Creek and Pine Mountain roads (above), an image that went viral on social media last year after being published by Quest Newspapers.

"This is a major connection. A significant amount of fauna movement already occurs under those culverts," Cr Murphy said.

"We want to change this from being a Triangle of Death to a passageway for koalas where they are safe."

The project would include fencing off bushland to discourage koalas from crossing the busy road.

Bulimba Creek Catchment co-ordinator Wayne Cameron at one of the culverts investigated for fauna crossing furniture at Creek Rd and Donnington St, Carindale. Picture: AAP/Renae Droop

B4C catchment co-ordinator Wayne Cameron said the crossings would be complemented by works being undertaken by B4C under the Federal Government Communities Environment Program to revegetate sites either side.

"Wildlife is already moving through there," he said.

"We are just trying to get certain species that are reluctant to use it, to use it, like koalas. Swamp wallabies in particular, red wallabies, ground fauna like bandicoots and dunnarts use these crossings.

"This is a chance to create a strategic catchment link between a natural area, Whites Hill and the main creek corridor, Bulimba Creek."