Queensland Motorways is looking out for the environment while constructing Queensland’s biggest road and bridge infrastructure project, the Gateway Upgrade Project.
Local wildlife will be protected with fauna exclusion fencing installed along the southern Gateway Motorway. About 9km of chain wire fencing topped with flat metal panels to deter koalas and other animals from climbing, will be installed on both sides of the motorway between Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Road and the Old Cleveland Road interchange.
This section of motorway borders the Belmont Hills bushland reserves and the Koala Coast, both habitats for a range of native species such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and gliders.
The fencing will direct animals toward five dedicated underpasses that will offer safe thoroughfares for animals to move from one side of the motorway to the other.
Several measures have been implemented to minimise the potential for injury to wildlife and damage to their habitats during construction, including employment of a qualified wildlife spotter on site prior to and during clearing operations and temporary signage to warn drivers of fauna in the area.
Queensland Motorways is also rehabilitating 4.8 hectares of the Minnippi Parklands as part of an environmental offset for the impacts of the Gateway Upgrade Project.
The Gateway Upgrade Project has a dedicated Environmental and Community Relations Team working to minimise impacts on our waterways, flora and fauna during the life of the project and beyond.
An Environmental Impact Statement was developed and approved during the project planning phase. It examined specific impacts such as noise, air quality, water quality, flora, fauna and cultural heritage and identified appropriate mitigation strategies which were later set out in a detailed Environmental Management Plan.
The Environmental Management Plan is a series of plans that address issues such as:
- water quality, sediment and erosion control
- groundwater management
- noise and vibration
- air quality
- acid sulphate soils
- contaminated land
- fauna
- vegetation
- pests
- waste
- fuel and chemicals.
For more information go to www.qldmotorways.com.au or www.gatewayupgradeproject.com.au
For further information please contact:
Brooke Crosby, Marketing and Communication Officer, Queensland Motorways T: 3323 0353 E: bcrosby [at] qldmotorways [dot] com [dot] au
