We read the article in Gympie Today about re-instating the Environment Levy and as a ratepayer with a property registered with Land for Wildlife in Gympie, we are totally supportive of the Environment Levy being made available for projects that benefit biodiversity in our region.
Our property at Mothar Mountain was one of the first to be registered on the Gympie council’s Land for Wildlife program over 20 years ago.
Since then, we have worked hard removing weeds including Cat’s Claw Creeper, and planted hundreds of local native plants, mostly purchased from local suppliers including Landcare.
We consider ourselves privileged to have koalas on our property, as well as kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, possums, and gliders.
We love seeing and hearing all the different species of birds including the owls and tawny frogmouths at night.
We also have healthy populations of various lizards and snakes, as well as turtles in our dam.
Over the years, we’ve learned so much from workshops and field days organised by Landcare, the council, the MRCCC, and from other landholders in the Land for Wildlife program.
It’s our understanding that most of these workshops, and the Land for Wildlife program itself were funded through the environment levy.
We feel we are contributing not only to improving biodiversity and habitat for wildlife, but we are also contributing to local businesses, buying plants, mulch, tools, and supplies locally.
We certainly don’t begrudge paying $40 a year for the environment levy when it brings so many benefits not just to us, but to the world of the Gympie region.
We, however, think it’s unfair that the council moved the levy into the General Rates, and now, it seems, has nothing to show for it.
– S & T Noonan,
Mothar Mountain.
