Residents in part of Nelly Bay have received notices in their letterboxes claiming that local Curlews are being poisoned . The person responsible for the claim is a longtime island resident . In southern parts of Australia these birds are regarded as a rarity . Media needs to follow this up as it is a hard news story .
Geoffrey Bay , promoted as an almost pristine stretch on Magnetic Island , has been the subject of deliberate attacks on vegetation planted to protect the foreshore and minimise erosion . In the process , plants worth at least $5000 have either been sprayed with poison or ripped out . After each act of deliberate vandalism , the Townsville City Council erected a sign warning that there has been illegal damage and that penalties apply. A telephone number is supplied on which to report suspicious activity. The TCC should be asked for full details and if it has questioned anybody / referred the matter to the police ; anybody reported suspicious activity ?
Despite two attacks, two signs being erected , the Townsville City Council did not issue a media statement about this unsatisfactory situation , the island described by the council as the Jewel in the Crown . Even so , you would think that an alert , in touch, Townsville media and the island's local community sheet would have picked up these attacks through hearsay , contacts , regular rounds (what?) ...even asking questions of TCC and police like : Anything of interest on Magnetic Island today ?
The signs declaring the attacks are near a track used by a large number of visitors. Initial authorised plantings were carried out by people with extensive experience in environmental work . Early in the process , they were approached by an aggressive man who demanded to know what they were doing ; later on he was joined by an abusive woman . The pair seemed concerned the vegetation would impair the view of the beach and across Cleveland Bay .
The plants were subsequently attacked, stakes pulled out over a period . That Geoffrey Bay needs foreshore protective work is self evident by the following photograph .
The signs declaring the attacks are near a track used by a large number of visitors. Initial authorised plantings were carried out by people with extensive experience in environmental work . Early in the process , they were approached by an aggressive man who demanded to know what they were doing ; later on he was joined by an abusive woman . The pair seemed concerned the vegetation would impair the view of the beach and across Cleveland Bay .
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View from Geoffrey Bay at low tide .
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Alma Bay , not far from Geoffrey Bay , recently got a mention because it has been listed in top 10 beaches . However, a visit to Alma a few days ago revealed many cuttlefish bones washed up on the beach with weed, a small section below .
