Photos: Vikki Cox
BY VIKKI COX
I love where I live! My local bayside suburb of Lota is a slice of heaven that shields me from the hectic pace of a pandemic ridden world.
I recently joined the Bayside Wilderness Society and as a result became aware that the laws that offer our little paradise some protection from over-development etc., are being debated right now. In fact, a critical bill (National Standards and Assurances Bill) is currently before the Australian Senate as a precursor for the Federal Government handing decision making powers over to the states. This one little bill could determine what safeguards are in place to keep our special places safe. For our community that really matters.
Lota is a quiet little pocket on the foreshore of Moreton Bay with islands like sleeping giants out in the distance. There are parks with ancient trees holding on to life itself, that have guarded generations of nesting Lorikeet, Cockatoo, Corella, Gala and Boo Book owls, to name a few.
Our foreshore is host to some of the world’s greatest athletes – birds that fly a round trip of 26,000km from faraway places to feed and fatten on our rich and bountiful mud flats.
Cleverly planned are our parks, which provide a green space for everyone to enjoy and escape their built environments. It’s a space that allows us all to peacefully cohabite with wildlife at a respectable distance, of course. The problem is that it seems like more and more people want in, and while progress is important, it can’t be at the expense of what makes our shared home so special.
As I walk along the foreshore, I reflect on other places I have visited where people are not so lucky, places where they’ve seen their green spaces disappear. Sadly, I wonder if this is what the future is for our community, if the nature laws are not strong enough to protect the places we love for future generations. I remind myself that what our community has cannot be taken for granted and that I am not alone in wanting to protect it. I’m making a point of talking to people about this important issue, and I am heartened by just how much people care.
Together we are strong, and if we can spread the word about this important decision, we will make our voices heard.
