Project Case Study
Carindale Roadtek Fauna Underpass
Habitec has been involved with the Creek Road widening project in Carindale since its early stages, where works began with Roadtek to clear vegetation. Habitec worked closely to ensure all suitable trees were recycled for fauna movement solutions.
Landmark Environmental, in collaboration with RoadTek, Brisbane City Council and Habitec, was engaged to design and build a fauna underpass and refuge poles to improve the movement of Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) beneath Old Cleveland Road, Carindale. A total of 20 refuge poles, 50 meters of fauna ledge and 27 escape poles were created and installed throughout Brisbane city using timber recycled from this project.
This road is known to be a local hotspot for vehicle impacts with koalas passing along the corridor between Carindale Recreation Reserve and Quota Park.
This project aims to support safe movement of koalas and reduce the frequency of vehicle strikes which is a major risk for the survival of this iconic Australian species. This is now more important than ever with the recent uplisting of the koala from Vulnerable to Endangered under the federal EPBC Act.
The main weed species found at the site include Balloon Vine (Cardiospermum halicacabum), Cat’s Claw Creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati), Lantana (Lantana camara) and Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala). The Landmark team has removed the transformative vine species and woody weed species to reduce competition for native tree growth and seed bank germination.
The secondary component of the project was a revegetation element involving the installation of koala food trees, native shrubs and grasses to further enhance the wildlife corridor and provide easier access for koalas. This vegetation will also provide essential habitat for other fauna, such as small birds, reptiles, and insects.