Clearing begins for old mill site
Published 09 November 2026
- Council prepares for further development at Moreton Bay Central with localised vegetation clearing
- Industry leading conservation measures including thermal drones and telemetric monitoring will protect fauna
- More than 110 hectares across the former paper mill site has been conserved for wildlife and environmental corridors
City of Moreton Bay is preparing for the next phase of development at Moreton Bay Central.
Staged vegetation clearing of 12 hectares in portion of the site that backs onto the rail line will begin on Tuesday 10 November.
Moreton Bay Central is a significant Priority Development Area (PDA) in City of Moreton Bay, established to deliver long-term economic development outcomes anchored in education, innovation and advanced industry. The area being cleared has been development designated since 2017 and was the site of a former paper mill.
Moreton Bay Central in Petrie already houses UniSC, with works underway for a TAFE Queensland Centre of Excellence and the Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre, a key venue for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Vegetation clearing at Moreton Bay Central has been approved under the Federal Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC).
The approval establishes a framework for development with environmental protections in place, including a mandatory Koala Management Plan, habitat rehabilitation, monitoring and reporting.
City of Moreton Bay, as the EPBC approval holder, actively manages the environmental protection and legislative requirements including appointing experts to survey vegetation immediately before clearing, and fauna spotter catchers to oversee the work.
Council follows strict procedures and guidelines to ensure fauna protection and vegetation rehabilitation.
Industry leading koala conservation measures will be deployed during the works at Moreton Bay Central.
To enhance fauna welfare, koalas are being traced via telemetric tags that allow for monitoring of movements in ‘near real time’.
Complemented by the use of thermal drones, wildlife specialists are able to accurately identify the location of koalas during operational works, optimising their welfare during clearing activities.
More than 110 hectares across the former paper mill site has already been conserved for wildlife and environmental corridors, including 74 hectares of habitat adjacent to Yebri Creek and along the North Pine River, and additional koala habitat planting over 26 hectares, following the sites’ rehabilitation.
Across City of Moreton Bay, Council has secured protection of more than 280 hectares of koala nature refuges and supports habitat restoration and wildlife corridor connections, as well as a Green Infrastructure Program to build crossings, underpasses and koala fencing to protect fauna from vehicles.
City of Moreton Bay will continue to support wildlife conservation efforts across South East Queensland and remains committed to maintaining 75% of our City as rural and natural landscapes without urban development.