Work has begun to clear 370 acres of land in West Logan to make way for a large industrial area, dealing another blow to residents who have been fighting to preserve the area's fauna and flora for 17 years.
The area at North Maclean is home to numerous threatened and endangered species like koalas, spotted tail quolls and cockatoos, as well as kangaroos and wallabies.
Logan Albert Conservation Association president Anne Page said the community's concerns had fallen on deaf ears.
"I've been here for more than 31 years now and I'm really angry that the community has been voicing these fears, making every effort that they can at state and federal level, and no-one is listening," Ms Page said.
"People are very concerned at this loss of biodiversity that we're experiencing.
"I'm past that point. I'm distressed, I'm upset, and I'm angry."
A spokesperson for Economic Development Queensland, the government body that approved the site, said it was being developed for industry and business purposes, and environmental concerns had been accounted for.
"This area will support the creation of jobs for the Priority Development Area (PDA) and surrounding communities," he said.
"In relation to wildlife, a biodiversity corridor will run from the north-west to the southern part of the PDA, with eventual line-up to the Logan River corridor.
"This corridor is generally consistent with the location of Logan City Council's identified biodiversity corridor.
"The width of this corridor will be based on ecological reports submitted with development applications."
Doubts raised over sustainability planning
The biodiversity corridor is based in Ipswich, about 38 kilometres away from the original habitat.
Dr Ali Chauvenet from Griffith University's School of Environment and Science raised concerns over its viability.
"This one appears to be fairly small and fragmented, and the point of a corridor is that it's supposed to connect habitat for wildlife to move through," Dr Chauvenet said.
"It's not entirely clear if this corridor will be able to function that way.
"And one thing about a smallish, fragmented area is that we know that even though to start with species may be able to use it, eventually something called an extinction debt happens, which is that species don't have enough area to survive there in the long term.
"So to start with, species may be able to move into that and then eventually that may not be enough to sustain populations that were there before."
Locals dispute MP's stance
State MP for Logan, Linus Power, said he understood the community's concerns.
"I have always listened to locals, balancing the needs for jobs generation in local planning and the local environment," Mr Power said.
"I want to see limits on the development and to have buffers and tree screening between housing and future light industry in North Maclean.
"Locals also tell me that they would like to see jobs locally rather than having to drive long distances to workplaces."
But local resident and Land4Wildlife member Bev Brett said she and others felt ignored by bureaucrats.
"When you go out there and look at all that land, it's gut wrenching, it's really heartbreaking," Ms Brett said.
"They don't know what they're destroying because they haven't come out, they've never been here, so I don't think you can make a decision without seeing it first.
"If they came and talked to the neighbours and talked to people that live here, everyone will say the same thing, nobody supports it."
Ms Page said what was happening in North Maclean could happen anywhere.
"What we have to realise is that no-one's looking after protecting biodiversity.
"If you don't stand up and fight, it's not going to be there.
"The community here for 17 years has been actively trying to protect this area and no level of government is listening.
"If that doesn't inspire you to actually get going and try to save what's in your local area, I don't know what will."
Community opposition at every level
The site at North Maclean is part of an 1,100-acre rural-residential area, first selected for development in 1996 by the now defunct Beaudesert Shire Council.
Prior to this, it was considered incompatible with rural residential uses.
It then formed part of the south-east Queensland Regional Plan in 2005, a framework for the region to support sustainable growth, global economic competitiveness and high-quality living.
After community lobbying, the Beaudesert Shire Council withdrew its support for the development in 2008, stating it was surplus to requirements.
But in 2009, after local council amalgamations, Logan City Council refrained from requesting the removal of the industrial area.
Clearing at the North Maclean development started in early August, after the proposal proceeded through various government planning and submissions stages, and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
