Black Swan at Swan Lake, Port of Brisbane, Qld.

Swan Lake at Port of Brisbane Saved from Destruction

The Port of Brisbane’s proposal to ‘pave paradise and put up a parking lot’ is dead and buried.  The Newman Government listened to the public outcry over the threat to this important bird habitat and has knocked back development plans. 

In the months leading up to the state government’s pleasing decision, there were fears that Swan Lake, a man-made stormwater retention basin at the Port of Brisbane, would be paved over to provide parking space for 10 000 imported cars.  This would have been a disastrous loss of habitat for over 140 species of birds which are found there.

That this proposal will now not proceed is a wonderful testament to the strong campaigning of the Save Swan Lake Alliance of which Animal Liberation Qld was a part.  Along with groups such as Birds Qld and Wildlife Preservation Society, we urged our Facebook and email supporters to sign petitions opposing the destruction of the lake.  We also held an information stall at the Alliance’s Swan Lake Information Day on October 13.  Levels of media interest and public support were high throughout the campaign.

Save Swan Lake Alliance coordinator Mike West from Birds Qld said he was genuinely surprised by the government's decision as early predictions were grim.  He was thrilled and said Brisbane City Council should now be asked to keep the tourist centre at the lake and to promote it as a tourist centre.

Animal Liberation Qld is delighted to have been a part of this successful alliance - a victory for both people power and more than 1000 birds which call Swan Lake home every year.