Welcome to SEQCA’s Autumn /Winter 2025 newsletter
SEQCA is an umbrella organisation comprising not-for-profit organisations and individuals interested in planning and development issues across the SEQ region. If you care about a sustainable future for the communities, spaces and places of SEQ then SEQCA wants to hear from you!
The items in this newsletter reflect SEQCA’s goals to promote development that: fast tracks to sustainability (water-wise and climate positive); pursues resilience; defends our greenspace and secures what we value locally. We advocate for more transparent forms of governance and meaningful participation to help realise these goals.
In the aftermath of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, we have two articles of particular interest: an overview of the Heat and Hazards program supported by peak regional conservation councils in Queensland and an interview with a recipient of the Resilient Homes Fund.
The Heat and Hazards campaign raises the importance of urban greening as a low-cost path to increasing resilience for humans and nature. The need for urban greening is an issue also highlighted in Dr Neil Peach’s update on regional planning in SEQ and in Professor Foth’s article in The Conversation about the 2032 Olympics, accessible below if you have not already seen it. Urban greening is an issue that is not going to go away. It’s a point we’ll be raising in our submission on the
Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 which will be available on our web site shortly. Look out for more SEQCA news about urban greening and the 2032 Olympics soon. In the meantime, here’s a reflection on the Brisbane Expo in 1988 and how it changed the city. Are there any lessons here for legacy planning for the Olympics I wonder?
Our in-house statistician and SEQCA President, Chris Walker, has unpacked the latest trends in migration into SEQ for us and raised for consideration the impact this will have on the region’s infrastructure needs.
Our last short article is by Harry Audus who provides a fascinating discussion of natural burial. I already feel more serene after reading this. Our treasurer, Elizabeth Handley confirms that feeling after recently attending her friend’s natural burial. Be sure to read her personal note at the end of Harry’s article. Something for us all to think about in a quiet moment.
SEQCA chose not to actively comment in the run up to the federal election. We congratulate the Labor party on its recent electoral success and look forward to hearing more about its Household Battery Saver Scheme and its plan for legislating for an independent Environment Protection Agency. For any readers interested in learning more about household batteries, you may be interested in this piece written by an industry stalwart about the comparatives price of a range of popular household batteries before and after applying the federal rebate.
Notices and contributions from our member organisations include an interesting project led by the Spring Hill Community Group and, if you are concerned about airport noise across Brisbane, a request from Professor Foth to forward your concerns to our political leaders in Canberra. BFPCA has provided some templates to help you.
From the Gold Coast, Gecko Environment Council has shared its concerns about the proposed cableway for Springbrook National Park. The Queensland Government’s recent discussion paper, Destination 2045: Queensland’s Tourism Future, indicates there’s a lot of current interest in eco-tourism opportunities – let’s make sure this enthusiasm doesn’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg. You can read SEQCA’s submission on that Discussion Paper here.
You can keep up to date with SEQCA stories and events by following the SEQCA Facebook page. We hope you’ll visit us on Facebook soon.
Happy reading everyone from the team at SEQCA!
Short articles
The Heat and Hazards campaign by Sara Hicks
Queensland Resilient Homes Fund: One recipient’s experience by Dr Philippa England
Bioregional planning update by Dr Neil Peach
by Professor Foth
SEQ Population Growth by Chris Walker (SEQCA President)
Back to Nature by Harry Audus (Moreton CAN President)
News and views from member organisations
Spring Hill Green Infrastructure Project and ‘Pilot Project’ to Investigate Green Walkways
by Dr Neil Peach (SHCG /BRU)
Proposed cableway for Springbrook National Park by Gecko Environment
Opportunities to comment
Please support the current BFPCA campaign putting our politicians on notice. It only takes 30 seconds to fire off an email, as we’re pre-written the text for you: https://bfpca.good.do/failures/2025/
Click here to view SEQCA’s Have Your Say section
Date claimers
Sunday 22 June 2025
Zero Emissions Noosa EV and Electrify Everything Expo
See here for further details.
Tuesday 24 June 2025
Morning in Conversation with SEQCA: Details yet to be confirmed.