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ANTHROPOGENIC NOISE AND BIRDS    Dr Helen K Larson

7/1/2021

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Photo Jeff Larson
The proposed heliport in Mission Beach, when operating, will create considerable loud noise from the industrial helicopters at irregular times seven days a week, during daylight. The proposed heliport is to be sited among known cassowary corridors (albeit fragmented).

Cassowaries are diurnal birds and walk considerable distances in search of food, so anything that disrupts their normal behaviour and movement may have a negative effect. Anthropogenic noise pollution is a relatively recent phenomenon that birds now have to cope with throughout much of the world, and investigators have recently found that responses to this include avoidance of noisy areas, changes in reproductive success, and changes in calls and singing (Ortega 2012). 
While there have been no studies carried out specifically on cassowary responses to loud or constant anthropogenic noise, there have been several carried out on two of their closest relatives, the emu and ostrich, under captive conditions, in which emus showed ​​behaviours indicating stress and agitation (e.g. Jakob-Hoff et al 2019). A study of birds’ reactions to constant traffic noise through good habitat showed that constant noise degrades that habitat that is otherwise suitable, and that the presence of a species does not indicate the absence of a negative effect (the bird is just tolerating the noise) (Ware et al. 2015).

​​Cassowaries’ hearing has not been studied but it is known that they produce very low-frequency sounds as long-distance communication in the forest (Mack and Jones 2003). It is unknown how these sounds travel in a noisy environment. It has been observed that cassowaries respond to helicopter noise in a panicked way – Jeff Larson photographed an adult bird running in fear from a military helicopter flying overhead in Wongaling Beach on 17 April 2014 (2 of the 4-photograph sequence below).

Birdlife Australia Guardian, Coastal Wet Tropics Key Biodiversity Area.
Curator Emeritus, Fishes, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
Research Associate, Museum of Tropical Queensland, Townsville, Qld
Co-chair, Goby Group of the Marine Fish Red List Authority, International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Dr Helen K. Larson
65 Reid Road, Wongaling Beach, Qld 4852
Email: eviotahkl@gmail.com
REFERENCES: 
Jakob-Hoff, R.1., Kingan, M., Fenemore, C., Schmid, G., Cockrem, J.F., Crackle, A., Van Bemmel, E., Connor, R., and Descovich, K. 2019. Potential Impact of Construction Noise on Selected Zoo Animals. animals 9(8): 1-25.
Mack, A.L. and Jones, J. 2003. Low-Frequency Vocalizations by Cassowaries (Casuarius spp.). The Auk 120 (4): 1062-1068.
Ortega, C.P. 2012. Effects Of Noise Pollution On Birds: A Brief Review Of Our Knowledge. Ornithological Monographs 74: 6–22.
Ware et al. 2015. A phantom road experiment reveals traffic noise is an invisible source of habitat degradation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
 112(39): 12105-12109.   ​
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Photo Jeff Larson
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Photo Jeff Larson - detail "Bird upside down, feet in air, in ditch after slipping on road in fear".
​“Photos I took while an Australian Army helicopter flew overhead as I was watching a cassowary deciding what to do from inside the fence of the Happy Days farm on Wheatley road. The helicopter came over and the bird immediately tore through the fence and across the road slipping in the act, falling over and sliding into the grass verge on the other side of the road. It then got up and quickly shot into the forest. If a vehicle had been coming the bird probably would have been killed. 5:05pm on the 17th of April 2014.”
​
​(in litt. J. Larson 7 December 2020).
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Photo Jeff Larson

More information on aviation facility
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Community calls for council to listen to the people

4/1/2021

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​Media Release 3 January 2021

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Residents of Mission Beach  are  calling for  the council  to listen to the people and deny approval of  a proposed  aviation facility being located  in the centre of their quiet tourism town.

Almost  200 concerned Mission Beach residents gathered at the village Progress Hall early this afternoon to  express their concern that the CCRC councilors have not listened to the community when  recommending the approval of a Material Change of Use (MCU) for an Aviation Facility on agricultural land.

​The community hall spilled beyond capacity as r
esidents queued at the 'sign in' waiting to hear more about a proposed development they say will threaten their peaceful lifestyle and the towns tourist appeal. 
 It was standing room only as community members listened to the guest speakers talk about the impact of the development on the  peace and quiet,  the community sense of place, loss of agricultural land and the cassowary,

​Biologist Nigel Tucker highlighted the high environmental values and importance to cassowaries of the habitat around and through the proposed development site. 

Nigel, who has carried out studies of the coastal lowland habitat surrounding the proposed development site over the  the last 40 years, questioned why there had not been any State or Federal Environment Department  involvement in the assessment process.
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​Peter Rowles from C4 outlined  the details of the proposed aviation facility and the impact it would have on the  sensitive environment,  the residents and township of Mission Beach.

​Peter encourages the Cassowary Coast Regional Council to work with the proponent to find a more suitable location for the development.
Liz Gallie of Mission Beach Cassowaries said  “There is more protection in the Planning Scheme for Art Deco architecture than there is for the cassowary at Mission Beach”.  Liz is calling for a Master Plan to identify and protect the intrinsic values of Mission Beach during the revision of the Planning Scheme.
​

Liz questions the local council’s Development Incentive Plan which she said appears to allow any development  at any location despite inconsistencies with the Planning Scheme. “The council is not listening to the  people". said Liz. "Inappropriate development is impacting on the character of beautiful Mission Beach"  Liz continued, “We are losing ‘the magic’ and along with it our sense of community identity”
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​Award winning exotic fruit farmer and Fruit Forest Farm tourism operator,  Peter Salleras said it is crucial agricultural land is not developed, denying  future possibilities of food production.

Peter who is a third generation local farmer showcased his highly successful farm tourism business as an example of how  diversification and a boutique approach to farm practices is an alternative to  traditional approaches to rural  land use.
​
Peter said  "The  current process  doesn't  value  small areas for food production. We must get away from the idea that  we can only grow sugar and cavendish bananas. They  are low value broad acre crops". 
"There are endless opportunities for high value crops in this part of the world such as flowers, chocolate, vanilla, medical crops etc. said Peter "The proposed  development site has 'phenomenal possibilities  with the  sea breezes creating an excellent  microclimate for niche crops and the added possibility of a roadside stall. 

Peter also questioned why the councillors did not attend the meeting. "Decisions are being made that have a big impact on 'our place' that don't involve the community" said Peter. "Over time we have witnessed destruction of some of the unique features of our area such as the canopy licuala forest drive at the entrance to Mission Beach" 
​

"Increased air noise pollution from skydiving activities is already impacting on our quiet lifestyles" Peter said." It would be an idiotic decision to put a helicopter aviation facility at the proposed location.   "This place is too good to waste on stupidity like this" said Peter, "If we don't stand up now we will definitely regret it".  

​
The community is questioning why the council would consider approval of a high impact industrial development in the middle of a tourist destination reliant on its reputation as a quiet peaceful village.

“If an industrial  helicopter  business is allowed to go ahead at the current location it will mean the beginning of the industrialization of Mission Beach, the end of our peace and quiet and visitors who come to Mission for a relaxing  holiday" said Liz.

Councilors were invited to the meeting to listen to the communities concerns but declined saying they were unable to attend any meetings held by opponents or proponents due to the fact the matter is currently before council.

A website has been launched  as part of a campaign against a material change of use from agricultural land for a high impact industrial development in the heart of Mission Beach. 
​More information can be found on www.aviation-facility.weebly.com
Ends

Contact:
Liz Gallie 0414 402 315
Peter Rowles  0429 179 152
​Peter Salleras  0429 194 710
Cassowary Coast Regional Council Mayor Mark Nolan 0400 440 837

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