Turtle season
Turtle nesting season is here so from November to May, please look out for turtle tracks, new nests and emerging hatchlings. If you do see signs of turtles on our beaches, please watch your step and contact Coolum and North Shore Coast Care on 0478 435 377. You can help the turtles by keeping our beaches clean and switching off your outside lights from 8pm.
Turning off your lights helps as nesting turtles are deterred by artificial light at beaches, and hatchling turtles are disorientated by light sources, decreasing their ability to reach the ocean and survive to adulthood.
Mudjimba beach is actually a popular nesting beach for sea turtles. And so, in partnership with Griffith University, Sunshine Coast Council is doing a study on artificial light at night and local sea turtles. At Mudjimba beach, an existing pedestrian light has been retrofitted with a motion activated light, that does not impact turtles due to the specific wavelengths of colour emitting from the light.
Council is taking for your views on the project through an online survey at haveyoursay.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/turtlecare-light-study-buddina. These survey results will help guide our future marine turtle conservation efforts, such as expanding the turtle sensitive lighting project.
The Keeper Art
Have you connected with The Keeper Project? It’s a live public art project where artists work in a temporary role as observer, collector, maker and storyteller within our community. Keeper number five, Kellie O’Dempsey, has arrived and is searching for a natural landmark that has vanished from Coolum Beach. Can you help her find it? Visit Kellie Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9.30 – 12.30 at the Coolum Library.
Footpaths and shelters
A lot of work has been happening around Division 9 or is due to begin soon. Runway Drive, Marcoola and Park Crescent in Coolum Beach have had new pathways built. Three new bus stop shelters have been built along David Low Way at Coolum Beach and new safety fencing for the school children has been installed along School Road, Thomas Road and Willis Road in Bli Bli and a new footpath has been built on Philbrook Street in Bli Bli.