SENATE ENQUIRY – FAUNA EXTINCTION CRISIS – JOHN LONG the ongoing decline in the population and conservation status of 's nearly 500 threatened fauna species; the use of traditional knowledge and management for threatened species recovery and other outcomes as well as opportunities to expand the use of traditional knowledge and management for conservation;

SMALL LAND AND RIVER ANIMALS WATER

YABBIES – are no longer in abundance anymore. As a child within 10 minutes we had a bucket full of yabbies. Now we may get one or two but they have almost died off.

THE BIG BLUE YABBI – When I was a young man I would travel to upper Logan on walkabout – The Green Yabbi was on the lowlands as far as they could get. The Big Blue Yabbies were on the mountain tops. As I got closer the blue Yabbies would hear us and would clap there claws together to warn us. We don't hear or see them anymore.

THE GLASS EEL – When we were kids we used to go down the creeks, gullies, wherever the water was running. The heron told us if The Glass Eels were there. We would find them. Up until 2010 we could access our homeland (The Hollow Station) but even then they were scarce and declining. The indigenous people have now been locked out of these sacred places where the eels were once caught.

John has heard that at the Coomera, Tallebudgerraba and there are certain areas where you can see the migration of the glass eel. Certain individuals and companies have the licence to trap the glass at this point and the glass eel is being caught and used for human consumption/export (possibly).

WHO HAS THE LICENCE TO CATCH THE WILD GLASS EELS and what is being done to monitor their migration/natural journey and population to ensure they remain abundant.

THE BULL EEL – he is a sacred animal to the many tribes and he is descendant of the warriyum. We were forbidden to eat the bull eel. In our experiences and knowledge if we disrespected this eel and made it suffer there would be chastisement and awarning for those that have caused its suffering. J John needs to check on the state of the Bull Eel and visit places that he used to go to see if there is a change.

THE TURTLE We knew when the turtle was fat because the Melaleuca bottle brush flowered. The Melaleuca around Teviot Brook, Canungra Creek, Albert and Logan, Warrill Creek, Running creek rarely blossom now. In all of thee places There was a short necked turtle, a long neck turtle (GANIVAN) was a source of food.

There was third turtle with a long neck (A STINK TURTLE) but this is rarely seen.

THE SAW-SHELL TURTLE - is a predator that can eat caine toads so we can utilize this species to eat the carp. It is possible to train this species to eat the caine toad. The Saw tell turtle could also be experimented with eating carp.

COD – There was a species of cod that was native to the area in the warrill creek which is no longer there. STARTS with t

THE MULLET – is in dire straights. When they first built the damn at the Teviot we noticed that the mullet were struggling to breathe. At a time when they should have been in hibernation they were seen at the top of the water (nosing) the air. There cycle was interrupted. They have declined in numbers in the Teviot Brook. We can’t catch them anymore.

THE FISH The fish in general are effected by pesticides. For example the fresh Jew fish now have ulcers on it.

THE CARP – The carp have severely impacted the Cat Fish, the black cod, the mullet, bulrouse, the yabbies and all other native fish. (please see separate document on solutions)

WATER RATS – are in decline. I rarely see these anymore in the . The water rats were abundant 50 years ago. The pesticides and toxins from agricultural use are going into the river system and effecting these animals. They are elusive/timid creatures.

LAND THE BILBI – We don't see any Bilbi’s around the Scenic Rim.

THE QUALL (a native cat)– the native cat is also eating the Caine toad and it is effecting its population. The Quall is now very scarce in the Scenic Rim. There are methods to determine if they are around at all. John knows this method.

THE NATIVE FIELD MOUSE – John would need to go to traditional places to monitor this species within the Scenic Rim.

THE BURROWING KANGAROO – 30 years ago my brother saw a burrowing Kangaroo where he was camping. We no longer have access to this area because ownership changed hands and the new owner locked us out. I could investigate this site if I had access.

PLATYPUS – Is being monitored already.

THE FLYING FOX – the flying fox are the night pollintors. They have killed a big family in Boonah and have cut down their entire habitat because they made a lot of noise. This was their breeding ground. The planners need to know where these breeding grounds, animal highways, exist so that they are not cuff off from food and water sources.

We rarely see the migration of the flying fox in the now.

KOALAS – already being looked as in serious state.

POSSUMS – Around Mt Alford and surrounding areas in the Scenic Rim they used to be abundant. The possum used to be a staple food in our childhood. While the possums are still around they are definitely in decline and have lost weight due to lack of food source. The possums eat gum leaves and fruit. The possums also eat the Melaleuca bottlebrush for the honey and now that these are sick so are our possums. They used to be in abundance in my homeland and all over the Scenic Rim.

THE DAMNS The natural flow of the wildlife cycle has been halted by the damning of water.

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE DAMN – how should you view the land – the river systems?

We start from the surface – the hairs on the body are like the trees, the skin is earth crust. The muscles are the earth itself, the rocks are the bones, your blood vessels are the little valleys, your veins are the creek systems, the arteries are the main rivers. When the little gully gets sick the vein starts to get sick. When the creeks get sick the rivers get sick. When you cut off the life source there are serious repercussions.