Logan Youth Action Group

Youth group backs local koala focus

The spotlight is on koalas in the City of Logan this month as the Logan Youth Action Group (LYAG) delivers programs to the community.

Members of LYAG’s environment and sustainability team will host a Koala Family Fun Day at Underwood Park on Saturday, November 12.

This will run alongside the annual koala count throughout November, which will help create a snapshot of koalas across the city and improve the health and well-being of the local population.

The community is encouraged to upload any records of koalas including sightings, scats and audios of their mating calls via a free phone app.

More information can be found at Logan Koala Count 2022 · iNaturalist

Researchers from Griffith University are also keen to have residents send in koala scat for analysis so they can learn more about koala families.

More information about how to collect these droppings and where to send them can be found at Koala research (griffith.edu.au)

City Lifestyle Chair, Councillor Laurie Koranski said the LYAG’s koala focus was timely.

“Their family-friendly event is the perfect way to highlight this month’s spotlight on koalas and the work we are doing throughout the city to support and help these endangered marsupials,” Cr Koranski said.

University student Molly Prieditis, from Cornubia, is a spokesperson for the Koala Family Fun Day.

She said the program would include wildlife encounters, face painting, a sausage sizzle and other family fun activities.

It will run from 10am to 1pm at Underwood Park, 982-1006 Underwood Rd, Priestdale at the amphitheatre/celebration lawn area.

“This will be a chance for people to get up close with some wildlife,” Molly said.

Fellow Fun Day organiser and year nine student Gabrielle Worship, from Rochedale South, said the group decided to focus on koalas after they began investigating endangered wildlife species.

Registrations can be made at Koala Family Fun Day Tickets, Sat 12/11/2022 at 10:00 am | Eventbrite

LYAG have four key areas that they are focussing on: mental health, community safety, environment and education and employment.

The Koala Family Fun Day is just one initiative that the LYAG is delivering.

The mental health group partnered with batyr Australia to hold workshops on how to tackle exam stress for 800 Marsden State High School students.

The safety group recently held a workshop for the school’s year 12 students on issues such as consent and safe partying.

The education and employment group looked at ways to assist senior students leaving school by compiling a list of available resources.

They have also developed a ‘Stressed Out’ booklet, Party Safe wallet cards and Senior Schooling and Pathways information which will be circulated to local schools.

“Each of the different projects has addressed community or environmental needs and I congratulate the LYAG members on the initiative they have shown,” Cr Koranski said.