Protective Horticulture Task Force

A resident’s viewBy David Hogan

Greenbank• I live in Greenbank on the west.• It is a largely bush covered area• It was historically not farmed

except for some cattle grazing – it is poor land for farming

• It was subdivided mostly in the 1970’s as residential estates, mostly 1-5 acre lots, with some 10 acre lots

• Zoned Rural Residential A – predominantly for residential use

• This area does not adjoin good quality agricultural areas

• Residents purchased land with the understanding that it is a residential area

• This picture is a typical street scene in this part of Greenbank.

Commercial operations encroach into residential areas

• In the early 1990’s the first commercial farms encroached into this residential area (not the usual situation of residential areas encroaching into farming areas)

• Farms impact heavily on neighbours and destroy the amenity of the area

-They are unsightly -Odour - chicken manure etc -Chemical exposure -Dust -Noise -Traffic etc• Impacts on surrounding residents

are on a commercial / industrial scale

Massive Environmental Destruction• This farm was

established in the middle of a residential estate.

• Note the clear felling of all vegetation (including riparian and other protected vegetation)

• No boundary vegetation was left to buffer neighbours from farm activities

• It has resulted in the destruction of the wildlife

• A watercourse was destroyed when it was filled to create a farm

Farm location-Crewe’s Creek• This map shows that the

property is in Crewe’s Creek and should never have been cleared and filled

• In big rain events like 1974 and 1996, this area is 2-3 metres under water

• Chemicals and fertilisers stored and used on site will go directly into the Oxley Creek catchment and into Moreton Bay

Workplace health and safety issues• Neighbouring residents

were not happy to discover that workers from the farm next door had come onto their property and defecated because facilities had not been provided for the large number of labourers working on the farm – This problem can hardly be seen as a normal residential situation!

Reckless use of chemical spray

• Agricultural chemicals are often sprayed with total disregard for neighbours

• This Greenbank farmer is using a boom sprayer approximately 6 metres from his neighbours property

• The farmer has never advised the surrounding residents of what he is spraying or when

Reckless use of chemical spray(cont)

• Spray drift is visible well onto the neighbouring property

• This does not appear to be safe spraying practice

• The resident had several serious medical problems that he believes are the result of exposure to these chemicals

• Whilst this is unproven, it is unreasonable to be subjected to this sort of chemical exposure, especially in a residential estate!

Industrial Scale impact in residential estates• This is the dividing fence

between a farm and a residents home – the same property experiencing spray drift problems

• Crops being sprayed with a boom sprayer are only 15 metres from the resident’s house.

• The resident has erected a retaining wall and colorbond fence in an attempt to minimise the impacts of the farm next door.

• Impacts are the strong smells from chemicals and fertilisers, dust, noise, stormwater run off

• There is nothing residential about these impacts!

The Other Neighbour• On the other side of the

property is this farm!• Horticulture structures

are 6 metres from the boundary

• There are no vegetation buffer zones

• The chemical smells from this farm are almost unbearable at times

• This is supposedly a residential area!

• Almost surrounded by farms, the resident’s property is severely devalued and he is unable to sell up and move on.

Illegal tree clearing• The owner of this property was

contacted in writing twice and phoned on at least 3 occasions by Beaudesert Shire Council advising that it was illegal to clear the trees from this property.

• Disregarding the warnings, the owner started clearing trees with a chainsaw.

• He only stopped when compliance officers arrived and commenced legal proceedings

• This is a very minor case compared to others. Many farm operators seem to have no regard for the law.

Other illegal Activities• Examples that I am aware of include- -hydroponic Cannabis crops - Methylamphetamine (Speed and Ice) manufacturing -dog fighting rings• Retribution against residents who

complain about farmer’s activities is common-

-Threats to harm residents and their property -Dogs poisoned -Horses having fishhooks put in their food• Here is an example of illegal activity

by a farmer that was proven in court, Cock fighting offences.

Extreme Examples?

• Sceptics may suggest that I searched the whole of the Beaudesert Shire to find the most extreme examples possible to present a biased and unfair view.

• On the next slide is a map showing the locations of these incidents

Location of these incidents

Residents are angry• As you can see, these incidents all occurred in just one part of

Greenbank• These are only a few incidents that I know of, there are many more!

These and other destructive practices appear to be widespread and common.

• When residents complain about these issues they often suffer the consequences of retribution by farmers

• Authorities rarely take any action, usually telling residents to contact other government agencies

• It appears that there is legislation to deal with many of these issues, but it is rarely enforced.

• This conflict is not just misguided ‘perception’ by the residents, the issues are real and the consequences are often permanent. Many residents are angry!