Forest Lake Residents Petition To Return Lake To Its Former Beauty

Forest Lake residents are eager to see a cleaner and more beautiful lake in the suburb. For this purpose, the Forest Lake Community Crime Watch has launched a petition demanding Brisbane City Council to take action.

Algae, Weeds, Pest Fish Problem

The petition asks the council to clean the lake by removing algae, weeds, and pest fish.

Earlier this year, the fish ban in the lake was lifted for the Chillout Fishing Event. Participants were taught how to fish and they caught plenty of pest fish.

As they saw the huge number of pest fist in the lake, the locals as well as the participants felt more eager to catch pest fish in the lake and looked forward similar events in the future.

However, the council hasn’t committed to a regular fishing event in the area or to lifting its fishing bans.

Ibis Infestation Continues

Ibis infestation is another issue plaguing the area. Trees have been stripped of leaves, leaving other birds with no place to live.

There are also bird droppings that are not only an eyesore, but are causing an unpleasant smell around the area.

The Ibis issue has already been raised last year and the council has implemented rules such as reducing the food sources as well as installing signages that warn visitors not to feed the birds. They have also started cleaning picnic areas.

When the Ibis issue was raised, the council also encouraged residents to make an effort and contribute to reducing the number of ibis in their properties.

Filtration System

Locals are also asking for a better filtration system to make the water clear again. The surrounding infrastructure around the lake also needs attention with parks and pathways in need of maintenance whilst some needs upgrades or repair.

Lighting Upgrades

More lighting around the lake is also requested by residents for night time walking. They also seek for GPS coordinates for the Emergency Location signage around the lake. More rubbish bins are also needed to prevent littering in the area.

The petition has so far garnered over 800 signatures so far.

Actions Taken

A master plan for a revitalised parklands was revealed by Cr Charles Strunk in November last year to improve the lake and its surrounding areas. However, it will take some years to complete.

There are already some works underway such as the upgrade of walkway lighting, a new picnic area with family barbecue, and a new children’s playground equipment.

Cr Strunk may agree with the residents regarding the improvement of the lake and the facilities that surround it, but he said that there is no plan to change the filtration methods.