News
23 August, 2025
Push to protect shorebirds ahead of 2032 Olympics
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympics just seven years away, environmental groups are warning that the window for delivering major infrastructure projects to safeguard Moreton Bay is rapidly closing.
Since January, six organisations spanning multiple council areas have joined the Moreton Bay: Home of Shorebirds (MB:HoS) Alliance, formed to protect the bay’s fragile ecosystems.
The alliance, spearheaded by Moreton Bay Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group’s director Colin Scobie, emerged in early 2025 and has quickly become a strong collective voice. Its creation was inspired by a 2022 BirdLife Australia report, in which Dr Rochelle Steven identified Moreton Bay as a Key Biodiversity Area under significant threat.
Acting on its recommendations, the MB:HoS Alliance was established to promote six guiding pillars for environmental protection. While the alliance has already drawn the attention of councils bordering Moreton Bay, members warn that action is not keeping pace with the urgency of the situation.
“Changing environmental infrastructure takes time — but time is exactly what we’re running out of,” Mr Scobie said. “We need to turn good intentions into real action.”
The alliance is urging urgent coordination between councils, government bodies, and community groups to address the threats outlined in the BirdLife report. While meetings and policy discussions are occurring, progress is being held back by procedural delays.
For the thousands of migratory birds that rely on Moreton Bay each year, the stakes could not be higher — and for the Alliance, patience is wearing thin.
