What the creeks do here
Two creeks
Redland City Council says Coolnwynpin Creek flows through park residential, urban and commercial areas of Capalaba and Alexandra Hills, and is a major tributary of Tingalpa Creek.
A council boundary
Tingalpa Creek below Leslie Harrison Dam forms the boundary between Brisbane and Redland cities. Council rules change at the bank, so check which side you're on before you ring either one.
Low ground around the centre
Redland's Open Space Strategy says almost 100% of the open space and conservation areas around Capalaba Town Centre are flood prone and storm tide areas. Capalaba Regional Park and John Fredericks Park are heavily influenced by Tingalpa Creek in the wet season.
When the mosquitoes come
The council calls November to April the peak breeding season, and adds surveys and treatments after tidal inundation or rain. Parkland that holds water can stay busy for a while after a storm.
Rats near a town centre
Anyone who owns or occupies a property in Redland City must manage rats and mice on it, under the Public Health Act 2005. The council suggests blocking holes with sturdy materials, trimming vegetation, and keeping food in rodent-proof containers.
If it's more than you can manage, a pest business can find the way in and work out what's feeding them. In a unit or shared building, tell the body corporate or property manager too, because the way in may not be in your home.
Possums and termites
Redland City Council says it's illegal to trap or move possums without a permit. If one's in the roof, a nest box and a closed-up entry point are the long-term answer, and any catch and release has to stay within 25 metres.
Termites call for an inspection, not a look-see with a screwdriver. Leave damaged timber and mud tubes alone, and ask the inspector what licences they hold: in Queensland that means a pest management licence and a QBCC termite licence.
Reporting fire ants in Redland City
The council only inspects and treats land it owns or manages. If you suspect a nest at home, the National Fire Ant Eradication Program takes the report, and you've got 24 hours.
Our suggestion for Capalaba
Sort the yard before November, then deal with rats straight away if you've got them, because the law in Redland City expects it. For possums or termites, get someone out to look before you try anything yourself.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
