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Wildlife making Telstra towers

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“We do our best not to remove or disturb the residents where possible, but sometimes this is unavoidable” – Ian Long from Network Construction, Service Continuity & Maintenance

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Banksia Beach Mobile Installation case study

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When completing the refurbishment of the Banksia Beach mobile installation (Bribie Island, Queensland), Don Aitchison and his Telstra team came up against an environmental challenge they weren’t expecting.

To complete their task of replacing antenna cable connectors at the mobile installation they first had to negotiate an osprey nest built on top of the feeder exit.

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The nest lodged on top of the 30 metre pole

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When the nest was first spotted it housed three eggs.

Under the guidance of Ann Biasol, from Queensland Park and Wildlife Services (QPWS), the planned work was postponed for 16 weeks to allow the eggs to hatch and chicks to fly the nest.

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After the 16 weeks the team returned to site to complete the project. They were keen to install their recycled, eco-friendly osprey home made from a recovered 1.8m grid dish antenna.

Once again Ann from QPWS was on site to provide guidance. Under her supervision the team inspected the nest and found it was active with healthy chicks, who flew the nest as soon as it was approached.

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Given the all clear to proceed from Ann, the nest was recovered, the pole cleaned

down and the new roost installed by Radio Lineman Phil Leonard.

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While the team took a break for lunch, Mum and the chicks returned and

the family soon settled into their new home.

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“Telstra has continuously liaised and worked co-operatively with the QPW/EPA to replace the osprey nest with a successful outcome.” – Ann Biasol, Wildlife Ranger, Southern Region, Queensland Parks and Wildlife

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An award winning team: (l-r) Mal Preston, Ray Lane, Phil Leonard, Ann Biasol (QPWS),

Jason Poon and Andrew Paroz

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2008

In August 2008, this team was awarded the Queensland

Environmental Award for their Project Management of the Banksia Beach Modulation

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Other feathered and furry friends like to make themselves at home in our towers also…

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Excuse me… I’m living

here!

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Wildlife making Telstra towers

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CREDITS: Many thanks to Steve Burke for sharing the Banksia Beach Modulation story and photographs and to

Chris Hicks for the other feathered and furry critters photographs