Griffith University Archives

Toohey Forest BioBlitz Doubles Brisbane’s Species Count

Photo Credit: Griffith University/LinkedIn

When scientists and volunteers took to Toohey Forest for a weekend survey, they documented part of a rich ecosystem hidden in plain sight at the forest, home to more than 500 species.

Community Effort in Action

Between 5 and 6 September 2025, more than 80 volunteers joined Griffith University researchers for the Toohey Forest BioBlitz. This two-day survey invited everyday nature lovers to help document the forest’s rich ecology.

Using the app iNaturalist, they photographed plants, insects, birds and fungi across the campus and surrounding bushland. In total, they recorded 4,166 observations and identified 516 unique species, nearly doubling the site’s previously known biodiversity record.

Lead organiser Wade Hadwen from Griffith’s School of Environment and Science said the data not only mapped the forest’s ecological health but also created a valuable baseline for future monitoring. The project was run in partnership with the Griffith EcoCentre, with community engagement at its core. Many participants were new to biodiversity surveys, yet their observations significantly expanded scientific records of the area.

*Photo Credit: Griffith University/LinkedIn*

Findings That Matter

Among the hundreds of records were sightings of endangered and vulnerable wildlife, including the Koala and the Powerful Owl. The findings confirmed that Toohey Forest still supports species of conservation concern despite sitting within metropolitan Brisbane.

Specialists and enthusiasts working across plant, insect and fungi groups helped uncover major data gaps, especially among smaller species such as spiders, beetles and fungi.

Griffith University noted that the expanded dataset could inform management of the forest, including habitat protection, fire control and biodiversity planning. The results also showed how collaborative research can reconnect urban residents with the natural world in their own backyard.

A Baseline for the Future

Hadwen explained that Toohey Forest acts as a “biodiverse island oasis” surrounded by urban development, making it an ideal site to track how ecosystems adapt to environmental pressures. Organisers said the success of this first BioBlitz could pave the way for ongoing volunteer monitoring programs that continue to build on the dataset.

Participants reported the experience as educational, with many saying it strengthened their connection to the local environment. The BioBlitz has become a model for community-driven conservation, blending academic research with public participation to protect one of Brisbane’s last remaining forest corridors.

Published 22-Oct-2025

Locals Step Up as Koala Underpass Plan in Toohey Forest Gains Urgency

Plans for a wildlife underpass at Toohey Forest are moving forward, with local residents and wildlife carers pushing for greater protections, monitoring and research, as frequent koala sightings increase the risk for more road deaths.

Community Concern Grows Around Koala Road Risks

Earlier this month, plans were confirmed for a wildlife underpass beneath Toohey Road to connect both sides of Toohey Forest. Since then, residents living near the forest have come forward with growing concern about the number of koalas seen dangerously close to traffic, calling the project overdue and urging stronger action.

Local wildlife advocate Brad Lambert, who runs a dedicated Facebook group about the area’s koalas, has observed a sharp increase in sightings over the past year. He said he spotted 10 koalas across different locations in just one week and had previously counted up to 19 in a single week. He also noted a rise in the number of road strikes involving the animals, despite the lack of an official database tracking deaths.

Lambert said more consistent monitoring and clearer population data were urgently needed to assess the risk and determine whether local koala numbers could be sustained over time.

A Call for Scientific Monitoring

While Brisbane already has a land bridge at Compton Road near Karawatha Forest and aerial rope crossings in other areas, the Toohey Forest project will be the city’s first purpose-built underpass for koalas. With that in mind, advocates are hoping it will also become a research opportunity.

Lambert and others are encouraging council to install motion-sensing cameras at both ends of the underpass to allow researchers, including those from nearby Griffith University, to track how often wildlife use the structure. Currently, there is little available data on how well these types of crossings work in urban areas like Brisbane.

By gathering information from day one, residents hope the project can provide long-term insights and shape future wildlife planning elsewhere in the city.

History, Habitat and Hopes for the Future

Toohey Forest, which borders the suburbs of Tarragindi, Moorooka and Nathan, is now one of the city’s healthiest koala habitats — but that wasn’t always the case. Around 30 years ago, there were no known koalas in the forest. Some carers believe the population may have grown as a result of rescues and relocations from other parts of Brisbane, where habitat loss has been more severe.

The underpass, funded by with a $3-million contribution through the Saving Koalas Fund, will sit just southwest of the Toohey Picnic Area. It will be designed with natural materials like mulch and logs to encourage animal use and will include fencing to guide wildlife away from the road and toward the crossing.

Cr Steve Griffiths said the fencing, along with escape hatches for trapped animals, would allow traffic to continue at normal speeds while improving safety for wildlife. He welcomed the funding and acknowledged residents’ long-standing calls for action.

Council is expected to begin construction sometime between mid-to-late 2025. In the meantime, updates will be shared with residents as the project moves closer to its start date.

Published 14-July-2025

Griffith University Experts in Nathan Cited for Scientific Breakthrough of 2020

The work of a team of archeologists from Griffith University in Nathan was cited as one of the Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2020 in Science Magazine.

Members of the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research (GCSCR) and the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE) did extensive research on the world’s oldest known rock art early this year. Their discovery confirmed that Asia, instead of Europe, was the birthplace of modern humans’ very first figurative artwork.

Professors Maxime Aubert and Adam Brumm, along with Griffith PhD students Adhi Agus Oktaviana and Basran Burhan, studied cave paintings from 44,000 years ago in Indonesia. The artwork showed humans with spears or ropes and animal figures.

Photo Credit: Griffith University/Facebook

“It represents our species first evidence of storytelling,” Mr Brumm said. “The figurative depiction of hunters as therianthropes may also be the oldest evidence for our ability to imagine the existence of supernatural beings, a cornerstone of religious experience.

“This is the first time such a detailed visual narrative or ‘story’ has been identified so early in the vast record of prehistoric cave art worldwide.”

Mr Oktaviana said that the cave paintings have started to peel off at “an astonishing rate” due to age, thus the importance of the study.

“It would be a tragedy if these exceptionally old artworks should disappear in our own lifetime. But it is happening, so we need to understand why this globally significant rock art is deteriorating – and now.”

According to Science Magazine, this discovery from the Griffith University experts “unseats Europe as the first place where modern humans are known to have created figurative art.” It also showed that the human species could “imagine beings that do not exist” during those periods.

This is the second time Griffith University has landed in Science Magazine‘s Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs, following the first recognition in 2014.

“In what has been a very tough year for Griffith it is wonderful to see our researchers making world-class discoveries that are changing our understanding of the human story,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans.

“This is a well-deserved recognition of the bold contributions of our students and academic staff. The work illustrates beautifully the confluence of the arts and sciences and has profound implications for modern understanding of people, human thought and behaviour,” added Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mario Pinto.