Lights out for wildlife: Shelly Beach leads way
Helping turtles by reducing light pollution on the Sunshine Coast.
Shelly Beach on the Sunshine Coast is making big changes to help protect wildlife—especially the critically endangered Loggerhead turtles that nest there.
Bright lights at night can confuse turtles and other animals. Hatchlings might head toward the lights instead of the ocean, which can be dangerous. To fix this, Council has changed the lighting in the area to be more wildlife sensitive.
A total of 31 public lights have been changed, removed, or shielded. Twelve Council-owned lights now use amber lighting that’s gentle on turtles. These lights brighten only when someone walks by. Seven Energex streetlights were changed to turtle-sensitive lighting, and one was removed. Toilet block lights are now motion-activated and shielded. Shelter lights were changed to shine only downward, keeping the beach dark but still safe for people.
This project was led by the Council, with help from the Australian Government and Energex. It’s part of a bigger plan to follow the National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife.
Learn more here.
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