I agree. Sadly, this is happening a lot at Brisbane Airport, even now with construction of the new parallel runway and taxiways there. All vegetation cleared and removed, then 15 million cubic metres of sand dumped on the site which was compacted and drained and left to settle for a few years. Will open in 2020. I've driven past the site a few times in the last few years, quite incredible, like looking at a desert where there was former swamp and marshland before.

I am also dismayed when I drive between Brisbane and the Gold Coast these days, all the land clearing. It was nearly all pristine eucalypt forest in the 1970's and 1980's, now just mostly housing, light industry and shopping centres. I've heard this can be seen from space even, comparisons of Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor in satellite photos from the 90's and now.