The Wilderness Society’s campaign successes

• Why Cape York Peninsula is special • What the experts say about Cape York • Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act 2007 • World Heritage and Cape York • The Wilderness Society’s campaign successes • The Wilderness Society’s vision for Cape York Peninsula

For over 20 years, The Wilderness Society has been at the frontline of successful campaigns to protect Cape York.

With generous and active support from our members we have worked to raise public awareness, build alliances with indigenous communities and landholders, develop cutting-edge scientific research and keep pressure on the government.

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Our successes include:

1993

• Starcke Wilderness protected from overseas sale and made into a National Park in 1994.

1994

• State Government purchases Silver Plains pastoral station to convert to National Park and Aboriginal Land

1995

• The State Government purchases Kalpowar pastoral station to convert to National Park and Aboriginal Land

1996

• Environment groups, the cattle industry and indigenous groups sign the ‘Cape York Heads of Agreement’ which sets out a framework for the future of lands on Cape York
• Federal Government pledges up to $40 million for property acquisition and land management on Cape York (although much of this money is never spent)

2000

• Landmark scientific report ‘The Natural Heritage Significance of Cape York Peninsula’ confirms Cape York’s international environmental values.
• State Government purchases Bromley and Boynton pastoral stations to convert to National Park and Aboriginal Land

2003

• Joint campaign by The Wilderness Society and the Wuthathi people prevents sand mining on the Shelburne Bay dunefields.
• State Government purchases pastoral properties at Shelburne Bay, Lilyvale and Archer Point to convert to National Park and Aboriginal Land

2004

• New laws to control land clearing include a ban on any further broadscale clearing of mature vegetation on Cape York Peninsula
• State Government purchases Mt Croll pastoral station to convert to National Park and Aboriginal Land

2005

• 200,000 hectare Jack Lakes (Kalpowar) National Park created
• Queensland Government announces multi million dollar funding package to improve management of Cape York’s National Parks following a sustained campaign by The Wilderness Society
• New laws passed to create a framework to protect wild rivers in Queensland. Thirteen rivers on Cape York earmarked for Wild River status
• Queensland Government commissions Associate Professor Peter Valentine to compile the case for World Heritage listing of Cape York Peninsula

2006

• Queensland Government commits a further $15 million to continue to purchase land of outstanding conservation value on Cape York Peninsula and commits to fund ‘up to 100’ Wild River rangers to protect wild rivers on Cape York and in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

2007

• Queensland Parliament enacts the Cape York Peninsula Heritage Act 2007 outlining the way forward for conservation, including World Heritage listing, on the Cape.
• Commonwealth Government publicly commits to “work with the Queensland Government and [Indigenous] traditional owners to pursue World Heritage listing for appropriate areas of Cape York, recognising the importance of Commonwealth leadership and the consent of traditional owners.”

2008

• The spectacular Lama Lama and Kulla (McIlwraith Range)  National Parks are created on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula.
• The first three Cape York wild rivers nominated for protection (Lockhart, Archer and Stewart rivers)
• The Kaanju Ngaachi Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers Indigenous Protected Area declared as Cape York’s first Indigenous Protected Area