Cape York World Heritage funding boost welcome, but threats remain

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (Qld) Inc.
8 September 2011

The Wilderness Society welcomes today’s Australian and Queensland governments announcement of a $23 million funding boost aimed at protecting the Cape York Peninsula wilderness as a future World Heritage area.

However, the society again warns of the dangers concerning new plans to open up Cape York to coal mining and other destructive threats and called on the governments to place a moratorium on new developments until the conclusion of the world heritage process.

“The $23 million funding package announced today is the biggest single investment in Cape York conservation in over a decade,” said Wilderness Society Director Lyndon Schneiders.

“This announcement commits significant funds to ongoing acquisition of land of outstanding natural and cultural heritage and provides important funding to progress World Heritage assessment and possible listing, dependent on Traditional Owner consent.

“It is important that while the World Heritage assessment proceeds potentially destructive developments, including proposed coal mines, are put on the backburner.

“This announcement is a much-needed boost to the property acquisition program. Over the past 16 years, the Queensland and Australian governments have spent approximately $40 million purchasing 1.68 million hectares of leasehold and freehold land for conservation and return to traditional ownership, including extraordinary areas such as Shelburne Bay, the McIlwraith Range and the Steve Irwin Reserve. Already 575,000 hectares are now permanently protected as National Park.”

“Cape York is area of global conservation importance. Landscapes, including rainforests, sand dunes, wild rivers and endless savannah, merge seamlessly into one another. It is home to one third of all Australian mammal species, including the cuscus, and half of our entire bird species, including the palm cockatoo. At least 264 plant species and 40 animal species occur only on Cape York, yet this tropical paradise is so remote and ecologically rich that many species remain undocumented.”

Wilderness Society Queensland Campaign Manager Dr Tim Seelig recognised the work of the Queensland Government on Cape York. “We acknowledge the leadership that the Queensland Government has taken on progressing a range of conservation initiatives on Cape York, and we now strongly welcome the funding boost and greater involvement of the Australian Government,” Dr Seelig said.

“Cape York Peninsula deserves to be protected as a World Heritage Area which enshrines its natural and cultural values for current and future generations. This should form the foundation for the development of a conservation economy without having to industrialize and destroy the Cape. This provides a sustainable long term future for Cape York, rather than plundering for short-term mining profits from some of the world’s dirtiest and most carbon intense industries.

“But despite the funding boost, Cape York is still under threat from exploitation such as coal mining, with 19 applications made to explore for coal, and 12 new applications in recent weeks alone.

“The Wongai coal project is so advanced that there are already plans to construct and dredge Queensland’s biggest port north of Cairns, transport the coal with a conveyer belt ripped through a nature reserve and carry it off to Asia on super tankers trying to navigate the small gaps in the most pristine part of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

“We call on Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and LNP Leader Campbell Newman to reject coal exploration permits and mining leases on Cape York, to ensure that this funding is not wasted.”

For further comment contact Lyndon Schneiders on 0451 633 200
Queensland Campaign Manager Dr Tim Seelig on 0439 201 183
Cairns Campaign Manager Gavan McFadzean on 0414 754 023
National Indigenous Conservation  Manager Anthony Esposito 0418 152 743
For more info contact Wilderness Society Media Adviser Alex Tibbitts on 0416 420 168