It is in Australia's desert areas that surprisingly, mammal extinctions have been greatest. Australia's Outback is often taken for granted - for many people, it's out of sight, out of mind. However, much of Australia’s remaining wilderness – lands least impacted by modern, technological society – is to be found in the Outback. The Wilderness Society is campaigning to protect wild areas in Outback Australia from environmentally -unsustainable practices associated with broad scale land clearing, mining, pastoralism and intensive irrigated agriculture.
- Introducing the Great Western Woodlands
- Birds of the Great Western Woodlands
- Coongie Lakes
East of the Rabbit Proof Fence and south of Kalgoorlie, in the heart of southern Western Australia, is the largest intact temperate woodland remaining on earth. Equivalent to Africa’s Serengeti or South America’s Amazon, the Great Western Woodlands is an internationally significant area of great biological richness.
The richness and diversity of the GWW's plant and animal communities are worthy of world recognition. In terms of biodiversity alone, the GWW ranks with the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics.
Not surprisingly, the GWW is also a spectacular place for birdwatching. More than 150 species are found in the region.
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Coongie Lakes is one of South Australia's most important natural areas. As a major wetland system in an arid area, the lakes are recognised as being internationally important and are home to tens of thousands of water birds. Despite this, the Coongie Lakes system faces a number of threats and are inadequately protected.
more »Outback Australia Updates
- NT Election - put an end to destructive land clearing - July 31, 2008
- Mining suspended in victory for Arkaroola - February 18, 2008
- Coongie Wetlands - Not Cattle Wastelands - April 24, 2006
During the course of the Northern Territory election campaign, The Wilderness Society is running an advertising campaign, calling on all the political parties to pledge to protect the Territory’s forests, woodlands and rivers from destructive land clearing.
In a major victory for the campaign to protect the internationally significant Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in South Australia from mining, SA Premier Mike Rann announced on Tuesday 12 February that the Government is suspending drilling operations at Mount Gee indefinitely.
The environmental integrity of Coongie Lakes is internationally recognised, yet the wetlands remain under serious threat from cattle grazing.
Outback Australia Media Releases
- The Wilderness Society congratulates Bligh, condemns Springborg on environment - March 15, 2009
- For Australia’s sake, buy the water back! Save the Murray Darling Basin estuary (the Coorong and Lower Lakes) - February 02, 2009
- Call for action on NSW and Queensland Stock Routes - April 12, 2008
Leading conservation group The Wilderness Society today congratulated the Premier for her announcements on Cape York World Heritage, wild rivers protection, and land clearing. At the same time, the Society condemned LNP leader for his lack of vision and commitment on the environment.
Today is World Wetlands Day and The Wilderness Society is calling for urgent action to save the Coorong and Lower Murray Lakes.
Protection and care of the historic stock route network that criss-crosses Queensland and New South Wales have become a priority for both rural and conservation groups. National, Queensland and NSW groups yesterday agreed to work together on the issue.
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