Source of life on the world’s driest inhabited continent. From the days of the Franklin River campaign in Tasmania, wild rivers have captured the imagination of Australia. Little known is that the majority of Australia’s wild rivers are in the tropical north. The natural river flows that are the heartbeat of the North’s diverse ecosystems and lifeblood for many existing communities are under threat from dams, irrigation schemes, and land clearing in their catchments.
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| Queensland's Wild Rivers |
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Queensland is lucky to retain some of the world’s healthiest natural river systems. They underpin regional economies and support unique and diverse wildlife. Free of dams, weirs, polluting irrigation schemes and industrial development, the natural and cultural values of these rivers remain largely intact.
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Mining the Wenlock? … what a croc!
Bauxite mining companies have the Wenlock River area firmly in their sights, but a looming decision by the Queensland Government on the Wild River declaration proposal for the Wenlock could protect one of Australia’s last free-flowing rivers and the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve from these destructive mines.
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| Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of this landmark High Court decision |
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On July 1, we celebrate 25 years since the High Court decision that 'Let the Franklin run free'. In this Four Part series on the Franklin River campaign, author William J. Lines charts the rise of Australia's conservation movement - and a famous win for the environment.
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Wild Rivers Updates
- Abbott braving the rapids over Wild Rivers legislation - January 14, 2010
- The Cape York Peninsula conservation debate - June 23, 2009
- Three more wild rivers protected! Now let's save the Wenlock - April 02, 2009
Tony Abbott’s "fair dinkum environmentalism" was spectacularly short-lived. If putting trade ahead of protecting whales, and labelling climate change concerns "crap" weren’t enough, Abbott has now launched a campaign to try to undo protections on pristine river systems on Cape York -- some of the last natural, free-flowing rivers in the country.
Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland is one of the largest intact and most diverse landscapes left on Earth. It is a land rich in nature and culture, where Indigenous peoples’ connections to their Country are active and strong. A worldwide study by Conservation International to identity the Earth’s last remaining wilderness areas lists Cape York Peninsula as one of “wildest tropical environments left on the planet.”
The Archer, Lockhart and Stewart River Basins on Cape York have just been declared wild rivers by QLD's Premier Anna Bligh, who is delivering on her election promises. Now let's do the same for the Wenlock River, on Cape York Peninsula.
Wild Rivers Media Releases
- State Government must end silence on mine spill clean up - March 02, 2010
- Freedom of Information documents reveal mine time-bombs - February 12, 2010
- Pearson's mining stance a danger to Cape York rivers and wetlands - January 15, 2010
There has been total silence from the Queensland State Government following very specific revelations from the Wilderness Society two weeks ago about the Lady Annie Mine pollution incident that wrecked ecosystems and threatened livelihoods in northwest Queensland one year ago.
The Wilderness Society has obtained over 1000 pages of internal documents under Right to Information legislation that demonstrate a combination of incompetence and bungling by mine operators, and poor regulation by the Queensland Government. The documents relate to the Lady Annie Mine pollution incident that wrecked ecosystems and threatened livelihoods in northwest Queensland one year ago.
"It is profoundly irresponsible of Mr Pearson to support this sort of development over the protection of our national heritage, thereby frustrating genuinely sustainable ecological development."
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