Wenlock 'Wild River' declaration welcomed

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (Qld) Inc
June 4th, 2010.

The Wilderness Society today strongly welcomed the declaration of the Wenlock River basin on Cape York under Queensland’s Wild Rivers Act. The move protects one of Australia’s most important and spectacular river systems, and comes after an extensive campaign stretching back years, involving the Wilderness Society, Indigenous Traditional Owners, and many members of the community, to see the Wenlock protected from the threat of destructive development.

The Wenlock Wild River declaration specifically provides for 500m protective buffer zones around springs on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, which may prevent the controversial Cape Alumina bauxite mine from proceeding.

Dr Tim Seelig, Queensland Campaign Manager for the Wilderness Society said: "The government's announcement today to declare the Wenlock a 'Wild River' is highly significant."

"This river system is an Australian environmental and cultural icon. The Wenlock's future health is vital to local communities, and protecting it from mining and other damaging threats is critical."

The Wenlock River on Cape York is one of the healthiest, last free flowing river systems in the country. It passes through the homelands of a number of Traditional Owners and includes lush rainforests, unique freshwater springs and some of the best crocodile breeding habitats.  It is home to fifty fish species, more than any other Australian river.

The Wild Rivers declaration means that the Wenlock is now protected from in-stream mining, damming, intensive irrigation and over-extraction of water.  But the declaration also supports sustainable and smaller scale economic activities, eco-tourism, cultural uses and practices in and around the river.  A program of Indigenous Wild River rangers has been set up by the Queensland Government to support management of protected rivers.

"The Wilderness Society has supported the Wild Rivers initiative because it protects the ecological values of our most precious rivers, and because it represents a good balance between stopping damaging activities while enabling sustainable ones” stated Dr Seelig. “This declaration will also help support Indigenous conservation initiatives."

"This is a fantastic outcome. The Premier and her Government deserve congratulations for protecting this spectacular part of our natural and cultural heritage."

"The creation of half-kilometre buffer zones around the ecologically fragile springs is also a great outcome. These buffers ensure that any mining activities that are approved will be kept well away from the springs and streams that feed into the Wenlock."

The Wilderness Society understands that the viability of the proposed Cape Alumina mining project is now in serious jeopardy, as the buffers also significantly reduce the total bauxite mining area within the company's lease application.

Ten river systems are now protected under Queensland's Wild Rivers Act. The state Government has promised to protect another nine river systems on Cape York, and three in the Channel Country region of Western Queensland.