Wenlock Wild River is Bligh's 'Great Big New Green Test'

The Wilderness Society (Qld) Inc
Media Release
20 May, 2010.

The Wilderness Society is urging the Queensland Premier to prove her conservation credentials, and ensure full and proper protection under Wild Rivers laws for the Wenlock River and associated springs on Cape York.

The Wenlock is one of Australia's healthiest and most spectacular river systems, home to fifty freshwater fish species, lush rainforest, freshwater springs and Queensland's best Saltwater crocodile breeding habitats.  Described as 'the most beautiful place on Earth' by Steve Irwin, the Wenlock River area is undoubtedly one of the nation's ecological jewels.

However, mining company Cape Alumina wants to build a new bauxite mine right in the middle of the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, close to the Wenlock River. As well as destroying forests and wildlife habitat, the Wilderness Society believes the mine would pose an erosion and pollution threat to a highly sensitive and special complex of springs which feed into the Wenlock, as well as require extraction of millions of litres of water directly from the river.

"This is Anna Bligh's Great Big New Green Test", said Dr Tim Seelig, Queensland Campaigns Manager for the Wilderness Society.

"Premier Bligh and Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson must go the extra distance on this, declare the Wenlock a Wild River, and include buffer protection areas of one kilometre around the environmentally special Coolibah Springs Complex".

"If they get this one right, the Government will have shown its environmental credentials. If they get it wrong, the Wenlock River won't be the only casualty; the Bligh Government's conservation record will be permanently damaged", Dr Seelig stated.

Despite previous claims to be planning 'world’s best practice' in bauxite extraction, Cape Alumina is understood to be demanding minimal buffers of just 200 metres between its strip mining activities and the pristine springs.

"Mines come and mines go, but damage to pristine rivers and ecologically sensitive areas is for ever. The proposed Cape Alumina mine would only be short term and it would be extremely short-sighted for the Queensland Government to cave into the demands of a mining company at the expense of our very special environment.  We need a large buffer between any mine and our rivers and tributaries to make sure they are properly protected".

Backed by the whole Queensland environment movement, the Wilderness Society and others campaigning on this issue such as Terri Irwin, have received massive community support for the campaign to protect the Wenlock River.

"A lot of people are watching closely for the right decision on the river and the buffers here" said Dr Seelig. "Environmental protections must be put ahead of commercial interests on this".