The Wenlock River, Cape York.
Photo © Glenn WalkerThe Premier has the power to protect the Wenlock from the proposed Cape Alumina bauxite mine and Rio Tinto Alcan from extracting up to 80% of the river water under the Wild Rivers Act 2005. A decision is expected in the next few months.
Recently a group of nine leading Australian ecologists and biologists released a public plea to the Premier, calling on her to protect the Wenlock River and associated rainforest springs from bauxite mining.
What you can do...
Write to the Premier.
- Express your support for the protection of the Wenlock River under the Wild Rivers Act 2005.
- Ask for no exemptions to mining companies such as Rio Tinto and Cape Alumina. This must be reflected in the final plan.
For further information see Wildlife Queensland’s correspondence and submission.
Why protect the Wenlock River?
- The Wenlock, near Weipa, is one of Australia’s last remaining wild rivers free of dams and mines.
- The river is home to more than 50 fish species, more than any other Australian river.
- The river contains good quality crocodile habitat.
- The river is currently threatened by bauxite mining (see box: The impacts of bauxite mining).
- Cape Alumina plans to develop a bauxite mine on the river and dredge a channel near the river mouth at Port Musgrave to build a port for bulk carriers. This mine will impact on a local large wildlife reserve.
- Rio Tinto already owns rights to 80% of the river’s water and it has the right to build dams on the river without the normal environmental approvals.
The impacts of mining bauxite
Bauxite is a mineral central to the manufacture of aluminium. The open pit style of mining bauxite has devastating impacts on the local environment, including river systems: forest destruction, erosion, and changes to natural flows in river systems including waterholes, springs and streams.
The water requirements for bauxite mining are huge so unsustainable amounts of water will be extracted from nearby rivers. The associated infrastructure for bauxite mining, such as roads and ports, impacts on terrestrial and marine environments.
What Wild River declaration achieves
- Wild River declaration will give greater protection from mining, dams and irrigated agriculture.
- Wild river declaration will assist in capping the amount of water that can be taken from the catchment.
- Wild River declaration does not prevent sustainable and/or environmentally and culturally appropriate development or use along the river system.
What Wildlife Queensland is doing
Wildlife Queensland has supported the Wild Rivers campaign since its inception in 2000. The protection of entire river systems before they are degraded or compromised is an important environmental concept.
Wildlife Queensland has recently written to the Premier expressing their concerns.
Wildlife Queensland made a submission supporting the nomination of the Wenlock River system for declaration.
Read more about our support for Wild Rivers
For more information on WPSQ's campaigns, email or phone +61 (7) 3221 0194. |
