Wild rivers protection will be extended to another 12 river basins in Queensland over the next two years, Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson announced today.
The plans are part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DERM) $914.6 million budget for 2009-10.
Mr Robertson said the government would be consulting with Indigenous communities, landholders and mining interests as well as other stakeholders on a further eight river basins in 2009-10. This is in addition to the Wenlock River Basin. This consultation will help the Government to make a decision on whether to declare these rivers systems as wild river areas. A further three river basins in South-West Queensland’s channel country will also be nominated as wild rivers over the next two years.
“This planning program is another demonstration of the government’s ongoing commitment to preserve Queensland’s wild rivers for the benefit of current and future generations,” he said.
“Currently my department is collating all submissions made on the Wenlock Basin wild river declaration proposal, which was proposed for declaration in December 2008. This basin on the western side of Cape York Peninsula covers an area of about 7435 square kilometres, and flows to Port Musgrave near Mapoon.
“The wild rivers program delivers on the Bligh Government’s Toward Q2 strategy. We want to create a greener Queensland by protecting our lifestyle and environment.”
Mr Robertson said wild rivers are river systems that have all, or almost all, of their natural values intact.
“There has been a lot of misinformation about the intention of wild rivers protection. It is not about locking up country - while wild rivers sustain healthy ecosystems, they also support economic activities such as grazing, fishing and eco-tourism,” he said.
“New development activities such as agriculture, horticulture, mining, quarrying, eco-tourism, fencing and aquaculture can still occur without adversely impacting on the natural values of a wild river.
“Native title rights, indigenous cultural heritage rights and land tenure, for example, are not affected by these declarations, and existing traditional and day-to-day activities such as feeding livestock, refuelling machinery, fishing and camping can still continue along the rivers. ”
Mr Robertson said extensive consultation had taken place with Traditional Owners, pastoralists, mining companies, Indigenous organisations and individuals, as well as representatives from local government and State Government agencies, for each of the Cape York river systems nominated for protection.
“This widespread consultation on declaration proposals is helping the Cape York communities to understand the wild rivers program,” he said.
Mr Robertson said action would also be taken over the next two years to extend wild rivers protection to western Queensland’s channel country.
“As promised by the Premier during the state election campaign, the wild rivers protection program will be extended to the Georgina and Diamantina Rivers and Cooper Creek,” he said.
“Once again, there will be full local community consultation during the public submission period of the nomination process.”
These measures will bring to 21 the total number of declared wild rivers in Queensland.
The Department of Environment and Resource Management has a $914.6 million budget for 2009-10. This includes $409.5 million for environmental matters, and $505.1 million for resource management business.
ENDS
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