The Friends of Stradbroke Island Association Inc. Newsletter No. 56 December 2009 FOSI was formed in 1988 to oppose the construction of inappropriate development at Cylinder Beach. FOSI continues to monitor proposals for this site, and others on North Stradbroke Island, with the aim of preserving the island’s unique features: coastal villages, remarkable landscape and beaches, and areas of significant vegetation and wildlife. Membership is open to those who support FOSI’s aims. MEMBERSHIP RATES, 2009: Individual $15.00 Family $20.00 Concession $5.00 The postal address of FOSI is PO Box 167, Point Lookout Qld 4183 President: Sue Ellen Carew (07) 3870 9694 [email protected] Island life. WHY WE SHOULD SAVE STRADDIE North Stradbroke Island (NSI) is the only sand island off the south-east coast of Queensland not protected against the environmental devastation of sand mining. It is the closest of these islands to the major population centre of Greater Brisbane, which has an ever increasing need of open space for its citizens who would benefit from ending sand mining and declaring National Park. There is a growing alliance of local and regional community groups and organisations concerned about the It’s mine! I got it first!. a pair of future of North Stradbroke Island.1 The goal is to end Kookaburras (above) plays tug of sand mining on the island. There is a unique opportunity war with a large caterpillar. to do so. More than a dozen of the mining leases have expired. Some expired up to two years ago and some are large in area, including leases currently being mined pending decisions on applications to renew the leases for periods in excess of 20 years. The mining companies have no „right‟ to renewal of expired leases. The Government has an unfettered discretion to refuse, and in fact may not renew unless the Minister is satisfied of each of a number of factors - in particular that the public interest will not be adversely affected by renewal. 2 Currently, mining leases cover 70 % of the Island and the public is excluded under threat of prosecution. Although damage has been done by mining, much of the island remains unravaged. But it is in danger and needs our collective assistance. It is time to save Straddie. These are some of the reasons for doing so:- Strolling. Sooty Oyster Catchers on Deadman’s Beach (above). 10 compelling reasons to stop sand mining In this issue E-mail blasts Bligh p. 4 1. Save old growth forests, woodlands and everything else Courier-Mail exposes mining in the path of the mines destruction p.6 Sand mining is extremely destructive. Almost everything We remember Jani Haenke in the mine path is completely destroyed. cont. p.2 p. 8 1 See list on page 5. 2 Mineral Resources Act, section 286A. –FOSI News– Why save Straddie cont. the Stradbroke koala population is of very high conservation value.4 Post-mining „rehabilitation‟ is a poor substitute for ancient dunes and the 5. We need more National Parks complex ecosystems which depend upon The Bligh Government recognizes the them remaining intact. acute need for more national parks and public open space. South East 2. Preserve the island’s remarkable bio- Queensland has 19% public open space diversity compared to Greater Sydney‟s 49%! See The island is universally acknowledged http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/tomorr as having incredible diversity in flora and ow/environment/index.aspx and fauna. This was reflected recently by http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/tomorr Premier Anna Bligh – ow/environment/land_conservation.aspx “The Bligh Government recognises that Stradbroke Island is a valuable 6. Create an economy based on natural asset to the people of south east preservation not destruction Queensland. The Bligh Government also It‟s time to replace the temporary, ever- recognises that this is an area that needs dwindling number of jobs in a destructive to be protected and preserved for future industry, with permanent jobs based generations.”3 upon National Parks and low impact, well-managed eco-tourism. There are 3. Hydrology – the extensive acquifer must opportunities for co-management of parks be protected, not put at risk. and jobs for the island‟s Indigenous land Stradbroke Island was formed by the claimants. More mining puts these jobs at deposition and erosion of dunes over risk because tourists are attracted by thousands of years. The mechanism of intact ancient dunes and their complex water moving through these layers is not ecosystems. fully understood, nor the effect of this hydrological system on flora and fauna appreciated. Mining has already caused 7. Citizens’ rights before miners’ rights damage to freshwater lakes on the Island Our opposition to sand mining on – further damage is a serious risk if Stradbroke is specific. We are not anti- mining continues. mining per se. But, it is one thing to mine in outback Queensland. It is quite 4. Protect the unique Island koala another to lock up 70% of NSI under mining leases and to mine a fragile Island koalas are genetically different coastal environment within a short from mainland koalas, having been distance of major population centres in isolated for up to 8000 years. Genetic need of more public open space. data indicates that Stradbroke Island has the only naturally occurring island 8. Areas being mined are zoned population. Other island populations ‘Conservation’ have been introduced. This means that The Redlands Planning Scheme, approved and gazetted by the State cont. p. 3 3 The letter was written on the Premier‟s behalf in March 2009 by her senior policy advisor and sent to those who emailed the premier about CRL‟s attempts to extend its sand mining operations to selling island sand for construction purposes. The letter also stated that the Bligh government supported the Redland City Council‟s rejection of CRL‟s proposal, but to date the Government has done nothing to actively support the 4 Shown by research carried out under the direction of RCC‟s decision. Frank Carrick of the University of Qld . 2 –FOSI News– Why save Straddie cont. North Stradbroke Island is on the doorstep of a large population which is Government in 2006, designates that increasing at a very rapid rate as a result most of the Island is zoned „conservation‟, of government policy. Most people are including the areas being mined by CRL concerned about the decline in their and Unimin. Ending mining and quality of life in recent years and declaring the Island National Park is the understand that it has been brought only logical way to „conserve‟ the Island about by a combination of rapid and put into effect the policy that the population growth and a lack of Island …… “ needs to be protected and infrastructure to support it. A related preserved for future generations.” 5 issue is the limited public open space. The Premier‟s website acknowledges that 9. The Global Context already there is an acute shortage of In 1990, Darryl Briskey, the ALP member public open space. Our area has 19% for Redlands, after announcing the Goss compared to Greater Sydney‟s 49 %. If the government‟s intention to declare 50% of Government does not correct the the island National Park (which did not imbalance, it risks suffering at the ballot happen) - also said this… box in South-East Queensland for this reason alone. “We must not forget that ultimately the In addition, now that the damage environment sustains all life. If we do not being caused on NSI has been exposed by act quickly to protect it, our quality of life the Courier-Mail and commercial will deteriorate and, eventually, television news, the Government‟s continued environmental destruction will environmental credentials are at risk. mean an end to humanity.”6 People in the Greater Brisbane area and The responsibility and the need for beyond generally are aware of and government to take the lead here is now interested in the Island and most people much more acute than it was in 1990. have stayed on or visited the Island to We must „think globally, act locally‟. surf, fish, enjoy the beaches, birdwatch or just relax in the peace and quiet. They 10. It’s Stradbroke’s turn care what happens and will take note of Despite the less acute global the decisions made that affect it. environmental and other reasons for The State already is the legal doing so, the Liberal/ National Party owner of the vast majority of land on NSI. Government under Malcolm Fraser By ending sand mining and, in stopped sand mining on Fraser Island in consultation with native title claimants, the 1970‟s. Similarly, sand mining has dedicating this land as National Park, it been stopped on Moreton Island, will assist the Government to solve the Cooloola and at Shelburne Bay in North public open space shortage. It will also Queensland by previous ALP State demonstrate that it does care about the Governments. It is time for the Bligh environmental destruction of the Island Government to stop sand mining on and has acted to save it from further Stradbroke Island. damage. Refusal of all applications to renew expired mining leases is the first Why we need to act now step. We appreciate that this may be a long More detailed reasons for ceasing sand mining and campaign. However, it can be successful. information about the relatively new category of National Park (recovery), which would be suitable 5 for mined land in need of rehabilitation, are letter from the Premier sent to people a week before the available from FOSI upon request. March, 2009 State election – see footnote 2.