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The Great Sandy Strait has been listed as a Ramsar Wetland of International Significance since 1999—one of five recognised sites in Queensland (see map of Ramsar Sites). This means Australia has committed to protecting the area to ensure its special ecological values are maintained. Such a task, however, would be severely compromised by the construction of a dam on the Mary River.
Adequate environmental flows are crucial for the health of this ecosystem. A substantial and measurable change in water quality has already been measured since 1980, which is evidence of the cumulative impact of infrastructure already existing in the Mary and Burnett River catchments. A further change in water quality would be devastating for the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the region. This includes matters of national environmental significance, such as the welfare of migratory birds, whales, marine turtles and dugong. All of these species use or inhabit the area, and all are protected under national law.
With inadequate downstream flows affecting salinity, as well as nutrient and sediment levels, the following scenarios would be likely to occur in the Great Sandy:
¨ Areas of the wetlands being destroyed or substantially modified; ¨ Substantial and measurable changes in the hydrological regime of the wetland, such as volume, timing, duration and frequency of ground and surface water flows to and within the wetland (See Environmental Flows); and ¨ The habitat or lifecycle of native species dependent upon the wetland, including invertebrate fauna and fish species, being seriously affected (see Threatened Flora & Fauna).
Additional Federal legislation on the use of the area: Endangered Species Protection Act 1993 … click here World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983 … click here
Read More ...
¨ ‘The Great Coorong—A Biological Barometer’ ... click here
¨ Section 23, ‘Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands—Great Sandy Strait,’ compiled by Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH), 1999 ... click here
Go to Threatened Flora & Fauna
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Impacts on Great Sandy’s Ramsar Listing
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Help Save Fraser Island’s Unique Marine Environment! |
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ourgreatsandy.com Celebrating and Defending the Great Sandy Strait
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‘An even larger fraction of the world’s original wetlands than of its forests has already been destroyed, damaged, or converted. Consequences for us arise from wetland’s importance in maintaining the quality of our water supplies and the existence of commercially important freshwater fisheries, while even ocean fisheries depend on mangrove wetlands to provide habitat for the juvenile phase of many fish species.’
Jared Diamond, Collapse—How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive, p. 487 |
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Website created by Elisabeth Berry for 2Berries Communications. Copyright © 2008 ourgreatsandy.com. All rights reserved. |
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THE EPBC ACT Under the Federal Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBCA), Ramsar wetlands are recognised as a matter of National Environmental Significance and any action that has, will have, or is likely to have a significant impact on their ecological character cannot proceed without approval from the Federal Environment Minister. To obtain approval, the action must undergo a rigorous environmental assessment and approval process. |
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