Great Sandy Strait

No consideration was made for the impacts of climate change. It is unknown what impacts the combination of climate change and the proposed dam will have on the size and frequency of major flood events which are essential for the maintenance of the western side of Fraser Island (World Heritage Area) and the Great Sandy Strait.

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Fraser Island’s Unique Marine Environment!

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Celebrating and Defending the Great Sandy Strait

The construction of a mega dam on the Mary River will have a devastating impact on the Great Sandy Strait.

It will:

¨ Violate Federal and State legislations:

As signatory to a number of binding national, international and state legislations, Australia has committed to protecting the Great Sandy Strait to ensure its special ecological values are maintained ... read more

¨ Significantly impede environmental flows:

Changing the pattern of the flow of a river both reduces its overall volume and changes its seasonal variations. All parts of a river’s ecology can be impacted by changes to its flow ... Read more

¨ Impact on Matters of National Environmental Significance:

Reduction of environmental flows will adversely effect the biodiversity and ecological integrity of this Declared Ramsar site, and in turn the survival of marine species protected under the Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act (EPBCA), including dugong, whales, migratory birds and marine turtles ... Read more

¨ Prevent natural flood events:

The Mary River needs a number of small flood events each year (2-4m high) for water quality, fish migration, turtle nesting, just to name a few. A dam will prevent these events from reaching downstream areas. The negative impact on water quality and ecology will affect everyone in the catchment ... Read more

¨ Change the volume and frequency of sediment load:

The reduction in the amount of sediment entering the strait will have a negative impact on seagrass beds, and in turn, the habitat and lifecycle of native species dependent upon them for survival ... Read more

¨ Increase the degradation of coastal deltas:

Reduction in sediment moving downstream from a dam leads to degradation of the river channel below the facility. The consequences of reduced sediment also extend to long stretches of coastline where the erosive effect of waves is no longer sustained by sediment inputs from rivers. This could be bad news for coastal beaches on the western side of Fraser Island ... Read More

¨ Obstruct the natural equilibrium between fresh and saline water:

The hydrological and nutrient flows between fresh and marine wetlands are highly significant to flora and fauna in the strait and contribute to its number and diversity of species. Over time, the emptying of fresh water into the Bay has created a delicate balance in oceanic saline solutions and a number of other subtle ecological processes ... Read More

¨ Decrease large existing tourism and fisheries industries:

Any threat to the marine species of the region is a threat to its ‘nature-based’ tourism industries. The removal of large flood events would also bring about a major reduction in fisheries productivity. Freshwater flows help support marine fish production as many marine fish spawn in estuaries ... Read more

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