Colong Foundation for Wilderness
Media Releases
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Colong Foundation Media Releases (2005 archive)
Lithgow Council to consider Capertee Heliport tonight The Public concern disregarded - 19 Dec 05
Chaelundi Wilderness Welcomed - 29 Nov 05
The Gardens of Stone - Stage Two - Proposed State Conservation Areas and Park Extensions - 28 Nov 05
Offshore Sand Mining should be considered in the Sydney Construction Materials Strategy - 2 Nov 05
Endangered Species Sold Short on Cloud Seeding - 17 Mar. 05
ENVIRONMENT GROUP REJECTS BLOOD MONEY FOR AUSTRALIA'S ALPINE AREAS - 11 Oct 05
Environment group welcomes Namadgi National Park draft management plan - 9 Sept 05
Lithgow Council to consider Capertee Heliport tonight
The Public concern disregarded
19 December 2005
Lithgow City Council tonight will consider the controversial Capertee Heliport that council officers have recommended for approval in a report released last Friday evening.
“Tonight we will see whether Lithgow Council has any sensitivity to community concern or if it is simply a rubber stamp for development. Nothing has been resolved with this proposal,” said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
“It seems that Council is unable to articulate community objections to its Councillors. There is no section in the council report I received on Friday that itemises the concerns raised in over 300 submissions received. The usual procedure is to demonstrate how the public’s concern with a development proposal has been resolved. I have no evidence that this was done, as is usually required for a proposal subject to an environmental impact statement”, Mr Muir said.
Mr Muir said that “Councillors have a final chance tonight to listen to the public. A heliport in Capertee would be very detrimental to the amenity of one of the most scenic areas in NSW and would drive away eco-tourism from the area,” said Mr Muir.
“Approving this heliport proposal may place at risk the Emirates’ six star eco-resort proposed for the Wolgan Valley. The Emirates intend to have a tamed wilderness theme for the $50 million resort and helicopter joy flights would wreck that concept as well as spoil the enjoyment of the Capertee Valley for residents and visitors”, said Mr Muir
“The Council report even proposes a consent condition that could undermine existing minimum flying heights over the World Heritage Area from 2000 feet to as low as 500 feet. This proposed condition suggests that Council is not interested in protecting the World Heritage Area or the amenity of its own residents,” Mr Muir said.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9299 7341 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
Chaelundi Wilderness Welcomed
29 November 2005
“The announcement of an 11,000 hectares Chaelundi wilderness today is another step toward the protection of our precious wilderness estate. This wilderness, however, is just one of a number of backlog of areas that remain to be protected in NSW”, said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
“The wilderness announced for declaration covers outstanding old growth forests of very high diversity. It contains Chandlers Creek, which runs through the area is a dramatic wild stream that will gain better protection from this decision. The area also has the highest density of the nationally endangered Hastings River Mouse,” Mr Muir said.
“The Chaelundi wilderness contains 21 species of threatened fauna, including the Yellow-bellied Glider, Rufous Bettong and Tiger Quoll. These species require large contiguous habitat area for their long-term survival,” he said.
“To reserve this wilderness area, the Government has acquired 4,000 hectares of important forest leasehold land. The acquisition underscores the importance of maintaining the Dunphy Wilderness Fund that has protected 68,000 hectares of rare wilderness land over the last ten years. We are yet to hear what will be the fate of this important fund,” he said.
Mr Muir said that “The announcement of the states’ first ever wild rivers is also welcome news.”
“These decisions break the dam on a number of wilderness proposals that are currently before government, including the Yengo and Mummel Gulf wilderness areas”, said Mr Muir.
“There is still a long way to go before wilderness is properly protected and managed in NSW. For a start there needs to be a Wilderness management team within the Department of the Environment and Conservation and adequate funding for these threatened areas. Precious wilderness is a litmus test, and the Iemma Government still has a long way to go on protecting the natural environment”, Mr Muir said.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9261 2400 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
The Gardens of Stone - Stage Two
Proposed State Conservation Areas and Park Extensions28 November, 2005
Today the Colong Foundation for Wilderness, the Blue Mountains Conservation Society and the Colo Committee launched a new proposal to protect 40,000 hectares. The proposal, centred on the township of Lithgow, is called the Gardens of Stone.
"The Gardens of Stone area is scenically, environmentally and historically unparalleled. Its current low level of protection shows a scandalous disregard of this magnificent heritage. The Gardens of Stone proposal is an innovative approach that will ensure better protection of these unparalleled areas and greatly enhance tourism in the western Blue Mountains-Lithgow region", said Dr Brian Marshal, President of the Blue Mountains Conservation Society.
“'This area for too long has been taken for granted, yet is truly a national gem. Its geology is dramatic and spectacular, its biodiverisity is fascinatingly diverse, and its cultural history is extensive. It is time at last for the overlooked to be valued and acknowledged. This is a fantastic area that truly deserves reserve status!", said Haydn Washington, Secretary of the Colo Committee.
“The Gardens of Stone is a place worth saving that has great potential for quiet, family-based recreation. The proposed system of new Gardens of Stone parks will greatly enhance tourism opportunities in the central and western Blue Mountains around Lithgow,” said Keith Muir, director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
The Gardens of Stone has iconic heritage of national significance. The park proposal aims to protect and manage:
· the first three rugged mountain passes west to the interior of Australia;
· the outstanding Aboriginal cultural sites on and around Newnes Plateau;
· the wonderful oil shale mining ruins on spectacular Airly Mesa;
· some of the highest plant diversity in the Blue Mountains; and
· some of the most beautiful and intricate sandstone formations in Australia.
“The plant, animal and Aboriginal heritage of the proposal reflect the landscape’s diversity. The proposal’s many rare plants, unique snowgrass-snowgum woodlands, shrub swamps and heathlands are not protected elsewhere, said Mr Washington.
“The Gardens of Stone is a geological wonderland of coloured escarpments, narrow canyons, rock arches, cave overhangs, lonely sandstone peninsulas and remnant forested sand dunes from the last ice age”, Dr Marshall said.
Mr Muir believes that “Heritage-based tourism could draw Lithgow toward a more environmentally sustainable future”.
“The proposal provides an integrated plan of action to protect, manage and interpret the area but recognises the realities of existing coalmining operations”, he added.
Contact:
Keith Muir - Colong Foundation for Wilderness - 0438 512 304
Brian Marshall - Blue Mountains Conservation Society – 4784 1148
Haydn Washington – Colo Committee – 0429 967845 or 63796257
NSW Government’s “exclusive negotiation agreement” with Perisher Blue must be made public
23 November, 2005
A peak environment group today called on the NSW Premier, Morris Iemma, to disclose his Government’s “exclusive negotiation agreement” with Perisher Blue, a high profile leaseholder in the alpine region of Kosciuszko National Park.
“The Colong Foundation has obtained a copy of Perisher Blue’s current lease and it does not allow the Company’s application for a major development in the Park.” said Ms Fiona McCrossin, Assistant Director of the Foundation.
“The Foundation understands that the NSW Government is currently negotiating new terms and conditions for the lease that would open the way for the development. We also understand that the company has an “exclusive negotiation agreement” with the Government.”
“The negotiations are being made over public national park land and must be open to public scrutiny.”
“Perisher Blue lodged a development application in October 2004 which, if approved, will see the development of an 846 bed resort, retail and commercial complex in Perisher Valley. This is just the first stage of a multi staged development which will change the Valley from a small village of isolated lodges to a major urbanised centre within the Park.”
“In July this year the owners of Perisher Blue, Kerry Packer and Transfield Holdings, put Perisher Blue up for sale. Perisher Blue was predicted to bring as much as $200 million. But, the resort was taken off the market. “
“Earlier this month the NSW Government announced that it would provide $250 million for upgrading of the Park’s infrastructure. Approximately $160 million of this will be needed, according to IPART, to “provide greater certainty for future investment in Perisher” (IPART Media Release 5 November 2005).
“NSW Environment Groups have been calling for a stop to any further development in the sensitive alpine regions of Kosciuszko. Just two weeks ago the Groups presented this to the Premier as a major issue in the lead up to the 2007 election. But the Premier has yet to respond.”
“In the public interest, we call on Mr Iemma to disclose the Government’s negotiations with Perisher Blue. ” concluded Ms McCrossin.
For further comment please ring Fiona McCrossin on 9261 2400 or 9568 1309 (AH)
Dump the Secret Superhighway that would cut through the Blue Mountains World Heritage Wilderness
10 November 2005
Today’s announced superhighway scheme is an absurd attack on the precious Blue Mountains World Heritage Wilderness that the Carr Government fought so hard to protect in 2000.
“I am amazed that the NSW Government is allowing the National Party Member for Lachlan, Ian Armstrong to do its dirty work on this superhighway scheme. You would have thought that the State Government has had enough of bad road schemes after the cross city tunnel fiasco, but this proposed 94 kilometre monument to concrete would make that white elephant look like a pygmy”, said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
Mr Muir believes Armstrong’s vision “To spread western Sydney across the Blue Mountains and west into Bathurst must be Sydney’s worst nightmare come true (ABC radio, 4/2/04). Make no mistake this proposed superhighway would encourage urban sprawl, ruin the Bilpin area and compromise World Heritage. To cap it off this Sinclair Knight Mertz report ‘released’ to the media today by Mr Armstrong will not be publicly available for a few days.”
“Well I have the detailed June 2000, Maunsell McIntyre report that damns this superhighway proposal as grossly uneconomic,” he said.
“The Government’s secret two million dollar Sinclair Knight Mertz superhighway study ignores the origin and destination of Mountains road traffic. The vast majority of the vehicle movements in the Mountains is local, not through traffic. This concrete monster could not serve that need; its a thoroughly stupid scheme,” said Mr Muir.
“There are many arguments against this proposed road. It would not only damage World Heritage listed areas, the Grose and Wollemi Wilderness areas, tourism, cultural heritage, endangered shale forest communities and require the acquisition of national park land. Where the proposed superhighway passes over the Newnes Plateau it would also impact upon nationally endangered shrub swamps, Lithgow’s water supply and outstanding scenery in the western Blue Mountains”, Mr Muir said.
“Its time for the Government to stop this superhighway nonsense, that seeks to pursue the outmoded policy of expensive highways in rugged terrain for a few trucks. The proposed new road would ruin the charming scenic drive on a forest and fern lined road with spectacular vistas of unspoilt wilderness and its pleasant wayside stops to buy flowers, fruit and produce at local stalls. The current Bells Line of Road should remain a delightful alternative to the Western Highway”, Mr Muir said.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9299 7341 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
Aerial baiting in Kosciuszko is an ecological disaster;so reintroduce pure bred dingoes instead
10 November 2005
“Spreading death to predators from the air in Kosciuszko National Park is a reckless action that will place endangered dingo and quoll populations at risk”, said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
“Instead of killing wild dogs, the National Parks and Wildlife should be reintroducing endangered pure-bred dingoes as a top level predator into Kosciuszko National Park in ecologically significant numbers,” Mr Muir said.
“While here in NSW we kill off dingoes by aerial baiting in Kosciuszko National Park, wolves and cougars are being reintroduced into the national parks in the United States. American park managers appreciate that top-level predators regulate ecosystems and loss of large carnivores is associated with extinction events. Yet in NSW the dingo remains the only endangered mammal targeted for eradication under state law”, he said.
He said that “All appeals to Environment Minister Bob Debus for scientific research into the role that dingoes play in the ecology of endangered marsupials have been rejected. There is no question that poison baits kill dingoes. Wiping out dingoes and knocking back quolls by aerial baiting only releases fox and cat populations that can quickly bounce back from baiting in very large numbers that then kill off the smaller endangered species and other wildlife. This is called “mesopredator release” and is one of several well known ecological responses to the loss of top carnivores. If you want to cause local extinctions in national parks then I believe that aerial baiting may be the best way to go about it.”
“And there is more to protecting endangered Tiger Quolls than seeing if quolls die immediately from poison baits as examined by recent experiments. Poisoning quolls will affect their health and probably their capacity to breed. National Parks and Wildlife is not saying that baits are good for quolls, its a question of whether baits kill them or just make these endangered animals really sick instead. It stands to reason that a serious poisoning event damages the health of any creature, so why damage the health of quolls”, asks Mr Muir.
“If Americans can tolerate living with and even admire brown bears, big cats and wolves, Australian farmers should learn to get along with dingoes before they become extinct”, Mr Muir said.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9261 2400 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
should be considered in the Sydney Construction Materials Strategy
2 November 2005
Sydney has a voracious demand for sand and is set to consume increasing amounts of sand from Newnes Plateau and five other very environmentally sensitive areas. The Colong Foundation, however, proposes that offshore sand extraction should be considered as an alternative option in the Sydney Construction Materials Strategy currently being developed by the Department of Planning.
‘The Government and Opposition parties placed a blanket veto on offshore sand mining in 1990s. This political stance assumes that mining ocean sands must have a greater environmental impact than quarrying land-based resources such as outstanding scenery, unique ecosystems and even community amenity where mining occurs next to residential areas. I think the major parties should rethink their stance on sand mining,’ said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
‘Large offshore sand deposits, especially those subjected to bottom trawl fishing, the marine equivalent to clearfelling forests, are no longer high conservation environments. I can imagine that some offshore areas might be mined a few kilometres offshore with less impact than land-based quarrying, he said.
“However, the close offshore marine sand deposits by proposed for mining by Metromix off Royal National Park in the 1990s should not be developed. I am aware of the dangers of near shore ocean mining in depths less than 40 metres where mining might interfere with natural replenishment of beach sand by ocean currents. Similarly mining areas covered with sewage sludge might release unacceptable toxic pollution’, he said.
‘Newnes Plateau is being investigated as a potential 500 million tonne resource but the area has very high conservation values. It should not become the substitute sand resource for the diminishing resources of Kurnell Peninsula and Penrith Lakes.
‘A Sydney Construction Materials Strategy is currently being development by the Department of Planning. It should make a comparative assessment between the potential quarrying areas to identify those that could be developed and those protected from mining, Mr Muir said.
‘Of course the mining industry wants to develop every identified deposit, but Government should decide where the sand resources are to be mined for the next 50 or so years. The risks of mining sand further offshore should be properly considered against the impacts of land-based quarrying. The Department of Planning should take a thorough and public review of the alternatives and present to Government only those options that cause the least environmental and social damage, said Mr Muir.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9261 2400 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
Meeting at Lithgow Council chambers today will examine sand mining rules for Newnes Plateau
26 October 2005
“The controversial plan to turn Newnes Plateau 125 kilometres west of Sydney into a sand pit will be discussed at Lithgow Council chambers today by stakeholders. It is expected that the media will again be locked out as was the case in June’, said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
‘Newnes Plateau is being advanced for sand mining development in front of five other alternatives. The proposals for Newnes threaten the adjacent World Heritage area, which would degrade the region’s most important natural resource’, he said.
“The Colong Foundation for Wilderness will put a motion before today’s meeting calling on the Minister for Planning, the Hon. Frank Sartor, to ensure the Sydney Construction Materials Strategy results in the least impact on environmental, social and economic values. This will require adequate funding of the required studies,” Mr Muir said.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9261 2400 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
ENVIRONMENT GROUP REJECTS BLOOD MONEY FOR AUSTRALIA’S ALPINE AREAS
11 October 2005
The Colong Foundation for Wilderness today called on the NSW, Victoria and the ACT governments to reject a $15 million dollar plan by the Federal Government to make a World Heritage listing nomination of the Alpine National Parks contingent upon the creation of a cattle grazing and horseriding theme park. The Foundation called the plan a thinly veiled bribe to the Victorian government to retract its ban on cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park and throw cash at all three governments to push new horseriding trails through 1.6 million hectares of alpine parks in NSW, Victoria and ACT. A World Heritage expert has also damned the Plan saying that it will place the area’s World Heritage values at risk.
“Senator Campbell is using money to try to override the Victorian Government’s recent pro-conservation ban on cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park. While some of the money, targeted for restoration and weed control, is welcome this should not be tied to further high impact grazing and an expansion of horseriding in these delicate alpine areas,” said Fiona McCrossin, Assistant Director, Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
“On the one hand the Federal Government is holding this big carrot saying we will help you with your weeds and feral animals. On the other hand they want to open 1.6 million hectares of national parks to activities that are ecologically damaging and obsolete. Alpine grazing has not been allowed in NSW since 1972 and Senator Campbell knows it will damage the high country. That is why this plan is going to spend $3.5 million dollars on fences to keep the cattle out of bogs and fens, which would also block the movement of wildlife within the national park,” continued Ms McCrossin.
“What is really strange about this Federal Government intervention is that just two months ago, Senator Campbell rejected National Heritage listing of Kosciuszko on the basis of a “Man from Snowy River” theme and emphasised the importance of the Park’s natural, aesthetic and aboriginal values. Now he’s saying the opposite. What’s going on?” said Ms McCrossin.
A World Heritage Working Group based at the Colong Foundation has been working on a nomination that prioritises the integrity of the region’s natural values, particularly the suite of eucalypt communities that stretch from the coast to the snow.
“Cattle grazing poses a great thereat to the integrity of the area's natural values and would most likely disqualify the area from world heritage listing as the integrity conditions of the Convention are very stringent”, said Dr Geoff Mosley AM, a member of the working group and one of Australia’s leading world heritage experts.
“This is a thinly veiled attempt of the Federal Government to use its powers under Commonwealth legislation to restore cattle grazing licences on the basis of an alleged threat to cultural world heritage values. This will be seen as an abuse of the World Heritage Convention and seriously damage Australia's international credibility in this field.” Dr Mosley concluded.For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9261 2400 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
Environment group welcomes Namadgi National Park draft management plan
9 September 2005
The new Draft Plan of Management for the Namadgi National Park is one of the best to come out of South East Australia for a number of years, said Keith Muir director of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.
Mr Muir said that “The draft plan leads to way toward better protection of the natural environment. It will help to foster appropriate nature-focussed recreation and conserve Canberra’s water resources, while facilitating co-management of the park by the local Aboriginal community.”
“The new draft plan seeks to manage this large national park in the context of other reserves and parks around Canberra. The bush capitals recreation needs are accommodated by all these reserves. This comprehensive approach to recreation also facilitates the protection of important sub-alpine wilderness, such as the Bimberi and Booth Ranges”, Mr Muir said.
“The Colong Foundation for Wilderness congratulates Chief Minister Jon Stanhope for protecting Namadgi National Park from the demands of the off road vehicle lobby. His stance is in accordance with that of the Sydney Catchment Authority that has limited vehicle access and visitor numbers to the inner catchment of Warragamba Dam for many years. This approach is the best way to ensure protection of catchment values,” he said.
“Namadgi National Park is a great park and this draft plan looks at first glance as it will help to ensure this wonderful area remains part of our national heritage.”For more information contact: Keith Muir, (02) 9261 2400 (wk) or 9550 3615 (ah)
