Cooloolas pending World Heritage Listing status may be compromised if newly appointed Environment Minister Tony Burke approves the development of two large marinas.
Tin Can Bay, adjacent to Fraser Island, hosts one of few outstanding ecosystems on the east coast of Australia. Since 2004, the community has banded together in the fight against a powerful developer. There is now a second development application in the same small waterway subject to the EPBC process.
We need your help to apply pressure on the Federal government to provide real protection to this area. This is not a local issue. The Tin Can Bay region is unique, unspoilt and special. It is a perfect habitat for species that are threatened all over the world, and we need to make a stand and save some critical habitat for them.
Anyone who has been to see the dolphins this year will know that they have developed such a trust in their human friends, that they started bringing a baby in with them for feeding and viewing.
Thanks Beth for bringing this to our attention. We have added our voice to the cause and trust people listen to those that care. We were there early this year and fell in love with the place. regards and all the best for Christmas, Brian and Cheryl.
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You only live once, but if you live it right, once is enough !!!!!!
Yes, I signed the petition.I think we have enough overpriced marinas on the coast.They are like caravan park- the operaters like to gouge the traveling boaty , and give very little back. On Magnetic island they charge$30 just to tie up!And they have their own act of parliament to stop you anchoring in the swing basin!I remember fishing Tin can bay fondly and love the dolphins.No Marinas!Bill
I have every sympathy with the area trying to reject an inappropriate development that will impact greatly on a fragile environment.
I am on one hand a fisherman/boating person and only take what I want to eat that day.Never for the freezer.I also take pride in minimizing my impact when boating and watching for turtles,dugongs,dolphins etc.
On the other hand I recognise the need to cater for an ever growing boating fraternity,be it sail or power.
However Why build new developments that will impact so very badly on a pristine beautiful ecology? Just up the coast at Hervey Bay, the Marina there has development approval I am led to believe, to double in size and cater for the whole area in question.The present marina already caters for the whole area and doubling it's size will have far less of an impact on an already threatened area.
I just hope no-one politicizes Beth's Post.It's not political it's our heritage we are trying to protect and good on Beth for bringing it to light.
Thanks for the support. The dolphins are such beautiful creatures and the many volunteers do an amazing job of looking after them.
As some of you know, my sister and bil live at Cooloola Cove, so I've been aware of it for awhile. They are a family of nature lovers and with their kids and grandies visting for Xmas, they are right on the spot.
We are all 'putting it out there' on facebook too. No matter what anyone says about facebook, it's a great place for getting the message out.
I don't know about protests rocket. Check out the website.
The Tin Can bay area also holds a number of sites of historical significance from the 1420s, the time when China explored and mapped the coast of Australia (they created the map that Captain Cook used to find Australia. There were many relics located around Tin Can Bay (and other paces) that bear witness to the visitation by the Chinese. See the attached link:
The Portugese were the first Europeans to visit the east coast of Australia, 250 years before Cook. See "The Secret Discovery of Australia." by Kenneth Gordon McIntyre.
I don't normally worry about going off topic, but this is different. I don't want the message getting lost in digressions please.
I'd like to see as many GN's as possible get behind this.
Proposed Marina Developments
Two marina developments are currently planned for the narrow waterways of Tin Can Inlet.
Fraser straits Marina
Proposed for Snapper Creek with 240 wet and 120 dry berths. A relatively narrow tidal creek bordered by Ramsar designated wetlands. Approved at the Local and State government level. Still requires approval at the Federal level under the EPBC legislation.
Carlo Point Marina
257 wet berth proposal located at Carlo Point and totally within Ramsar designated wetlands. At low tide this area has only a narrow channel, requiring a significant dredging program which will be ongoing. Dredging can cause problems with water quality and as a result impact on mangroves and seagrass. This marina also requires Federal government approval under the EPBC criteria.
Great Sandy Strait region
There is a further marina development proposal to extend the existing Urangan marina at the Northern end of the Great Sandy Strait. In total we are looking at an additional 847 wet and dry berths in the region.
ive signed the petition ,i didnt experience a very nice time when i went to the place, i loved seeing the dolphins and thought it was pretty cool how they come in there, but ive never met a more ignorant rude lot of people that run the store close to the feeding,i actualy remember putting a post up here about it ages ago now
and there were others who experienced the same thing ,i also found it rather odd that they said if you went swimming in the water and went near a dolphin anywhere in that water, that you could cop a fine, i was thinking gees how can they do that ,thats a lot of water, and if a dolphin came up to swim near you there is little to be done about it.
One of the ladies in that store where you can buy a coffee and sit and eat was so rude to me and others that i vowed to never return to there and spend my money.
I'm sorry to hear that Della. I've only ever had good experiences at Barnacles Cafe. In fact, I once won a voucher from the Country Club, and had a very good brekky there.
That's also true about swimming, but I assume they mean only in that direct area where they're fed.
There are some rules and regulations we ask our visitors to abide by to ensure our dolphins stay healthy and remain wild:
Only fish purchased at the site can be fed to the dolphins (a maximum of 3kg per dolphin is fed each day)
Please ensure the flash on your camera is switched off to avoid potential injury to the dolphins eyes
Swimming with, or touching the dolphins is prohibited by law with penalties of up to $8,000 applying.
Do not enter the water unless accompanied by a volunteer
Dogs are not permitted
If using a mobile phone for photos please switch it to silent mode.
The dolphin feeding is regulated by the Queensland Government with a group of volunteers on site to ensure it is an enjoyable experience for both humans and dolphins.