John Sinclair, defender of Fraser Island, fights for Stradbroke  

John Sinclair is the veteran fighter for Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island. At SIMO's 32nd AGM on 19 June, he told a tale of two islands. Whereas Fraser Island was saved from sand mining and logging, declared national park and granted World Heritage status, Stradbroke – the world's second largest sand island – was mined. John described a sense of guilt, 'knowing that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 30 years miners have been churning away the sands of Stradbroke Island'.

Both Fraser and Stradbroke are forested sand islands anchored to rocky headlands, with Ramsar wetlands and perched dune lakes. They differ in the area of national park: 99 per cent for Fraser and 1.6 per cent for Stradbroke. Fraser Island has 350,000 visitors annually, generating over $289 million for the national economy; and an estimated 2880 jobs are generated in the Fraser Coast and Sunshine Coast regions from tourism and recreation on Fraser. Mineral sands (including output from Stradbroke) is worth just $100 million annually to the state. 'Mining yields relatively little to the economy compared to tourism. And it is profit that can only be made once.' John is very impressed by the significant environmental value of 'this marvellous island on Brisbane's doorstep'. He suggested a government enquiry similar to the one Tony Fitzgerald conducted on Fraser Island, to establish the actual value of mining and of nature tourism alternatives and national park. SIMO thinks the island's aquifer also needs to be valued.

The day after the AGM, the State government announced that 80 per cent of Stradbroke is to be declared national park by 2027; 50 per cent of the island is to be national park within 18 months. We are waiting for further details regarding the expired leases. 2027 is 17 years away, a long time if mining is to continue clearing magnificent old growth forest and original landscape. Successful national park on Stradbroke depends on its remaining pristine landscapes, both for the ecological health of ecosystems and for nature-based ventures. National park is coming after 60 years of mining, so protecting all remaining assets in the landscape and their amentiry must now occur swiftly. Therefore is it important not to renew the expired mining leases. 

A fair and equitable transition for workers is appropriate. Dismantling the mining infrastructure and completing rehabilitation will take some time, so employment will not stop overnight. Meanwhile, a transition to nature-based industries can commence soon. Few people visit Stradbroke in winter, but it is a perfect time to walk and explore the heart of the island. 

One of the most significant announcements was that new national park will be jointly managed with the Traditional Owners of Stradbroke/Minjerribah. This welcome outcome will allow the Indigenous community to care for country. The Indigenous community is to be applauded for their vision and generosity in supporting the creation of the national park.

The government has commenced a public consultation process. Straddie.Vision@derm.qld.gov.au  (June 2010)                                            

Click here to download John Sinclair's talk as PDF

It's time to write to the Premier about more national park on NSI  

SIMO is asking supporters of national park on NSI to write to the Premier now. The government is currently deliberating which areas of the island to designate national park. SIMO fears that only the southern areas of the island already affected by mining, and Eighteen Mile Swamp, will be gazetted. It is important to save beautiful pristine areas in the heart of the island from mining (see above) for future national park. SIMO and other groups including FOSI, Queensland Conservation Council, Community Alliance for Responsible Planning (CARP) Redlands, Fraser Island Defenders Organisation, Moreton Island Protection Committee and Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland, are calling on the government not to renew the more than 20 expired mining leases and to incorporate the land into extensive national park on Stradbroke in this term of government.

The Autumn 2010 SIMO Newsletter – go to SIMO Newsletters – has key points to include in letters to the Premier. (June 2010) 

Stradbroke Wildlife Rescue hero saluted   

The winner of Redland City Council's 2010 Australia Day Environmental Achievement Award is NSI wildlife carer Jack Jackson. Fellow wildlife carers Carolyn Hahn and Stell Grimmett were with Jack at the Awards ceremony, and share his great achievement. 

NSI is fortunate to have dedicated carers looking after sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. Island environmentalist and activist Ellie Durbidge took in animals many years ago. Clare Milliken began caring for wildlife 20 years ago. Jack Jackson teamed up with Clare ten years ago, advertised his mobile phone number as a rescue number and gathered a group of volunteers: Stradbroke Wildlife Rescue was born.   

Problems for wildlife on NSI are intensified because the population swells from 2000 to 20,000 overnight at holiday times, with thousands of extra vehicles on island roads. A direct correlation exists between vehicles coming off barges and increased wildlife roadkill. Daily, dozens of heavy mining trucks also threaten wildlife on the main road, which passes through prime koala territory. Sadly, NSI wildlife carers are kept busy.    

Last year SIMO won the RCC's Environmental Achievement Award. (January 2010)  

NATIONAL PARK – NOT MINING on NSI campaign launched

Friends of Stradbroke Island, Queensland Conservation Council, Community Alliance for Responsible Planning (CARP) Redlands, Fraser Island Defenders Organisation, Moreton Island Protection Committee and Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland launched a campaign against sandmining on NSI. Details are on the website savestraddie.com. Reasons for acting to save Stradbroke include the pressing need for more National Park in South-East Queensland, the destruction of old growth forests by mining on Stradbroke, the critical need to protect island koalas, and creating an island economy based on preservation, not destruction. (January 2010)

Unimin charged with 'illegal' sand mining on North Stradbroke Island

As reported by the Courier-Mail on 4 December 2009, the State Government has charged Unimin with illegally selling sand from NSI. The EPA (now DERM) raided Unimin's offices in December 2008, seizing computers and files, and has had the company's sand mining operation under investigation. Confirmation that Unimin has been illegally selling sand for construction and landscaping uses came during a hearing in the Queensland Supreme Court in September 2009. The mining company was seeking a determination under the Mineral Resources Act to legalise taking non-mineral sand – which Unimin apparently has done over many years. However, in finding against the company, the judge determined that Unimin is not permitted to take and sell the sand remaining after its authorised silica sand mining operations. The State subsequently filed a prosecution against the company in the Cleveland Magistrates Court.

The full enormity of Unimin's crime lies in the environmental impact on the island and the aquifer. Sand mining is destructive. Mining operations clear native vegetation and fauna habitat, destroy the ancient dune structure and alter surface and sub-surface water flow. The legally mined silica sand used for glass making is taken away, and all remaining sand is supposed to be used to restore the landscape post-mining. The company has statutory obligations to do this. However, in selling what Unimin refers to as low-grade silica sand, Unimin has been robbing the island of the sand needed for rehabilitation, with untold environmental consequences. For how many years?

In addition to the charges already laid, SIMO is urging the State Government to prosecute Unimin for a range of offences relating to stealing sand, including the company's inadequate post-mining rehabilitation of the land, and knowingly concealing its unlawful construction sand business from stakeholders over many years. (December 2009)  

Dead koalas confront drivers

Jack Jackson of Stradbroke Wildlife Rescue was at his wits' end following the deaths of two healthy koalas on the road out of Dunwich. The koalas were hit within about 15 minutes of each other in a 70kph zone near Two Mile on Friday evening, 9 October. Both were killed by hit and run drivers who didn't bother to stop to see if anything could be done for the animals or to move them off the road, or to check whether a baby could be saved. The cars were in a long line travelling from the barge across the island. The koalas died in Jack's car on the way to treatment. On Saturday morning Jack and Carolyn Hahn set up a small protest cum education display at Point Lookout to alert people to the reality of island roadkill, displaying the two koala corpses. It was a shock to many people to see actual bodies of dead animals. Jack is calling for drivers to be aware of Stradbroke's wildlife when driving anywhere on the island. Wildlife use the road too, to get to and from feeding places. The East Coast Road traverses major koala habitat. Cars need to slow down. Please report wildlife hits immediately, as animals could be saved if reached quickly: wildlife rescue hotline 0407 766 052.  
Photos: Jan Aldenhoven, Glen Carruthers (October 2009)  

'HOLIDAY ISLAND MINING SHOCK': Courier-Mail expose

On 15 August 2009, the Courier-Mail ran a prominent two-page story about the ravaging of Stradbroke by Enterprise and Yarraman mining operations, after a pilot had flown over the area and been so shocked by the devastation that he alerted the newspaper. Most island visitors have no idea of the scale of mining or the extent of damage to the landscape. A double-page image of the 100m-deep Enterprise mine told the story. 'Large parts of eco-sensitive North Stradbroke Island resemble a barren moonscape', said the paper. SIMO vice-president Jennie Truman said that the mines had 'more than 600ha of open area…the biggest it's been for a very long time'. She also pointed out that 'CRL isn't putting landscaping back to mimic the ancient dune system'. SIMO has been extremely concerned by the mining company's recent departure from re-forming the post-mine landscape as it was pre-mining: instead, CRL is creating very large landforms that do not conform to the island's topography. Plans to sell 'waste' sand follow from mining extremely deep and displacing very large quantities of sand. It is cheaper to export the sand than to replace the island's landform. In a Courier-Mail online survey over the weekend asking: 'Do you support sand mining on Stradbroke?', 826 votes were received; 644, nearly 80%, voted NO. Yarraman mine photo: Adam Head (August 2009)

CRL/QCM goes to court to export island sand

Consolidated Rutile Limited subsidiary, Queensland Construction Materials, was set up to export sand from NSI – in addition to the minerals that CRL takes. But in August 2008, Redland City Council unanimously rejected a development application to export sand for sale as construction material, on the basis that Stradbroke Island's future lies with conservation and tourism, not mining or quarrying. CRL/QCM are appealing the decision in the Planning and Environment Court. SIMO and FOSI are among 11 co-respondents in the case. The hearing of preliminary points took place in Brisbane on 6 and 7 April. The parties are now awaiting the judge's decision. (June 2009)

Download SIMO koala spotter's record sheet

SIMO is very keen to promote data gathering about Stradbroke koalas, and we're asking locals to tell us when and where they see them. We are collating all data we receive and feeding it to Redland City Council. PhD student Romane Cristescu has been observing and logging movements of around a dozen koalas fitted with radio collars. In 2008, RCC in association with EPA (now DERM), University of Queensland, University of NSW and CRL undertook the first ever island koala count. This operation has not yet yielded a definitive answer about the extent of the NSI population. It will take some years to gather robust data about the numbers and whereabouts of koalas on the island. The conventional wisdom is the koalas occupy the western and northern areas of the island. However, SIMO is aware of sightings also in southern and eastern areas, and we invite anyone who knows of sightings from years past and present to let us know. The more people contributing, the better. For example, if four people sight koalas in different locations, say at Point Lookout, on the same day, we might be able to say there are at least four koalas at the Point. At present we don't know how many there are. Similarly for the other townships. To take part in the island koala sightings, please download this pdf and fill out the form and send it to us. Photo: Jan Aldenhoven (June 2009)

click here to download PDF  

Unimin takeover of CRL

Iluka sold its 51 per cent stake in Consolidated Rutile Limited to Unimin for $84 million in a deal announced in mid April. CRL's share price had dropped to around 30 cents. Unimin's takeover offer was 45 cents a share. Unimin has operated on NSI since 2001 when it acquired the ACI silica leases. As a private company, Unimin's business and mining operations less transparent than those of the publicly-listed CRL. It is expected that CRL will now be delisted from the ASX. Unimin mines silica sand on NSI, used mainly for glass making and foundry purposes. CRL's leases do not contain significant deposits of silica. Unimin's intentions for the CRL leases are unknown. (June 2009)

CRL to close Yarraman mine by 2014, halving workforce

CRL announced in May that it plans to close its Yarraman mine by 2014, halving its workforce (currently stated as 130 island residents), and will sell off the mine's multi-million dollar dredge and concentrator equipment. This will leave CRL's other mine, Enterprise, to continue on a northerly mine path, expected to finish in 2027. It is not known whether or not this plan will be affected by the Unimin takeover. (June 2009)