Aquaculture

Chequered history results in effective environmental regime

HE development of a large-scale tourist development and marina at Oyster Point was first proposed in the late 1980s by Resort Village Cardwell. The original proposal was for a 2000-bed resort, a 200-berth marina and associated service and commercial facilities.

Work started in 1988 but was abandoned the following year after much of the site had been cleared and major excavations for the marina basin begun. Significantly, there had been no comprehensive environmental impact assessment and the presence of acid sulphate soils at the site was not known.

The site lay abandoned until 1993 when it was bought by the current developer, Keith Williams, who set about finishing the earthworks that had been started some years earlier.

In November 1994, concern about the impact on the World Heritage values of Hinchinbrook Channel led the then Commonwealth Environment Minister, Senator John Faulkner, to use the World Heritage Properties Conservation Act to stop mangrove clearing on the seaward foreshore. This effectively brought a halt to the project while environmental management measures were negotiated to ensure World Heritage values were protected.

In 1996, following a change of Commonwealth government, the developer entered into a Deed of Agreement with the Commonwealth, Queensland and the Cardwell Shire Council requiring environmental management strategies to ensure the Hinchinbrook Channel would be protected.

These included the appointment of a day-to-day environmental site super-visor and an overall independent monitor responsible for overseeing and advising on the implementation of environmental management plans. Independent experts were also appointed to monitor acid sulphate soils and binding environmental management plans were put in place — including a plan for the management of acid sulphate soils.

In 1995 a study by CSIRO had identified extensive areas of ‘potential acid sulphate soils’ — common on the tropical Queensland coastline — at the Port Hinchinbrook site. Earthworks and clearing by the previous developer com-pounded by some work by Mr Williams had exposed some of these soils to the air, allowing oxidation to occur and creating the potential for acid-generating soils to develop at various locations around the site.

While the hazards were not considered critically acute, CSIRO’s investigation flagged the need to develop an ASS management plan for the site as part of the 1996 Deed of Agreement. The Queensland government’s Acid Sulphate Soils Investigation Team (QASSIT — a part of the Department of Natural Resources) were appointed to monitor and oversee arrangements for man-aging ASS.

As a result of the management plan remedial action was taken to bury or treat exposed acid sulphate soils. Water draining from the site was also directed through a drainage system to a treatment pond where it could be monitored for unacceptable acidity and treated before being discharged.

Measurements of pH were collected regularly at various locations around the site to ensure the measures in place were effective in preventing acid water entering the Hinchinbrook Channel.

This environmental management regime has been effective in ensuring that only neutral pH water flows from the excavated canal into the Hinchinbrook Channel.

The GBRMPA has, at all times, been satisfied that the values of the World Heritage-listed Hinchinbrook Channel have been protected.