Mission Beach raises concerns

CONSERVATIONISTS are concerned that Mission Beach’s proposed safe harbour has been deemed not to have a significant impact upon the environment by the Federal Government.

The Federal Department of Environment has not considered the planned $16 million Safe Boating Infrastructure project at Clump Point a “controlled action” under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

This means it has been deemed not likely to have a significant impact on National Heritage values.

The decision has been applauded by proponents of the state-driven project.

However, Mission Beach based conservationist Liz Gallie said it appeared advice from local conservation groups had been ignored.

“It does not reflect, at all, the conservation input into what we believe is suitable for Mission Beach,” she said.

“They (the proponents) have basically gone ahead and designed a commercial port, incorporating everything you could imagine – commercial fishing to refuelling, to passenger transfer, and all of the recreational facilities, which are already congested out there.”

The project, which involves a breakwater, access jetty, boat ramp, berthing pontoons, pile berths and swing moorings, still needs approval from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and state agencies.

Hinchinbrook MP Andrew Cripps said local recreational and commercial boat users would be pleased one hurdle had been cleared in terms of scale and design of the project.

“A great deal of work has gone into consulting the local community on what it wants to see at the site and balancing that against what can be achieved in terms of the environmental constraints,” he said.