Road sealing ‘poses risks’

THE head of the Wet Tropics Management Authority says there will be winners and losers if the Bloomfield Track is paved.

Cairns firm Cummings Economics has been commissioned by Cook Shire and Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire councils to conduct a feasibility study into sealing the popular off-road route.

But Douglas Shire Council is opposing the move, suggesting it could threaten the environmental and tourism values of the World Heritage-listed rainforest area.

WTMA executive director Scott Buchanan said the study was still worthwhile pursuing, in terms of providing local authorities with a clearer picture of the benefits of sealing the track.

However, he said, there would also be plenty of disadvantages upgrading the dirt road through the rainforest.

“There’s all those other things that come out as a result of hardening the road — that increased traffic flow, which poses a higher risk to wildlife, and other World Heritage values,” he said.

He said any significant realignment of the track would also pose a challenge in terms of developing World Heritagelisted rainforest.

“That would be a significant issue that would have to be dealt with at that time,” he said.

“As the permitting agency, we can’t pre-empt what that outcome would be.

“We would definitely have to assess that and it would certainly have to be in accordance with the current legislation that exists.”

Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation chairman Desmond Tayley, who is also the mayor of Wujal Wujal, said sealing the road would reduce pollutants, such as soils, running off into the Great Barrier Reef from the Bloomfield Track.

“The road was bitumen through (Daintree River) to Cape Tribulation, benefiting the non-indigenous community and local tourism operators,” he said.

“This was done in a way that was respectful of the environment.

“And there is no reason why this approach couldn’t be taken north of Cape Tribulation.

“Sealing the road would actually reduce erosion and sediment run-off into the Great Barrier Reef from the Bloomfield Track.”

THERE’S ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT COME OUT AS A RESULT OF HARDENING THE ROAD — THAT INCREASED TRAFFIC FLOW, WHICH POSES A HIGHER RISK TO WILDLIFE, AND OTHER WORLD HERITAGE VALUES

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Authorised by Warren Entsch MP, 200 Mulgrave Road, Cairns QLD 4870.