Welcome to the North Queensland Conservation Council website. This website was created to inform and educate the public about environmental issues, and to keep people up-to-date on our various activities. North Queensland is a unique and beautiful environment. Its natural wonder is so often taken for granted by those lucky enough to live here. It is easy to overlook the damage we as humans inflict upon the land, ocean, river systems and animals. Our non-government, non-profit organisation is an advocate for environmental systems, which are often forgotten or ignored in the push for short-term economic gain. We are an organisation, which fights for a healthier environment. We speak out against those who would destroy it and provide the public scrutiny needed to help ensure that our natural treasures are fully valued.
Last Updated ( May 07, 2007 at 12:29 PM )
Townsville - Metal Smelting Capital of the World!?
Sep 24, 2006 at 11:07 PM
The map shows an area about the size of Magnetic Island that the state Government wants to set aside as a heavy industry development zone. Although it has been called the 'Stuart Heavy Industry Area', the map shows that it is an enormous area just upwind of most of Townsville's urban centres.
The Townsville Heavy Industry Area, also known as the Townsville State Development Area, is a 49 square kilometre site adjacent to Cleveland Bay. The site contains many areas of environmental significance, including wetlands, fish nursery areas, protected bird rookeries and foraging areas for many protected species.
This isn't just another industrial estate! This represents a fundamental change to the future of our city and region.
In October 2003 the State Government ignored the submissions of many Townsville residents and declared this area the Townsville State Development Area. Doing so has effectively removed decision-making for this area from our locally elected government and put it in the hands of the Coordinator-General, a Brisbane-based bureaucrat. Many of the safeguards required by existing legislation to ensure the protection of the environment and people’s health and wellbeing have been removed under the State Development Act. Much of what would normally be required in the assessment of a major industry plant, such as a lead or aluminium smelter, is now at the discretion of the Coordinator-General.
If Townsville becomes a centre for heavy industry, like Mount Isa or Gladstone, what will this mean in terms of:
the quality of our air and water?
residential property values?
the future health of our children?
our quality of life and lifestyle?
our tourism industry?
the ability of our region to attract clean sustainable industries in the future?
the environmental health of Cleveland Bay, where fauna has already been found to contain elevated levels of industrial chemicals?
If you don’t like the answers, then please join us and help put a stop to this now.
Just some of the industries that have been proposed for this area:
Expansion of Sun Metals to include a lead smelter and increased zinc production (already agreed to in 'The State of Queensland and Sun Metals Corporation Pty Ltd, Townsville Refinery Agreement, 1996), a tannery, chemical manufacture, chemical storage, mineral processing, liquid fuel storage and coal-fired power station.
The Beattie Government is trying to make this region a major centre for heavy and toxic industries such as mineral processing and chemical production. This will fundamentally change our region and has many implications for residents, businesses and the environment. NQCC believes that our region would be better served by encouraging the growth of our existing world-class research institutions and other high employment, low impact industries. If you feel the same way, then please help us by making your feelings known to our politicians. Send them a letter or email telling them that this isn't the future you want for our region.
The Hon. Peter Beattie, MP Premier PO Box 15185, CITY EAST, Q, 4002
The Hon. Mike Reynolds, MP Member for Townsville PO Box 1148 Townsville 4810 Email:
Write letters to the Editor Townsville Bulletin: PO Box 587 Townsville Qld 4810 Email:
The Courier-Mail: GPO Box 130 Brisbane 4001 Email:
