8:27a.m. 12 May 2008

| By Carolyn Tucker

Australia Zoo owner Terri Irwin is gearing up for a battle to block bauxite mining on a North Queensland Wildlife Reserve dedicated to the memory of her late husband.

The crocodile hunter’s widow has threatened to take the case to court to protect the environmentally sensitive site.

Mrs Irwin’s private company Silverback owns the 135,000 hectare property which was purchased by the government last year for $6 million under the National Reserve System program.

Mining company Cape Alumina Pty Ltd had applied to the state government for exploration permits covering part of the reserve in 2004.

Cape Alumina’s exploration manager John Cameron told the Daily in March that the area of interest had been explored by CRA in the 1960s and was adjacent to existing Rio Tinto Alcan leases.

Mr Cameron said Cape Alumina had commenced exploration and development activities a number years prior to change of ownership and the property becoming a reserve.

Mrs Irwin said documents revealed that the company intended to mine more than 50 million tonnes of bauxite on the reserve over a 10 year period commencing in 2010.

She said the proposed area for mining included the head waters of irreplaceable waterways and unique biodiversity which would not recover after mining operations were finished.

“Initial surveying demonstrates that (the reserve) is home to rare and threatened plant and wildlife species including six plant species which are highly vulnerable and four plant species which have never been recorded on the western Cape York,” Mrs Irwin said.

“We have also found rare birds - and that is after only initial surveys. Imagine all the treasures we will uncover after further research.

“We need to stand as a nation, a state, a community – to protect wildlife and wild places for our children.

“Our dedication to this property for conservation and humanitarian benefit will far exceed the opportunity presented by ten years of mining.”

Cape Alumina CEO Paul Messenger said the company had no plans to mine sensitive wetland areas and their project would impact on 200 hectares of the Weipa Bauxite Plateau each year.

“Work by our environment consultants indicate that the area we wish to mine is 'not of concern' under the Queensland Government EPA’s biodiveristy classifications or the Vegetation Management Act,” Mr Messenger said.

“Cape Alumina had spent the past four years undertaking a range of studies including field research, environment surveys and monitoring in preparation for an Environment Impact Statement.

“The EIS we will undertake during 2008 and 2009 will be the most comprehensive environment study ever undertaken in the area and I am sure subjects of environment interest can be addressed through continued consultation.”

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