FRIDAY 28th of October, 11:00am
Goddard Building (#8), Room 388
Paola Cassoni (owner & manager, Bimblebox Nature Refuge)
In the Desert Uplands bioregion in central-west Queensland sits Bimblebox Nature Refuge, a peaceful 8000 hectare sanctuary preserved in a landscape historically dominated by pastoralism. In 2003, the Bimblebox Nature Refuge Agreement (category VI IUCN protected area) was signed with the Queensland state government to permanently protect the conservation values of the property. However, Nature Refuges and the protected areas that make up the National Reserve System are not automatically protected from mineral exploration and mining.
Unlike the past threats of broad scale tree clearing and overgrazing, Bimblebox and many other parts of the Desert Uplands face the new threat of large scale coal exploration and extraction. A proposal to convert 52% of Bimblebox to open-cut coal mining, and the remainder to underground long-wall mining is currently open for public consultation.
Bimblebox: Keep it a nature refuge, not a coal calamity from Bimblebox Action Group on Vimeo.
Paola has worked tirelessly for the past 5 years to raise awareness to the uncertain future of Bimblebox and at least 100 other Nature Refuges across Queensland currently contained within approved mining permits. In a time when Nature Refuges are expected to make up a third of Queensland’s protected area estate by 2020, Paola will give a unique insight to the issues facing Nature Refuge owners in Queensland , and to the biodiversity values she and her family were charged by both federal and state governments with the responsibility to restore and preserve.
Some recent media on this issue:
‘Anger as Palmer mine threatens nature refuge’ ABC 20th October + audio
‘Fight to save refuge from coal mine’ Brisbane Times etc 21st October
