Ningaloo Heritage Listing lost opportunity for WA
08 Jan 2009
Conservation Groups have today responded to the announcement by WA Environment Minister Hon. Donna Faragher that the WA Government would support World Heritage Listing of Ningaloo.
Director of the WA Conservation Council, Piers Verstegen said “conservation groups acknowledge the intent of the State Government to protect the World Heritage values of the Ningaloo region; however a far more comprehensive approach is needed if the nomination is to be successful.”
Save Ningaloo Campaign spokesman, Paul Gamblin said, “while this is a step in the right direction, unfortunately the State Government has chosen to reject expert advice that a much larger area needs to be nominated if the listing is to be successful.”
“There is a real chance that the nomination of this magnificent place could be rejected because the boundaries are too conservative.”
“An important criterion for World Heritage listing of natural areas is for all of the main elements of the ecosystem to be protected and included in the heritage area.”
“The current boundaries proposed by the Environment Minister Donna Faragher fail to achieve this as a number of very significant areas are left out.”
“Areas such as the Exmouth Gulf, with its mangroves and prawn breeding grounds, the Muiron Islands which are a continuation of the reef ecosystem to the North, and limestone cave systems extending to the South of the Exmouth Peninsula all should be included as critical elements of the World Heritage Listing.”
“Leaving important areas out of the heritage listing nomination simply lowers the bar for inappropriate industrial development. For example, this nomination would do nothing to protect the area from damaging industries such as the massive salt mine proposed on the other side of the Exmouth Gulf.”
“If we are going to put forward a bid for World Heritage listing of the Ningaloo area, let’s be serious about it and ensure that we prevent inappropriate development that would impact the heritage values we need to protect.”
Conservation groups also raised concerns regarding the prospect of ‘resort-style’ tourism developments on the Ningaloo coast after the Environment Minister indicated ‘tourism-nodes’ would be excised out of the World Heritage area.
Conservation Council Director, Piers Verstegen said “we don’t know what the intentions are for these tourism areas; however what is clear is that the WA community has rejected gold-coast resort style development on the Ningaloo coast. It would be a grave mistake for the Barnett Government to reopen that prospect now.”
“This World Heritage proposal, if done right, is a huge opportunity for WA to be at the forefront in developing appropriate- eco friendly tourism opportunities that protect the environment for the future. There are very few quality eco-tourism experiences available in the world and this could be a real opportunity for WA to get it right.”
For more information
Paul GamblinSave Ningaloo Campaign spokesperson and WWF Program Leader, West
0410 221 508
Piers Verstegen
Conservation Council, Director
0411 557 892
