Conservation groups have responded to a new report documenting the outstanding environmental, social and cultural values of the Gunn Peninsula/Vernon islands area northeast of Darwin by calling on the NT Government to withdraw its plans for a major new heavy industry estate and residential development.

The report was researched and written by Ms Taegan Calnan (BApp.Sc) for the Environment Centre NT (ECNT) and Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS).

The report highlights the likely long term and irreversible impacts of the NT Government’s proposed 40 square kilometre Glyde Point heavy industry estate and Murrumujuk Beach/Shoal Bay 16,000 person residential development. The Government plan is currently undergoing a protracted environmental impact assessment process.

AMCS Project Officer Ms Adele Pedder said the government’s coastal industrialisation plans are outdated, ill-conceived and must be fundamentally rethought.

“Coastal and marine areas have very important values for the whole community. Siting heavy industry and ports on top of mangroves, rainforests and coral reefs is a bad idea at the best of times.

“But now, with climate change predicted to cause more severe storms and tidal surges, siting heavy industry in coastal environments needs a major rethink.

“This report brings into sharp focus the fact that the proposed industrial development is at one of the two narrow entrances to the world-significant Van Diemen Gulf – a marine and coastal environment of exceptional importance that is bounded by Kakadu National Park , Cobourg (Garig Gunak Barlu) National Park and Marine Park, and the Tiwi Islands .

“This area is immensely rich in marine life, cultural values and recreational and tourism importance – to site heavy industry here would be an act of extraordinary irresponsibility.”

" Rainforest to Reef :
An assessment of the conservation values of the Gunn Peninsula/Vernon Islands and the impacts of proposed heavy industry"
To view the report online (PDF 1.27MB) click here.

Contact: Adele Pedder
Marine Project Officer
8941 7461 or 0422 108 539