Environmentalists are calling for more legislation to protect a large wetlands area in central Queensland that flows into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Environmental groups have released a report that they commissioned about the Fitzroy Delta area around Rockhampton, which highlighted flow-on effects to the Great Barrier Reef if ports were expanded.
Stretching out from Rockhampton, the Fitzroy Delta is abundant with wetlands and marine life.
Ginny Gerlach, from the Keppel and Fitzroy Delta Alliance (KAFDA), said the Fitzroy Delta area covered an area of more than 100,000 hectares extending out from the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.
“This is the largest and the last untouched estuarine system that’s feeding into the Great Barrier Reef,” she said.
“It is largely undeveloped and it is the largest river system on the east coast of Australia.
“This area is proven to be so valuable to the state, to our region and Australia because of its connectedness to the Great Barrier Reef.”
