Bob Irwin takes Tin Can fight national

Bob Irwin spent the last couple of days camping at Tin Can Bay.

Renee Pilcher

AFTER spending yesterday morning skindiving in the mangroves of Teebar Creek, wildlife conservationist Bob Irwin can’t emphasise enough how important it is to protect this paradise on Gympie’s doorstep.

“It’s pristine alright,” he said, chatting to The Gympie Times before being filmed for Channel Seven’s Sunrise program. “Pristine doesn’t even describe it,” he added, shaking his head at the sheer natural beauty of it all.

He’s one of nature’s gentleman, and one of nature’s staunchest defenders and he is calling Australians to arms to protect one of the least disturbed estuarine environments we have left.

Mr Irwin is campaigning against a large marina development at Tin Can Bay’s Snapper Creek boat harbour and spent the last couple of days boating and camping in the area.

It’s a region described by University of Queensland marine biologist Dr Norm Duke as one that has largely escaped the environmental declines experienced elsewhere.

“Tin Can Bay is a unique environmental setting in which mangroves and associated biota currently thrive…” Dr Duke has said.

“This is where life starts,” Mr Irwin said. “We can’t take the chance of losing this – this is for our kids and their kids.”

“This is where it all begins for the ocean. They talk about protecting the ocean, but if they don’t protect where the ocean life starts then what’s the point?”

Time is running out for people to lodge their objections against the proposed Norman Point marina and it’s as simple as clicking on a website link, said Carole Gillies, president of the Southern Sandy Straits Marine Environment Group.

A decision could be made as early as the end of this month, Ms Gillies said.

So far, some 6700 people have “clicked” their objections, but much more support is needed.

“This is categorically the most pristine area of mangrove remaining in southeast Queensland,” she said.

Log onto the website: marina.tincanbaydolphins.com.au/ and “click” your protest and pass the link onto your friends and families.

Australia is lagging behind when it comes to looking after the environment, Mr Irwin said.

“We should be leaders – we should be in front. And you can have your say,” he said.

“Stand up and be counted.”

There are currently two proposals for marina construction in waterways adjacent to Tin Can inlet with provision for approximately 500 wet berths and an additional 100 dry.