Bob Irwin pleas to save the bay

ON the lead up to next Monday’s Steve Irwin Day, Bob Irwin appeared on Channel Seven’s Sunrise program yesterday to make a rare plea for Australians to urgently “Click and Save” Tin Can Bay.

He asked for the rest of the country to help stop the development of this pristine area adjacent to world heritage-listed Fraser Island, saying “enough is enough!”

“This is not a local issue. The area provides habitat for species that are threatened all over the world – and we need to make a stand and save some critical habitat for them,” he said.

“I need to show the world the amazing biodiversity and beauty of the Great Sandy Strait and what we’ll be losing, should the (proposed) marinas go ahead: the mangroves and the sea grass beds – home to the rare and endangered coastal dolphins, dugongs and turtles will be gone forever.

“I will fight as long and hard as is necessary to preserve this pristine environment for our future generations. But I can’t do it alone.”

Bob hopes to present the opinions of one million people, who also feel the proposed marina will wreck the environment’s biodiversity, to our state and federal governments.

“This is the nursery for the Great Barrier Reef and the Pacific Ocean. This is where life begins, where it all gets started. We shouldn’t be interfering with it at all,” he said.

“We, as caring Australians, have to make sure we do our best to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

He said Australians have just a small window of opportunity to have their voice heard in protest against the development, and a decision could be made by the federal government as early as the end of this month.

Cooloola’s pending World Heritage Listing status may be compromised if Environment Minister Tony Burke approves the marina development.

Approval for a second marina is also being sought.

“I urgently need help to secure absolute protection for this area, before it is destroyed,” Bob said, and urged readers to ‘Click and Save’ Tin Can Bay (in just three seconds) at www.marina.tincanbaydolphins.com.au.

These coastal wetlands are listed as an internationally important site under the Ramsar convention. The region also carries the UNESCO designation as the Great Sandy Biosphere with the following characteristics: half of Australia’s bird species; more marine fish diversity than the entire Great Barrier Reef and; more than 7500 recorded species of fauna and flora, many of which are rare or endangered.