Stop the bridge across the Daintree River  

 

A proposed bridge across the Daintree River will fuel further development of the World Heritage value rainforest along the Daintree coast and must be stopped.

 

  • Currently, the only way to reach the Daintree is by vehicular barge across the Daintree River. 
  • The local authority, Douglas Shire Council is exploring options for a bridge over the Daintree River.
  • A bridge will have an enormous flow-on effect. It will increase the number of vehicles and the hours of the day that they’re on roads. Vehicle strike is a killer of the Southern Cassowary and endangered species critical to the rainforest’s natural ability to regenerate.
  • An increase in traffic will lead to growth in property prices, increased demand for additional services such as energy supply, further fragmentation of highly sensitive ecosystems, and disturbance of terrestrial and aquatic environments.
  • The Daintree Lowland Rainforest in North Queensland is the oldest rainforest on the planet, with an unbroken evolutionary history going back over 120 million years to the first flowering plants. Let's not change that now.

 

People power has saved the Daintree time and time again and it will this time too. Sign the petition to demand the Douglas Shire Council to dismiss all proposals for a bridge over the Daintree River which will irreparably impact fragile ecosystems and the endangered animals that live within them.

Will you sign?

 

 

To Douglas Shire Council

 

Urgently put a stop to proposals for a bridge across the Daintree River and instead work to protect the region’s natural values.

 

_ _ _ _

 

Building a bridge over the Daintree River will support further undesirable development. For decades, governments and NGOs have been investing in buying back blocks adjacent to the World Heritage Area to slow down development. And now the Douglas Shire Council has put a bridge back on the table.

 

A bridge over the Daintree has been floated on and off for decades and has been met with opposition from the local community and conservationists across the world.

 

A bridge poses a significant threat to the area’s biodiversity. There’s no doubt a bridge brings with it an increase in vehicular traffic to this internationally significant region. With a bridge will come the following impacts:

 

  • 24-hour access across the river means cars are crossing the river at all times of day and night, putting at risk already endangered wildlife.
  • The construction phase and inevitable road upgrade will disturb sensitive ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic.
  • The bridge is likely to increase the number and type of services available to residents and tourists of the Daintree, for example, deliveries and waste services
  • An increase in tourism development will increase road kills of native wildlife, including the endangered Southern Cassowary
  • Expansion to the road network will create an edge effect, opening up the rainforest canopy and further catalyzing the spread of pest plants and animals
  • Tourists currently visit the Daintree for its intact rainforest and genuine wildlife experiences. Additional infrastructure will undermine the region’s natural values

 

People power has saved the Daintree time and time again and it will this time too. We’re calling on the Douglas Shire Council to put a stop to development in the Daintree once and for all and to cease all proposals exploring a bridge across the Daintree River.

 

 

 

8,565 signatures
  • Maureen Cook
    signed 2020-05-27 19:16:10 +1000
    Please don’t build a bridge over this precious natural Environment. Add another ferry instead
  • Louise Kirby
    signed 2020-05-27 19:15:48 +1000
  • Denise Hoyland
    signed 2020-05-27 19:15:36 +1000
    Please don’t do this.

    The ferry across the river makes it so unique and adds a special experience to such an amazing area.
  • Barbara Falconer
    signed 2020-05-27 19:14:30 +1000
  • Trevor Obrien
    signed 2020-05-27 19:13:43 +1000
  • Patti Bradford
    signed 2020-05-27 19:11:40 +1000
    Precious widerness so unique so irreplaceable keep it safe!
  • Lisa Turner
    signed 2020-05-27 19:10:24 +1000
  • Kelly Dixon
    signed 2020-05-27 19:09:40 +1000
  • Paul Fordyce
    signed 2020-05-27 19:09:15 +1000
  • Megan Hainey
    signed 2020-05-27 19:08:51 +1000
  • Jillian McCulloch
    signed 2020-05-27 19:06:52 +1000
    The barge is part of the appeal of the Daintree and protects wildlife against excess traffic. No bridge!!!
  • Julianne Dillon
    signed 2020-05-27 19:05:58 +1000
    No bridge
  • Britlee Bower
    signed 2020-05-27 19:04:02 +1000
  • Patricia O'Brien
    signed 2020-05-27 19:03:02 +1000
    Totally uneccessary. Do not ruin the Daintree.
  • Simon Pendal
    signed 2020-05-27 19:01:53 +1000
  • Yvette Grandjean
    signed 2020-05-27 19:00:32 +1000
  • Benjamin Ferguson
    signed 2020-05-27 19:00:02 +1000
  • Sue Twinn
    signed 2020-05-27 18:59:14 +1000
  • Lynne Csorba
    signed 2020-05-27 18:58:55 +1000
  • Ilona Wickham
    signed 2020-05-27 18:58:10 +1000
  • J R
    signed 2020-05-27 18:55:13 +1000
  • Rebekah Biggs
    signed 2020-05-27 18:54:46 +1000
  • Andrew Sharman
    signed 2020-05-27 18:54:23 +1000
  • Deni Sevenoaks
    signed 2020-05-27 18:54:16 +1000
  • Christina McGuinness
    signed 2020-05-27 18:53:48 +1000
    One word: DON’T!
  • Vanessa Gellibrand
    signed 2020-05-27 18:53:33 +1000
  • Max Kettle
    signed 2020-05-27 18:52:45 +1000
  • Jo Stoyel
    signed 2020-05-27 18:52:09 +1000
  • Carolynne Male
    signed 2020-05-27 18:52:05 +1000
  • Kath and perry Becker
    signed 2020-05-27 18:50:53 +1000
    This proposal would destroy the pristine ecology of the area. Please reconsider!