The Crocodile Hunter’s family is at loggerheads with a council and Indigenous leaders over a rugged outback road that cuts through the Irwins’ Far North Queensland rainforest reserve.
The Irwin family, which owns Australia Zoo at Beerwah, are pushing to close the road that some consider a vital connection between local First Nations communities.
Bertiehaugh Road (also known as Stones Crossing loop road) is accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles and provides a shortcut between Weipa and Bramwell Station.
The road, which had only existed as a line on a map until last year, traverses part of the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve.
The debate over the closure focuses on three key points: the need for convenient access between local communities; the economic value provided by 4WD tourists using such roads in the region; and concerns about environmental damage to the remote rainforest from too many tourists.
Sunshine Coast News has contacted Australia Zoo, whose company Silverback Properties is managing the road-closure request, for comment on the matter.
Meantime, the Cook Shire Council and Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance are united in opposing any closure.
“For locals, the Bertiehaugh Track is an important shortcut from Weipa to the Northern Peninsula area of the Cape. With fuel prices climbing higher, any savings for local commuters will be of significant benefit,” Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott said.
“The track also offers an alternate route to or from this part of Cape York, for tourists that want to expand their 4WD adventures and traverse new areas of the remote and beautiful wilderness of Australia.”
Chair of the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance, Mayor Robbie Sands, of Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council, added: “The road is a valuable link for families travelling between Old Mapoon and New Mapoon to maintain cultural and social connections, yet this is ignored by vested interests seeking to close the road.”
In a letter to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Alliance noted, “…Australia Zoo continues to strongly oppose opening up the road due to concerns that it will lead to thousands of people trespassing on the reserve, more fires and habitat loss, and increased management costs. Parties … indicated their willingness to work with Australia Zoo to ensure that responsibility for the appropriate protection, interpretation and maintenance aspects of Bertiehaugh Road would be shared…”
Mayor Sands said alliance members recognised the importance of preserving the natural environment and that was why affected councils offered to work with Australia Zoo to ensure appropriate protections would be put in place.
“Instead, Ms Irwin and Australia Zoo want to lock out the people of the Western Cape, who should have the benefit of the environmental and cultural assets they themselves have worked to preserve for thousands of years,” he said.
The debate over the road closure has been followed closely for more than five years by the Cape York Weekly, and recently made the front page.
A spokesperson for the Department of Resources, which is responsible for assessing road de-gazetting requests, said discussions about the road through Bertiehaugh had been ongoing with Silverback Properties for many years.
“The currently dedicated road through Bertiehaugh, connecting Stone Crossing on the Wenlock River to the Telegraph Road, was opened in 2014 after being agreed by all parties, including Silverback Properties, traditional owners and local government,” the spokesperson said.
“The department is currently assessing Silverback Properties’ application to close the road, with input being sought from local government and community stakeholders on the proposed closure.
“Submissions close on 3 November and the Department will take all input, particularly from local government, into consideration.
“A decision will be made in early 2023.”
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