Fraser Island Defenders Organization FIDO, “The Watchdog of Fraser Island”, aims to ensure the wisest use of Fraser Island's natural resources.

In This Issue

Governments Weaseling on Fraser Funding

Finishing the Fraser Fishing Expo

Lakes still filling, Report under-valued, Banksia Killed

Camping Management Plan Released (?)

FIDO’s Response to Camping Plan

Management changes, spiders, From QPWS Reports

Snakes, Seal, Great Walk, Fire ban, Maheno

Butchalla’s camp,Changes at Eurong, FIDO for Life

Ecological Changes, Mess at Indian Head

Things stay the same, Telephones, 2002 weather

Dilli Village, Weeds, Wrecks, Dingoes, Police

Weed Working Bee, FIDO’s AGM

The Issues of Fraser Island

The past six months on Fraser Island has been a combination of good news and bad news. On the whole however the good news may out-weigh the bad news but there is still a huge amount to be done before FIDO could declare that things are satisfactory. As testimony to this are many issues which can’t be dealt with in sufficient detail in this issue. Look for more detail in MOONBI 105.

The Good News

Fraser Island in March was like a construction zone as the QPWS rushes to belatedly spend money for specific projects before a 30^th June deadline. Most is Federal money which has been squirrelled away for years.

Construction Projects: The new camping ground at Central Station looks magnificent and should open by mid year when Lake McKenzie camp-ground will close. Anew amenities block at Dundubara will enable that campground to be expanded. The construction of dingo-proof fences around campgrounds at Waddy Point, Central Station and Dilli Village is being done with much more aesthetic awareness than the "tennis court" at Lake Boomanjin. A New Boardwalk is about half complete at Eli Creek and reconstruction of the Central Station boardwalk is about to commence. About 1 one million dollars has been assigned to the Great Walks project on Fraser Island and work has begun. Stage 1 (Dilli Village to Dundubara) will open in June 2004. While the total length of the Kgari Trail falls well short of FIDO’s objective the work on the project is well advanced and will be a tremendous asset to Fraser Island in the future and start changing the pattern of recreation (another FIDO objective). Recently completed projects include a new viewing platform at Lake Allom, a toilet block on Nulwarr Hill above Wabby Lakes and another toilet block at the beach end of the southern walking track to Wabby Lakes. Maintenance of the expanded existing infrastructure (except for the rapidly deteriorating Dilli Village) occupies increasing effort.

Management: Almost the whole QPWS management team has been replaced. This placed many issues on "hold" while new people slipped into old seats but hopefully this

The Bad News

Some Queensland Government prevarication continues. The resolution of providing better protection for Fraser Island’s World Heritage values seems to continue to languish still awaiting more reports to be completed as a pre-requisite to any decisions.

Promises: With a State election looming in 2004 we are waiting without any optimism to see if the Beattie Government fulfills its very firm Fraser Island election commitment. This was: Giving legislative effect to World Heritage area Management Plans to ensure their planning policy and principles are reflected in local planning schemes and considered in the assessment of development applications, and giving priority to implementing the Great Sandy Region Management Plan (including bringing Fraser Island under the planning control of a single government agency) and finalize submissions necessary to expand the Fraser Island World Heritage area to incorporate the entire Great Sandy Region including Cooloola National Park.

Prevarication: There has been similar inertia in amending the Recreation Areas Management (RAM) Act. There has been some progress in the adoption a final Camping Management Plan after releasing the Draft for public comment more than four years ago. But if this is bad it is at hare’s pace compared with the development of the Walking Track Management Plan which was funded by the Commonwealth Government in 1996 and the adoption of a the Southern Queensland Inshore Finfish Management Plan which was begun by a predecessor also in 1996. This might be a move towards ensuring that the fishing in the Fraser Island World Heritage area was more sustainable. Similarly the Review of the Management Plan still has to be released into the public domain.

There are many more things we can comment on but FIDO’s major frustration is the paralysis which is holding up vital decisions which need to be in the public domain in government bureaucracies and the lack of transparency in government decision making.

Weaseling on Fraser Funding

Just as vendors try to disguise price rises by offering the same item in a different configuration, so politicians are trying to disguise their reduction of allocations to Fraser Island by dealing out funds in a different format. The reality allocations for Fraser Island as with many other vital environmental protection programs is being progressively reduced. Fraser Island generates over a quarter of a billion annually for the economy but doesn't receive enough in return from the main beneficiaries the Queensland and Commonwealth Government for the funds necessary to adequately protect this great natural and economic asset.

Covering up the cuts

Politicians are usually masters of what is now termed "spin". They try to present even disasters in some light that for which they want accolades. That is certainly the case with the media releases trying to present the significant budget reduction for the management of World Heritage sites in terms where they expect to score political points.

One of the methods of making it difficult to make comparisons is by doling out money in ways which make it difficult to compare. For example, in one year they put make allocations to specific areas and the next year they combine several areas but with the collective total being provided being significantly less. Thus the politicians have been progressively ratcheting down what the funds being provided to manage Fraser Island.

Political Dispute over World Heritage Funds

Federal Cuts: On 4 December a simmering dispute between Queensland and the over the funding of Queensland World Heritage Areas became very public. Environment Minister Dean Wells said that the State Government had contributed their share of $2.64 million for the next financial year for the Wet Tropics and the Federal Government had not paid anything up until that time.

Kemp has advised that the Commonwealth Government would eventually provide $2.2 million for the management of the Wet Tropics. This is only 66% of what the Commonwealth provided in 2000-01. In 99-00 the Commonwealth Government provided $3,852,500 and in 00-01 it provided $3,378,000. It is small wonder that this continual reduction has got under the skin of Queensland Environment Minister Dean Wells. However in the day of media duals Kemp claimed that this did not really amount to "a massive 30% reduction funding". Mr Wells said the Federal Government is walking away from its international obligations to maintain these World Heritage areas.

However Fraser Island which has been amongst the poorest of Australia's World Heritage properties has fared relatively worse. Dr Kemp has offered only $660,000 to "assist critical strategic management support projects in the Wet Tropics, Riversleigh, the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves and Fraser Island." Although he said that he expected that "other priority management needs in all Queensland properties to be further addressed through the new Regional component of the Natural Heritage Trust, which has been set up to fund major environmental priorities like World Heritage areas."

The $660,000 offered for the four of Queensland's World Heritage areas amounts to less than the $700,000 made available for Fraser Island projects in 2001/02 and compares with the $451,000 for Fraser Island projects in 2000/01.

NHT Not funding World Heritage: As far as being able to get money under the NHT programs we don't feel very confident about these. FIDO submitted an Envirofund NHT application to eradicate weeds in the Fraser Island townships but it was not even given a recommendation by the politically stacked Regional Assessment Committee. In fact the Committee entirely ignored that Fraser Island was a World Heritage site.

The Commonwealth Government announced on 8th November that they would provide $3 million for Queensland 197 Envirofund projects. This is out of the $20 million NHT funds dispersed nationally. Fewer than ten (10) Queensland had anything vaguely to do with protecting the values of any World Heritage sites while projects such as repairing the site of the Gympie Muster received grants of over $10,000. The prospects for Fraser Island and other World Heritage sites looks incredibly bleak as far as the Commonwealth is concerned. Only $8,000 from NHT funding was allocated to Fraser Island for meetings of committees in 2002-03.

Until now the Queensland Government has not been overly generous in the funding of Fraser Island which is worth more than $275 million annually to the Queensland economy. Because is it isn’t covered in any Annual Report, it has been particularly difficult to even know what is the budget for Fraser Island. However the Management Committee was told that 0f the $7.5 million spent this year $3.2 million came from RAM fees and $3.5 million from Queensland consolidated revenue. This is an encouraging improvement on the

Alternatives Ratchet up RAM Fees or Levy

Without more Queensland and Commonwealth Government funding from consolidated revenue allocations, another method is required to fund management of Fraser Island. The only alternative means of increasing the budget of Fraser Island is to either establish a visitor levy on Fraser Island or increase the RAM fees to recover more from visitors.

A Visitor Levy: A ferry levy is being proposed for the Daintree. Bed taxes and environmental levies are applied by some local authorities. Visitors may need to contribute more for management to make their visitation sustainable.

RAM Fees: These fees have not kept pace with inflation since they were first introduced in 1985. If they were adjusted by actual indexation Fraser Island would have millions of dollars more to address management issues.

Finishing the Fishing Expo

For years before 1996 when the Fraser Island Fishing Expo was returned from Eurong to Orchid Beach in the dying days of the Borbidge Government FIDO has been urging that this environmentally vandalistic event be removed from this World Heritage Area which extends 500 metres from the shore. The continuation of this Boys' Own Booze- up event is dependent on sareceiving a satisfactory evaluation from the QPWS. Unfortunately though the QPWS has been reluctant to release its reports which are usually many months (or even years) after the events. This makes critiques and evaluations more difficult but the Borbidge extension of this unfortunate event is about to expire. Therefore it is worth looking more closely at the latest report for the 2002 event.

FIDO noted significant omissions from the Report:

• The Report didn’t say how much Toyota pays for the services which the QPWS provides which are over and above what would be required for the Waddy Point – Orchid Beach area if the Fishing Expo were not located there. These include:
  1. the cost of providing the number of camp sites which are above the peak use at any other time of the year,
  2. the number of extra ranger hours required to manage this event including overtime and what this is worth in monetary costs,
  3. the extra wear and tear placed on the road from Indian Head to Orchid Beach due to the excessive number of boats and trailers dragged along unformed roads to compete in this event, and
  4. the cost of waste removal is higher from Orchid Beach.
  Considering the dearth of funds available for the proper management of Fraser Island this information is absolutely essential. FIDO suspects that while some other commercial operations such as film-makers. ferry and commercial tour operators are required to pay a premium to operate on Fraser Island, Toyota which uses this event as a huge corporate promotion are getting away with externalizing the true cost of staging this event at Orchid Beach in financial terms alone. We suspect that they are paying nothing for the use of Fraser Island as a venue and contributing to the cost of managing its environment.
• The environmental costs of the extra camp sites provided, which are above the peak use at any other time of the year, the environmental impacts on the road from Indian Head to Orchid Beach due to the excessive number of boats and trailers taken to compete in this event, the
• The impact of this event on the wilderness values, such as examining how far the competitors spread out from Orchid Beach to compete,
• The impact of the various waste generated on waste disposal facilities and infrastructure, and, most significantly.
• The impact on the marine environment. The Fraser Island World Heritage area extends 500 metres seaward from the shore. Yet there is no mention in this report of the number and mass of fish taken nor the potential impact of this on the World Heritage values of Fraser Island for which the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency has a delegated responsibility from the State party, the Commonwealth Government. This continuing omission is an abdication by the EPA of its responsibilities.

FIDO does not believe that the Fraser Island Fishing Expo should be allowed to continue for the following reasons:

1. The event is environmentally unacceptable. It is impoverishing an already over-stressed marine environment by encouraging an unsustainable level of fishing,; it is eroding the wilderness value of the northern end of Fraser Island by encouraging more people to go there than otherwise would; it is leading to excessive environmental degradation by concentrating too many people in one area at a time; it is extending the environmental impacts by insisting that the event be staged at Orchid Beach which requires greater consumption of fuel and energy to get there and maximizes the environmental impacts of vehicles.
2. Toyota is externalizing the costs of staging the event and receiving a hidden subsidy from the Queensland Government through the poor costing of the QPWS for the full extent of the services provided. While the RAM Act would enables the collection of fees for any commercial filming on Fraser Island using Fraser Island as an icon, Toyota has contributed nothing to the actual management of the island except for making some undisclosed contribution to the waste management. FIDO believes that the rest of Fraser Island management suffers because of the heavy infrastructure load this event imposes.
3. The event is not an appropriate event for a World Heritage site. It is degrading Fraser Island’s World Heritage values as is shown by the report and in ways which have not been addressed by the report particularly on the marine environment and the extra demand for infrastructure in the Orchid Beach - Waddy Point area.

In view of the above, FIDO call on the Queensland Government to terminate the agreement with Toyota to continue staging this event anywhere on Fraser Island in the future.

Roads Still Flowing into Fraser’s Lakes

The EPA seems to monitor every movement of people on Fraser Island. One cannot walk on a board-walk or open a toilet or a shower door or stand at a urinal without having the event counted. However, this enthusiasm for monitoring does not extend to even a cursory attention to Fraser’s iconic lakes. A new viewing platform has been built within 10 metres of where a plume is growing into Lake Allom like a cancer. FIDO first drew this plume to the attention of the EPA more than a year ago but while workmen created an elaborate structure at the lake no one person took even a preliminary attempt to stop the plume flowing into the lake. As a result the size of the plume has more than quadrupled in the 12 months while the EPA which is responsible for protecting this World Heritage value has been sitting on its hands.

Tourism Report Snatched by Operators

The Ecotourism Association of Australia held its annual conference in Cairns in October. Hoping to make tourism operators aware of the value of tourism, the Cape Tribulation based Australian Tropical Research Foundation which was responsible with FIDO for commissioning the Klienhardt study on "Tourism & Recreation Values of the Daintree and Fraser Island" left 30 bound reports at the conference venue to be taken and paid for on an honour basis. A tax invoice was enclosed with each and they were being sold at a special inclusive rate of $25.00 ea (for the Conference).

Twenty nine of the 30 copies (worth $725.00) were snatched without being paid for. Only one (3% of the total stock) was paid for. This is rather an indictment of the tourism industry since the study that gave rise to the report was funded by a not-for-profit Foundation, with only marginal connection with the Tourism Industry.

A large segment of the ecotourism industry is ready to hold its hands out but unwilling to contribute to anything towards ensuring that their main asset, the environment, is being well maintained. If each of the snatchers who took the reports without paying were to put $30 worth of effort into persuading the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments in to spending more on maintaining the Daintree and Fraser Island they might redeem themselves. We can only live in hopes.

Banksia Serial Killers Still at Large

In January 2002 FIDO observed some serious banksia serial killing along the Southern lakes scenic route. Curiously a number of banksias within 10 metres of the road escaped the enthusiastic plant operators. At the time we prophesized that these were probably being left for next time. An inspection just 14 months later has shown this prophecy to be true. At the current rate of operations there will be no large banksias within 10 metres of any road on Fraser Island if the plant operators continue with this paranoid purge. Worse anyone driving along any of Fraser Island’s scenic routes will not even come close to a banksia. The vegetation beside the roads will be unrepresentative of the Fraser Island vegetation generally.

Camping Management Plan Released

Four years ago the Queensland Government released a Draft Camping Management Plan for Fraser Island. Like most concerned Fraser Island stakeholders FIDO made a very detailed submission. Most of FIDO's submission seem to have been ignored. In fact during the consultation process the departmental officers seemed to be pushing their own agenda and were unsympathetic to any submission which didn't coincide with their views. After stalling for four years the final Management Plan has been released. This is the Executive Summary of the plan still not formally released. FIDO's response follows.

Over 90 000 people camp on Fraser Island each year, resulting in 350 000 camper nights and an average of nearly 1000 people camping on Fraser Island every night of the year. In the interests of ecological sustainability, and of protecting the Island’s World Heritage values, changes are being introduced to the way visitors and commercial operators are managed on the Island. The demand in the international backpacker market for tours to Fraser Island is expected to continue, but may be affected by these changes. Although this may lead to a decline in the recent high rates of growth in this market, a decrease in the number of visitors is not anticipated. The demand for camping on Fraser Island by Queensland and other Australian residents is expected to continue at around the current level for the foreseeable future.

For the purposes of this plan, a campsite was defined as a cleared area with room for a vehicle and up to three tents or caravans. There are twice as many informal beach camping sites (955) as there are sites in developed campgrounds (424). While a diverse range of camping opportunities is provided on Fraser Island, the majority of sites are on or near the beach, with only 6 percent located at inland camping areas.

The environmental impacts at developed campgrounds and beach camping areas were assessed for this plan. Informal beach camping areas are more highly impacted than developed campgrounds. Camping on the eastern beach from Dilli Village to Dundubara is causing a moderate to high level of impact on environmental values. Camping at Indian Head, Lake Boomanjin and Lake McKenzie is also causing high environmental impacts. Much of the campground infrastructure was not designed for the type and level of use it now receives.

Objectives: Two key objectives have been identified in addition to this desired outcome:

To achieve the plan’s two key objectives, four strategies have been developed for camping on Fraser Island.

1 Reduce the environmental impacts of beach camping: Previous studies and the field assessment work for this plan found that beach camping is having a significant impact on the environment. Current levels of beach camping are unsustainable, given the existing infrastructure and availability of management resources.

2 Improve camping management: Improved management techniques would improve the effectiveness of camping management, leading to reduced environmental impacts and better quality camping opportunities.

3 Diversify the range of camping opportunities:

Providing a diverse range of camping opportunities and settings, with varying physical, social and managerial conditions, would lead to better quality and more satisfying camping experiences for many visitors.

4 Improve camping facilities: Improved facility design would lead to a better quality and range of visitor infrastructure and facilities. A capital works program would be required to provide high quality camping facilities at key locations.

The plan proposes a series of actions aimed at improving Island-wide camping management, upgrading or developing 18 existing and proposed campgrounds, and managing 7 foreshore camping zones. Concept plans have been prepared for key campgrounds together with a 10-year implementation schedule that identifies priority actions.

Possible future campground management options include: conventional public sector management with full-time employees; public sector management with a high level of contracting-out of maintenance and servicing; and contracting-out all management and servicing of facilities.

Implementation

This plan provides recommendations for the future management of camping and the provision of camping facilities on Fraser Island. Adopting and implementing this plan would ensure that camping activities are managed on an ecologically sustainable basis at the same time as providing visitors with a wide range of quality camping opportunities.

FIDO's Response to Camping Management Plan

It is FIDO's view that the Camping Management Plan falls well short of the objectives it states because it is too influenced by pessimism, pragmatism and populism. As such it fails to tackle the most pressing issues and opts to maintain the status quo in Fraser Island even though the camping patterns on Fraser Island have changed dramatically in the last decade.

While FIDO welcomes the fact that there is belatedly a Camping Management Plan for Fraser Island we believe that it lacks vision and has settled for much less than the optimum by trying to second guess the political reaction to it. True there was some public consultation over four years ago but the public meetings did nothing to alter the view of the bureaucrats who attended who had their own unflinching agenda for the outcomes they wanted to see and that is effectively what is now incorporated in the Plan.

With a clear indication from the Queensland Government that they are not going to increase the funding for Fraser Island to a level to enable its World Heritage values to be adequately protected, the Management Plan opts for the line of least resistance (LOLR). It opts not to advance a plan which would best manage camping on the island. The plan has evolved on what will "have to do" on the shoe string budget which the miserly government allows it. It even presupposes that there the present dire financial circumstances are never likely to change.

One of FIDO’s strongest recommendations, dating back many years, has also been ignored despite overwhelming evidence of adverse environmental impacts. FIDO wants free range camping to be phased out. No other developed National Park allows this practice.

The plan begins by noting that there are potentially 925 free range beach camping sites and only 424 developed camp-grounds. Because it will take an enormous injection of cash to develop more proper camp-grounds with toilets and amenity blocks. The plan therefore opts not to reduce the number of free-range camping sites and to try to avoid the need to construct new camping grounds. It avoided carrying out an overall environmental impact study of camping especially in relation to the island’s World Heritage values because this would have highlighted the problems of continuing with the status quo. Instead it opted to turn the blind eye to providing any alternative to free-range camping.

It has been assumed that because the number of campers has remained relatively constant for some years that free range camping is a very big attraction. As MOONBI 101 (March 2002 — p12) pointed out: "The number of people per permit is increasing while the number of camper nights remains relatively static. … increasingly Australian visitors are opting for house and unit accommodation in preference for camping. … The use of accommodation continues to grow. … international travellers (backpackers) …. on 3 day - 2 night ventures are progressively replacing the Australians who are taking accommodated holidays."

The plan seems to be mainly catering for newcomers who visit the island only once. This ignores their anti-social attitude of wanting to have long and rowdy drinking parties for the two nights on the island without regard to other island users. So while it might have been assumed that there would be some public outcry from the free-range campers who might resent the scaling people affected do not live in Australia and may only miss out on two nights of "raging" beside the beach.

One of the more disappointing aspects of the four years and more it has taken to come up with this plan is that it seems that the delay was an excuse to enable some permanent campers to continue to live on at Waddy Point despite the limit on long term camping under both the Nature Conservation and the RAM legislation. The Queensland Government had no hesitation in using the latter act to shift on the protesting "greenies" but they continue to allow professional fishers to remain at both Waddy Point and Sandy Cape in defiance of the urgings of the CAC and the legislation.

One of the major problem areas in the Management Plan is the future of the Indian Head where up to 600 people per nigh gather to camp in shambolic conditions without any toilets or water supplies. Because most of these campers are either international backpackers or fishers who want to booze and party on most of the night they are made unwelcome elsewhere. (Family groups don’t want yobbos or drunks camping anywhere near them). However Indian Head is an important Aboriginal site being the site of an horrendous massacre over the 1851 the Christmas New Year period. It is also one of the most visible camping grounds and significantly detracts from the aesthetics of Indian Head as it stands. But despite the lack of amenities the QPWS is reluctant to ban the continuation of informal camping there although Dean Wells has decreed that there will be no camping ground established there.

FIDO has identified an alternative site a little further south of Indian Head which could accommodate all of the existing campers using Indian Head which also has a supply of fresh water. However the EPA refuses to take any action to encourage campers to use this as an alternative to Indian Head because they don’t have the resources to install an amenities block and other organized facilities (although these are lacking at Indian Head). FIDO urges that access to the identified camp site and a safe supply of drinking water be established. FIDO would even be prepared to build a temporary long drop toilet in the interim until the EPA can find the resources to complete a Mickey Mouse amenities block on the site.

FIDO and members of the CAC unanimously endorsed relocating profession fishers to a new camp-ground at Orchid Beach. But the Orchid Beach residents do not want them there and the fishermen would prefer to avoid dismantling their permanent beachfront homes to relocate and so they continue to stay put.

New Manager for Great Sandy

In 2002 the QPWS upgraded the position of Manager Great Sandy to a status befitting its very important responsibilities. Fraser Island alone generates over $277 million for the national economy and it deserves the most competent management. The new manager is Rob Allan who has previously worked in the area of commercial operations of the EPA. He will now have major responsibilities for protection of Fraser Island’s World Heritage values focussed largely on its natural resources.

Most of the former Great Sandy management team of recent years has moved on to new or higher appointments. Lachlan Fullerton who had been working in Brisbane has taken up a new role with Region-wide responsibilities in February for acquisitions. James Haig has become Manager of Brisbane Forest Park. Sue Olsen has become the Principal Conservation Officer (Interpretation) for the Central Queensland Region. It should be noted that a former Senior Conservation Officer on Fraser Island, Keith Twyford has returned to Queensland from South Australia to take up the position of Regional Director in Central Queensland.

Trapdoor spider bites Fraser ranger

Fraser Island is reported to have the deadliest spiders in the world. The Funnel web spiders found there are more than five times more venomous than the Sydney funnel-web spiders. So it was a lucky escape for Ranger Jane Mansergh who was bitten bitten by a trapdoor spider while fighting a fire in January. The Hervey Bay hospital to which medivaced that no venom had been injected into her and she was able to return to work on the island the same afternoon.

Acting Senior Ranger, Wyn Boon said, "Spider bites are rare on Fraser Island, but they do happen. Campers should always be prepared when travelling to remote areas such as Fraser Island by carrying a good-quality first-aid kit and manual. They should also be aware that first-aid treatment is the not the same for all venomous bites."

The fire, which spread from an illegal campfire began early on Friday (January 10) burnt about 3000ha of coastal dune vegetation south and west of Happy Valley.

From QPWS Reports

Some indication of some of the critical state of the environment on Fraser Island can be gleaned from the monthly reports produced by the QPWS. Unfortunately these reports describing the work occurring on Fraser Island were discontinued from January. These are deemed to occupy too much staff time so there will be no more formal advice of what is occurring. We can find out only by making telephone inquiries or our own inspections but that won’t provide the same details.

Fur Seal on Fraser

Oddly enough there was no mention in any of the EPA monthly reports of the Fur seal which turned up near Coongul Creek in October. A photograph of the animal nicknamed "Slippery" because of its unpredictable appearances was published in a local Hervey Bay newspaper in October. It was reported near the end of the end of the whale watching season.

Death Adders Recovering

Fraser Island has long been renowned for its high Death Adder population. Death Adders are reported to be amongst the 10 deadliest snakes in the world. However since the cane toads self-introduction to Fraser Island in the 1960s the Death adder population has been decimated. Death Adders have been extremely rare on Fraser Island since and rarely seen. FIDO had begun to assume that these animals were and endangered species on Fraser Island. This is because they had not been able to differentiate between cane toads which are lethal to them if eaten and other frogs which are a major part of their basic diet.

Now there are reports of death adders being more regularly seen sunning themselves along Fraser Island tracks. While this may give some with an unfounded paranoia of snakes some cause for alarm it is good news for ecologists. It seems that either cane toads numbers are diminishing on Fraser Island of which there is some anecdotal evidence and/or death adders have learnt that eating cane toads will have seen to be more active.

Other snakes have also been seen more frequently. Snake bites on Fraser Island are unusual but on the weekend of 29-30 March two people were bitten by snakes in separate incident. One was identified as a red bellied black snake. Nobody died.

Fraser Island Great Walk

Work is well advanced with developing a Great Walk on Fraser Island. His is based around a major walk from Dilli Village to lake Garawongera. With feeder trails from Hook Point, Eurong, Kingfisher Resort, Happy Valley it will be an 87 kilometre network of trails leading through some of Fraser Island’ most spectacular features. These include Wanggoolba Creek, eight lakes, lots of stunning rainforest including the Valley of the Giants and some marvellous lookout. Opportunities will also exist for short walks, full day walks, overnight walks and two- to three-day walks. When finished, the main walking track will be about 85km long and take six to eight days to complete. Work has commenced on reopening Cliff's Tramline and link track, while direction signs have also been installed on the Jabiru Swamp access track.

The 1.8 metre wide well constructed path will enable two people to walk abreast on the same level. It will include a number of camping sites exclusively for walkers. Unfortunately Dean Wells launched it in public relations fiasco 3 January issuing invitations to stakeholders less than 24 hours before the event.

Few have a more passionate interest in the Great Walk as FIDO. While our Kgari Trail proposal from Hook Point to Sandy Cape hasn’t been yet accepted the new walk is a good start and a softer option. FIDO would have settled for a narrower longer but less formal trail

Dean Wells said, "Recent efforts in the implementation of Fraser Island's Great Walk have focused on traditional owner consultation, detailed GIS mapping, data collection and site inspections. This track will also unveil some of Fraser Island's hidden treasurers for a truly remote experience."

Fire Ban on Fraser

In November the QPWS totally prohibited fires in the areas it controlled on Fraser Island and Cooloola (but not the townships). Official warnings stated "Fuel stoves such as gas barbecues are permitted, but extra care must be taken even with those. Before entering any walking track system on Fraser Island, people should contact Eurong base". Despite this caution two illegal camp fires escaped from camps south of Happy Valley devastating huge areas during the total fire ban. One illegal fire escaped burning out over 3000 hectares south of Happy Valley. No estimate has been made of the area affected by the other. One burnt all around Lake Garawongera even threatening Bogimbah and Yidney Scrubs. It was touch and go for a while whether the whole of Happy Valley may not have been burnt out.

Because prosecutions of the campers responsible are pending the matter is currently sub-judice. While blackbutt areas may have benefitted from the fires the coastal dunes have been devastated.

FIDO supports limiting open fires on Fraser Island at all times. Already many National Parks around Australia have bans on all open fires. In Tasmania the requirement for "Fuel stoves only" applies in almost all National Parks. When we look at the environmental impact of open fires on Fraser Island over the last three decades FIDO is increasingly predisposed towards greater restriction over open fires in any situation especially following the U of Q and QPWS study of the impacts of fire rings on Fraser Island.

Butchalla Regain Fraser Island site

The Butchalla people have at last regained control of the campground North of the "Maheno" was previously known at "Thoorgine". They have renamed after the island — "Kgari". FIDO had contributed thousands of dollars as a result of a bequest by the late Mary Hansen to help establish the camping area. It seemed to take a needlessly long time to wind up the Aboriginal corporation which previously ran the campground. Now the Kalang Elders which runs the Butchalla retirement home in Hervey Bay has taken over the operation of the camping ground and have been busy refurbishing and improving the camping facilities there. It is not yet open to public usage but it is a very good site and FIDO looks forward to the facility prospering and serving a valuable asset on Fraser Island.

New conglomerate to rule the Island?

The size of the new conglomerate running the Eurong and Kingfisher Resorts is enormous. They will carry 125,000 tourists per year on their fleet of 40 4WD buses. That is more than a third of the total number of visitors to Fraser Island and more than 70% of those on commercial tours. They have the largest fleet of 4WD buses in the world. In addition to the 279 resort rooms and 109 villas there is accommodation for 200 in Kingfisher Resort’s Wilderness Lodge. In addition they carry 15,000 people annually on whale watching tours and operate five of the six vehicular ferries running between the mainland and Fraser Island plus two fast catamarans. The acknowledged turnover exceeds $40 million annually.

The market share of tourism is quite dominant. However, FIDO is hoping that because of this company’s huge stake in Fraser Island it will be moving quickly to make the tourism on the island much more sustainable than has been demonstrated to date. This would include proceeding with the light rail option which the company first mooted that it would build in the Local Government Court back in 1987.

Has Fraser seen the last of Sid?

About a month after the announced sale of Eurong Resort to Kingfisher Resort for an undisclosed sum, Sid Melksham was complaining that he had no idea when the sale would be finalized. He said, "It depends on licencing inspectors and National Parks and 70,000 different government departments. They’ve got to do all the transfers. Its not just a case f saying, ‘Here’s your money and go’. I’ve dealt with bureaucrats long enough to know that it could be two years." However, Mr. Melksham was coy when asked if he was the sole Queensland buyer of the latest model Ferrari worth $2million. He said that it had been his life-long desire to own a Ferrari.

Changes to Eurong management

Notwithstanding Mr. Melksham’s cynicism about the changing of licences by December the Tourism Leisure Corporation which operates the Kingfisher Resort installed a new manager, John Harvey, to run the Eurong Resort. John Harvey has lived and worked on Fraser Island for over a decade having previously been responsible for selling strata titled real estate at Kingfisher Resort. He attended CAC meetings in the absence of Angela Burger (formerly of Eurong Resort) who had been CAC since 1991 and whom it is anticipated will now resign.

Truce in barge wars

The wonderful economy of cheap trips to Fraser Island as a result of the barge wars on the Inskip Point to Hook Point run has ended. On 18 December the fares rose to $60.00 for a return crossing with extra charges for box trailers, boats and caravans. Some of the increase will go to the Queensland Government which wants at least a 5% slice of the revenue in return for landing rights on the island.

Bali resorts rate better than all the rest

Each year, the prestigious "Conde Nast Traveler" magazine polls more than 25,000 readers to find out the respondents' favourite cities, islands, resorts, cruise lines, etc. It’s the U.S’s largest private poll of consumer attitudes.

Bali tourism products continue to dominate its rankings in the covetted "list of lists" for the best resort. There were seven (7) Bali hotels listed in the top ten Asian Resorts chosen by 2000 respondents. — #1 Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay; #2 Ritz Carlton Bali; #4 Grand Hyatt Bali; #5 The Bali Hyatt; #7 The Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua Beach Resort; #8 The Bali Inter-Continental; and #9 The Oberoi Bali. But when readers where asked to choose their top tropical island, Bali was ranked #4 after Maui, Kauai, and Fraser Island.

FIDO Life Membership for Billie Watts

Few people in the world have had such a long and continuous relationship with Fraser Island as FIDO’s Honorary Secretary, Billie Watts. The daughter of an early Lands Department surveyor, Noel Allom, (after whom Lake Allom is named) Billie Watts lived for many years growing up on Fraser Island. She was living there when her brother, Fraser, (named after the island) was born. She began her schooling first at the old school which had been built for the McKenzie sawmill employees near the sawmill and later at Central Station until her father moved north for 5 years at the end of 1929. Billie remembers water been hauled from Wanggoolba Creek for her mother to do the washing in very cold water.

After 5 years in Cooktown during which her father completed some marathon surveys in Cape York Peninsula and around Princess Charlotte Bay, Billie returned to Maryborough, where her father built a wonderful house in John Street.

Her association with the island began more than 70 years ago and was reinvigorated through many memorable safaris since the 1970s. Billie has been Honorary Secretary of FIDO since 1987 and an indefatigable campaign to protect the island’s unique natural values.

She joins the small elite of FIDO stalwarts who have been granted Honorary Life Membership of FIDO — John Sinclair, Freda Goodsell and Ronda Cook. FIDO has presented the stalwarts with special certificates in appreciation of their efforts.

Ecological Changes in Living Memory

One of the reasons for FIDO’s interest in oral history and collecting historical photographs is to try to establish ecological benchmarks indicating the changes which have occurred over a given time so that we may be in a position if necessary to address unwelcome causes for change.

Billie Watts for example remembers when there were many more active sandblows on Fraser Island and when there was no beach spinifex. Other veterans with long memories corroborate these recollections. For example on 31st December, 1962 a cyclonic storm surge swept right around Indian Head forcing it to become an island. John Sinclair who went to Indian Head the following day said that the sand at the back was like jelly and walking across it was like walking on a wobble board. He remembers there being no casuarinas growing behind Indian Head or along Corroboree Beach right up until the 1990s. Likewise there were no casuarinas growing across the mouth of a number of the sandblows at Eurong until the 1970s. Some subdivisions were cancelled because of them and some landholders feared them, but these are now rapidly being colonized and soon may be overtaken by vegetation.

Indian Head is a Mess

The most visible evidence of the degradation is to be found in the informal camping area at its base. Up to 600 people a night camp there without any facilities (no toilets or fresh water). It seems the main attraction for the international backpackers is to saunter up to the top of the headland to view the sunrise. However while the consequences of the lack of toilets at the base is obvious from the "paper daisies" blowing around the site, insufficient attention has been paid to the degradation at the top. The impact of pedestrians is quite alarming. Once a couch lawn grew right to the summit. There is now a large and growing area of bare rock where the grass has been trampled to oblivion and the thin layer of soil washed away.

FIDO has made an offer to help the EPA remedy the camping situation. We were able to effect a very good outcome in a similar situation at Eli Creek by providing pit (or "long-drop") toilets. FIDO is prepared to install these at a nearby alternative site to Indian Head but whereas the NSW NPWS makes widespread use of long drop toilets at National Parks throughout that state, for some inexplicable reason the EPA in Queensland insists that that the only toilets which can be installed are one they approve. This does not include any sort long drop toilets. They would sooner see Indian Head strewn with paper daisies and faeces than see pit toilets installed. It doesn’t matter that most beach campers establish temporary pit toilets, there seems to be no tolerance of any permanent pit toilets no matter what standards they meet. The motto appears to be that nothing less than a Rolls Royce will do even though we could afford a Mini.

Weather Impact

Whilst many centres in Queensland recorded their lowest rainfall on record in 2002 the BOM figures showed that Maryborough, the nearest centre for Fraser Island received 1060.4 millimetres. This was 92% of that city’s annual rainfall (1148.6 mm) and more than three times the lowest ever rainfall (324.5 mm) during the 133 years of recording. Thus despite some long dry months, Fraser Island did not fare too badly overall when compared with other Queensland centres.

Sandblows disappearing

After closely observing sandblows for 30 plus years, particularly Hammerstone sandblow which has been engulfing Wabby Lakes, FIDO has concluded that the rate of vegetation colonizing into the sandblows is accelerating. At Hammerstone Sandblow the rate of colonization is easily outstripping the advance of the sandblow and at the current rate this sandblow will be almost completely vegetated within about 100 years. Our observation points include where the northern walking track enters the sandblow, the site of the middens and the tall but buried Melaleuca adjacent to little Wabby Lake. The colonization by pioneer species is gathering momentum.

Telephones

Having to pay dearly to make a telephone call from Fraser Island may be coming to an end. Because no phone cards are sold on the island, unless people had the foresight to carry prepaid Phone-away cards with them only very expensive private gold phones were available. All public phones on the island are gold phones and all charge 70 cents for each unit call. Having to make overseas and long distance calls required buckets of coins. Telstra is being petitioned to provide more mobile phone coverage in the interests of public safety but it seems incongruous that public phones on the island can’t be made more user friendly with prepaid phone cards. Although the projected new mobile phone towers have not yet materialized, we are assured that it won’t be long before they are operational.

The More Things Stay the Same

On page 1 MOONBI 104 briefly referred to some of the bad news. Page 4 provided news of the silt continuing to pour into the lakes and the continuation of the Banksia Serial Killing.

Other things which haven’t yet changed and which need to be mentioned are Lake Birrabeen. We were again confronted by three buses on the shores of Lake Birrabeen. Allowing this practice to continue defies logic and fairness. FIDO continues to be told of vague plans to relocate the parking area for these buses further away from Lake Birrabeen but no such proposal has ever even been referred to the CAC. FIDO is opposed to any plan which will continue to allow this heavy traffic to continue their adverse impacts along the shores of Lake Jennings. An American with us wanted to know what a tour operator had to be to be "approved" thinking that this was the sign that the operators concerned had achieved some kind of environmental excellence. Why should not the sign simply say "Only vehicles operated by Eurong Resort or its licencees are permitted to exploit this road" which is indeed the reality?

A Bad Example: FIDO has previously protested about the practice of rangers driving to start the pumps to lift water out of Lakes Boomanjin and McKenzie. It is bad enough that water is taken from the lakes but at Lake Boomanjin continue to drive more than 500 metres along the lakes shore instead of walking 50 metres from the parking area. This is hardly a good role model for Fraser Island visitors who are expected to leave their vehicles behind and walk to the lake shore.

Dilli Village

The wonderfully situated Dilli Village has been virtually shut down by the EPA because the cost of operation is not justified. Almost all buildings are in a worse state of repair than previously appreciated and either need to be replaced or upgraded at an enormous capital outlay. Just generating power is using 30,000 litres of diesel annually. Dilli Village seems destined to suffer the fate of so many aspects of Fraser Island that the costs of managing it can’t be met so nothing is done. Many groups have expressed interest in leasing the site, which is not included in the Great Sandy National Park but the terms and conditions offered by the EPA have been refused by everyone who has been interested.

Weeds

FIDO’s last weeds working bee at Happy Valley has come under fire by at least one Fraser Island resident. We have been falsely accused of failing to liaise with the Hervey Bay City Council, and with "wantonly making the Happy Valley sand dune unstable". FIDO was also condemned for leaving "unsightly heaps" behind while there seems to have been no reprimand for residents who have littered the area by tossing coconut palm fronds over the fence or to the opposite side of the road. Although the NHT has refused to give FIDO any money to address the serious weeding problem on public lands within the Fraser Island townships we plan to continue in as much as our resources allow. The next weeding Bee is 29^th-31^st August.

Dingoes

There continues to be almost hysteria about dingoes on Fraser Island. During a recent visit to Fraser Island a number of dingoes were sighted. They showed no sign of fear nor any signs of aggression. Except for two at Central Station which quietly sat under a table while some campers worked on correspondence they all behaved quite normally. They lurk about in the vicinity of campers but rarely approaching too closely. That is how they traditionally behaved. He Dingo Management Strategy seems to be working well. There have been reports that "hazing" (i.e. scaring them off) has only made the dingoes keep their distance from Rangers and keep well clear of Ranger’s vehicles. Our observations suggest that dingoes are much more wary of all humans. This is the way it should continue to be.

4WD Diatribe

The publishing of a case for more constraints on 4WDs in wider use has resulted in an interesting semi-literate diatribe being forwarded to FIDO. The most perceptive observation was, "Your narrow-minded attitude towards 4wd vehicles puts you in the same category as the "GREENIES". FIDO is not wanting to ban 4WDs. We use them. However we think that many 4WDs are driven by inexperienced drivers and are used inappropriately the Australia wide statistics on road and traffic accidents confirm this view.

Wrecks Exposed

Beach erosion in January exposed a mystery wreck at Inskip Point. It is thought to be the wreckage was the hull of the barque "St Magnus", which capsized in March 1875 with the loss of all aboard and eventually grounded at Inskip Point. Timber samples taken from the wreck previously have been identified as larch, a Northern Hemisphere timber used for ship building. The "St Magnus" was listed in Lloyd's Register as being 135 feet (about 41m) long and 25 feet (7.6m), with a cargo hold depth of 15 feet (4.5m). Built in Montrose, Scotland, in 1856 "St Magnus" was originally owned by Baikie and Company out of the port of Clyde.

"The Brisbane Courier" dated 23 March 1875 reported that St Magnus’ owner-master, Capt. Easterbrook, was accompanied on board by his wife and son. The ship was carrying a much-awaited load of flour and other bread stuffs totalling more than 420 tons when it arrived at Cape Moreton on 17 March 1875. It was forced back out to sea due to a storm and was reported as lost five days later.

While the wreck was exposed by natural erosion some large pieces broke free but natural forces soon re-buried it. Some people speculated it was the "Natone", which ran aground near Rainbow Beach in 1959. There have been at least seven wrecks are known to have occurred in the Inskip Point-Wide Bay Bar area in the past 135 years.

Last year there was speculation that some items near Orchid Beach were Portuguese cannon. Others believed it was from the "Marloo". The latter view prevailed but soon these relics were again submerged below the sand.

New Police Station Opens

The Fraser Island police station costing $1.3 million was opened at Eurong in March. The main cost is associated with equipping the small station, which adjoins the EPA Eurong Visitor Centre, has been in outfitting the station and building two residences for the two resident officers.

Push Now for Ambulance Station

There is now a concerted push to establish a permanent ambulance presence on Fraser Island. There are regular reports of serious injury on the island and residents want a permanent Ambulance station to provide more immediate attention and perhaps to reduce the number o expensive aerial evacuations.

Another Mystery?

The discovery of a human skull and bones close to Wabby Lakes has revived other mysteries. Two years ago a 37 year old British backpacker, David Eason went missing. Despite two extensive searches of the area by the SES no trace was found of him. What is so remarkable is that these bones were found so close to where many tourists pass daily. The police are treating the site of the discovery as a crime scene.

FIDO is organizing another

Weeds Working Bee

If you want to be part of a 30 person team to finish the cleanup of Happy Valley begun last October, please contact FIDO Vice-President, Judith Tambling. Ring her on (07) 3356 0632 or E-mail her at judith@samford.net if you can assist, but also please send in a Registration of Interest form (see below) to ensure that we have counted you in and that you will be properly and adequately catered for.