Penny Brand

October 11, 2008

THE Federal Opposition says it will take on the fight to stop the controversial Traveston Crossing Dam proposed on the Mary River near Gympie.

Opposition climate change, environment and water spokesman Greg Hunt today said the proposed dam was one of the “worst sites in Australia”.

He said the dam would have major adverse environmental impacts - including water wastage and on native species.

Mr Hunt was speaking at the Australia-China Business Forum at the University of Queensland.

“I visited the Traveston Dam site, I’ve met with the people and I’ve looked at both the lower and the upper Mary and the message is very clear that we’re not against dams but this is a bad dam site,” Mr Hunt said.

“The site is a large, flat evaporative pond … (and would be) a massive waste of water.

“It would destroy one of the great food bowls in Australia.

“You have all sorts of different foods that are grown there and an incredible loss of productive land of capacity.

“The dam itself is (also) likely to have a major impact on scarce species including the Mary River turtle and others.”

One alternative would to use deep chasm dams which would be subject to a lower evaporation, he said.

“We’re going to have the fight.

“It was a politically chosen site and by all accounts all the advice to the government is is it’s an unwise site.”