Northern Australia has some of the last free-flowing rivers left on our planet.
Across the entire breadth of Northern Australia, they connect a rich tapestry of wetlands, savannas, mangroves, estuaries, gorges and forests on a scale seen nowhere else on Earth.
Then there’s the wildlife – these globally significant watercourses are home to an abundance of unique and threatened species from carnivorous quolls to prehistoric sawfish, which all find refuge in ecosystems untarnished by large scale industrial developments.
Until now, that is.
Alarmingly, both the integrity of these rivers and the thousands of years of Indigenous culture found in northern Australia are at a crossroads. These iconic rivers are threatened by irreversible industrial development, including irrigation and mining. Many doomed attempts have been made to develop the north, and yet past lessons are still not learnt.
In the face of a renewed push by conservative governments to open the north, we say that these special river systems are too significant to trash for another attempt at a quick buck.
That’s why we are campaigning to protect four iconic river systems from across the region that are under immediate threat:
The Fitzroy River
The Daly River
The Gilbert River
The Wenlock River
Each one of these river systems represent a unique bioregion with species found nowhere else on the planet – and science is still discovering new species in these rivers and surrounding landscapes at an astonishing rate.
As a credible, leading voice in what will be one of the highest profile and most important national debates over the coming years, the Wilderness Society will campaign to keep the rivers of Northern Australia free-flowing and reverse the tide of looming destructive developments.
Our vision for our future is for Northern Australia to boast healthy, free-flowing rivers which support the ecosystems and local communities that rely on them.
We believe that this is worth fighting for; for the sake of past and future generations, Northern Australia’s incredible and irreplaceable rivers, landscapes and wildlife must be protected. Will you join us?
Read our submission to the northern Australia development inquiry.
Read our submission that exposes fatal flaws in the EIS document produced by Rey to mine coal in the Fitzroy river catchment.
What you can do
Donate to the Wilderness Society today and be a part of something incredible for Australia.
Volunteer with the Wilderness Society.
Find out what’s happening in your community.