Unauthorised Land Clearing Controversy

Posted on July 14, 2019

A large area of native vegetation has been bulldozed on a Kimberley pastoral station. The Traditional Owners, who discovered the destruction, took action blockading the station's entrance to urge the WA Government to intervene. 

Once alerted, the government issued a stop-work order to the Chinese owned company Shanghai Zenith. By that time the unexpected operation had destroyed 120 hectares of native vegetation, including sacred boabs, burial sites and medicine trees.

And incredibly, the company had not first consulted with the Nyikina-Mangala Traditional Owners or gained authorisation from the WA Government.

We need to send a loud message that destroying our precious Kimberley savannah—the most intact tropical savannah in the world—is simply not acceptable. 

In the past, perpetrators of illegal clearance like this have only been given a slap on the wrist - minimal fines or a letter of warning. Now is the time to make sure that acts of blatant disregard for the Kimberley’s environment and culture faces the full force of the law - call on the WA Government to properly prosecute illegal land clearing.

Traditional Owners protest at Yakka Munga pastoral station to stop further land clearing

 

Related

Petition to protect the Martuwarra Fitzroy River signed by more than 27,000 Australians delivered to WA Parliament

Kimberley Traditional Owners and conservation groups have delivered a petition signed by 27,632 Australians calling for the Martuwarra Fitzroy River to be protected.

New Ministers join Fitzroy River Ministerial Council

The first few months of 2023 have been a tumultuous time for people in the Fitzroy Valley, with record floods in the Martuwarra Fitzroy River...

Severe Flooding in the Fitzroy Valley Causes Huge Damage and Loss for Communities

It has been an extremely challenging start to 2023 for communities along the Martuwarra Fitzroy River who are currently experiencing the worst floods in WA...

A look back at 2022 in the Kimberley

In 2022, thanks to your support, we made encouraging progress in our efforts to keep the Martuwarra free-flowing, but there is still work to be...

Want to help protect the Kimberley?