WORLD HERITAGE RECOMMENDATION FOR SOUTH COAST LAKES

Wednesday, 18 October 2000 10:00

Total Environment Centre today welcomed the recommendation as timely in face of the growing threats from residential and commercial development to the south coast and its lakes.

"The recommendation will be enthusiastically incorporated into our coastal campaign. It covers a very significant area of the south coast giving the lakes system, coast and the crucial tourism industry badly needed protection against threats such as foreshore and lakeside residential and commercial development, pollution, and accelerated eutrophication", said Natural Areas Campaigner Fran Kelly.

"Lake Wollumboola was recently given breathing space when the State Government stepped in to prevent a 3000 lot residential development from destroying its relatively pristine shores. This nomination should help prevent further pressures on Wollumboola and other coastal lakes, by developers wanting to make megabucks from lakeside and coastal views at the expense of the natural environment" said Ms Kelly.

Wollumboola is at the northern tip of the south coast lakes recommendation which includes Swan, Conjola, Burrill, Tabourie, Termeil, Meroo, Wilinga and Durras.

"Each of these lakes, bar Lake Durras which is protected by National Park status, is suffering from varying degrees of development pressure" said Ms Kelly. "In fact recently Lake Conjola was found to contain an rapidly spreading an noxious algae that was threatening the lake bed. World Heritage listing would provide a strong level of protection to the lakes as well as turning international attention on their beauty"