An 81-year-old man has been fined for building a dam inside a national park that is home to an endangered rock-wallaby found solely in Queensland’s Whitsundays region.
Key points:
- A Proserpine man has been fined $14,000 for building a dam in the habitat of an endangered wallaby
- QPWS says the Proserpine rock-wallaby only lives in an area within 100km of Proserpine and Airlie Beach
- Landholders are being urged to be more aware of their property boundaries to help protect wildlife
Warren George Spicer, 81, used earthmoving equipment to dig out a dam that encroached by 2,000 square metres inside Dryander National Park, north of Proserpine.
Mr Spicer’s property borders the park.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) said the discovery was prompted by a tip-off from the public in August 2020, but the illegal work had been happening since about 2009.
“Rangers attended the site and investigated and found that a dam, some building construction materials, earthworks, and a water tank had all been found on the site and within the national park,” QPWS senior conservation officer Craig Dunk said.
The Proserpine rock-wallaby lives within restricted rainforest areas of the Whitsundays region.
“They are only found in a few locations and those locations are located roughly within 100 kilometres of the Proserpine-Airlie beach area,” Mr Dunk said.
“They are quite restricted in their range and like many animals these days their ranges are being further restricted by clearing and development.”
Accurate estimates of Proserpine rock-wallaby numbers are difficult because of fluctuating populations.
Mr Dunk said building infrastructure on protected areas could lead to habitat loss and reduced numbers for a range of endangered species.
“We’re talking an area of about 2,000sq/m that was impacted in this instance, but any area that’s impacted is important,” he said.
“Unfortunately it is relatively common. We are finding encroachments into national parks and protected areas of state reasonably often.”
Spicer pleaded guilty in the Proserpine Magistrates Court on October 5 to three charges, including two counts of taking and/or using a natural resource of a protected area, and one count of keeping an unauthorised structure in a protected area.
He was fined $14,000 plus legal costs.
The QPWS urged landholders to be aware of their property borders.
“Please go and check your boundaries, make sure that you don’t undertake any works or build any structures in a national park or a protected area,” Mr Dunk said.
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