News Service from House Harris

Qld:Ecosystems could be harmed by development on Irwin land:prof

BRISBANE, April 24 AAP - A scientific debate has erupted over the future of a property bought by Steve Irwin's family company, with scientists saying the company's plans for the site could damage the ecosystems.

Cape Alumina has been conducting environmental studies on a 135,000-hectare pastoral lease on Cape York after winning a court battle to access about 15 per cent of the property, purchased by Steve Irwin's family company Silverback Properties after Irwin's death in 2006.

Highly-acidic water in springs thought to be caused from a reaction with the bauxite has created an environment for at least 35 unique ecosystems, scientists say.

While Cape Alumina boss, Dr Paul Messenger, says the company's research shows the bauxite is not connected to the springs, scientist Professor Craig Franklin says it is the only explanation.

"The whole process of water going through the bauxite changes its (the water) chemical composition - it must, it's basic physics," Prof Franklin said.

"If you change that water in any way you could impact upon the life that lives in those springs.

"That is where the problem lies, they may not mine the springs, but they will definitely influence the hydrology of the landscape."

He said it was "highly likely" new species would be discovered.

"As far as we know they're (the ecosystems) unique. In fact, I know that some of the ecologists are finding it difficult to classify them ... they are proving to be a bit of an enigma for us," he said.

Cape Alumina has already undertaken a number of environmental studies and a public environmental impact study is in the works, Dr Messenger told AAP.

He said Irwin's widow Terri and her friend, actor Russell Crowe, had made incorrect statements about the area and he was also disappointed Aborigines had been forgotten in the process.

"I've written to Terri Irwin and Russell Crowe inviting him to come with me to Cape York to look at the land, to understand what we are doing, to talk to the locals," he said.

"One of the unfortunate things about this whole process is that the rights, the interests and aspirations of the traditional owners of the land have been completely overlooked.

"And their very existence has been denied by claiming that area is Steve's Place. It's not Steve's Place. This is traditional (Aboriginal) land."

Crowe, in an interview on David Letterman's Late Show this week, said he was trying to save the area in memory of his Wildlife Warrior friend.

"He's (Irwin) not here to stand up for himself and I just feel, as his friend, that we can't do nothing," Crowe said.

But Dr Messenger said the mining regulations and the EIS would mean there would be a minimal impact on the area.

"It ... will be a requirement that any feature of environmental value is protected and preserved from our operation," he said.

"That's a given."

Prof Franklin said the margin between any mining and the springs would have to be a number of kilometres in order to preserve the environment.

"We don't want these springs destroyed, they're very special," he said.