Our Position

Since its formation in 1976 the Conondale Range Comittee has been active in protecting high conservation value areas in the Conondale Ranges. Being the only conservation group in the upper Mary Valley has meant that, from time to time, we've felt compelled to comment on other conservation issues not strictly in the Conondales.

So it was that we threw our weight behind the anti dam movement in the early 90's, spoke on sand and gravel extraction issues in the Mary River and facilitated discussion about Mapleton Forest at the time of the Regional Forest Agreement.

Illegal clearing and quarrying on the foothills of the Kenilworth Bluff has now drawn our attention and involvement. Thanks to land acquisition by recently retired Maroochy councillor Herman Schwabe, the southern vista of the magnificent Kenilworth Bluff is permanently protected as a Conservation Park, but the eastern flank is not so fortunate.

A blue metal quarry has operated there for the last 20 years, gradually sprawling across the foothills. Much of its operation was hidden from view by a ridge which wasn't part of the quarrying area.

When this ridge was illegally cleared recently and quarrying commenced on it the locals were outraged and the CRC is right behind them.

Closer inspection shows that the problem is much more than the loss of an attractive vista. The complete absence of erosion control means that the cleared area has an enormous potential for erosion into the Mary River, only a few hundred yards away.

At our recent AGM it was strongly felt that the CRC should actively campaign on this matter.