CYCLONE CLEAN-UP NEARING COMPLETION FOR PARK RANGERS

Six months after Cyclone Larry devastated the Far North, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff have made impressive progress cleaning up the extensive damage to the region’s national parks.

Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr told Parliament today QPWS staff had worked tirelessly to clear debris, reopen walking tracks and roads, and repair park infrastructure since the cyclone hit Innisfail on March 20.

“At one stage, 39 national parks were closed and numerous other forest reserves and protected areas were inaccessible because of cyclone damage,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

“There was enormous damage caused to many tracks and roads in protected areas across the far north, particularly in the Mission Beach area and on the Atherton Tableland.

“Now, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of QPWS rangers, local communities, commercial tour operators, the Cyclone Recovery Taskforce and volunteers, access is being restored almost daily.”

Areas still closed, as at the end of September:
·Mt Bartle Frere trail, Wooroonooran National Park;
.Goldsborough Valley State Forest;
·Herberton Range State Forest; and
·Kirrama Forest Reserve.

Partial closures still affect:
·Douglas track between Kamerunga and McDonalds track, Barron Gorge National Park;
·Bicton Hill track, Clump Mountain National Park;
·Palmerston walking tracks, Wooroonooran National Park;
·Fong On Bay campground, Danbulla State Forest;
·Mt Tyson walking track, Tully Gorge Alcock State Forest;
·Echo Creek track, Murray Upper State Forest; and
·Sections of the Misty Mountains Trails.

Ms Nelson-Carr said the work to reopen the parks had been painstaking and tiring but QPWS staff remained confident that more facilities would be opened by Christmas.

“We couldn’t have come this far without our field workers, many of whom have been employed on the Community Jobs Plan (CJP) project, under the State Government's Cyclone Larry Employment Assistance Package.”

Ms Nelson-Carr said QPWS staff had also established a cassowary response team to help the endangered bird, whose habitat was severely affected by the cyclone.

She said QPWS had worked with community groups such as Mission Beach’s C4 to provide cassowaries with supplementary feed until the rainforest had recovered from the cyclone.

“To date, 58 feeding stations had been set up to feed the birds and keep them away from the dangers of roads and built-up areas.”

For specific information on tracks and parks that remain closed, go to www.epa.qld.gov.au and check out the “Parks and forests” section.

Media contact: Karla Steen 3336 8004 or Andie Gatti 3336 8002