Photo credit: The Ocean Agency / XL Catlin Seaview Survey / Richard Vevers. 

A decline in water quality is one of the leading threats to the Great Barrier Reef, and is preventing the Reef from building resilience to other threats such as climate change.  

The Reef is being smothered in chemicals and sediment from the surrounding polluted water, caused by industrial, agricultural and urban development.  This is leading to a severe decline in Reef health and resilience. 

Reports have concluded that an investment of $8.2 bn is needed over the next decade to fix the water quality issues.  Yet, over the course of 5 years, the Australian and Queensland Governments are jointly investing only about $120 million a year in Reef water quality improvements.

We are therefore asking the Governments to invest $1bn for projects throughout Great Barrier Reef catchments to help improve the quality of water.  This seems like a big ask, but it’s an important investment in protecting the more than A$5 billion that the Reef generates for the Australian economy every year, alongside the other crucial roles the Reef plays in the environment, both locally and globally.

Please sign this petition asking the State and Federal Governments to allocate funds for much needed water quality projects.

https://mackayconservationgroup.good.do/reefwaterqualitycampaign/reefwaterqualitycampaign/

The Daily Mercury 27.07.19 showed a front page headline decrying the
peaceful protest being organised against businesses that support the Adani mine.
The Mackay Conservation Group makes no apology for legitimately opposing
this mine, because of the impact it will have on our underground water, our
climate, our native species and the Great Barrier Reef.

Humans are capable of amazing things. Our ingenuity is limitless.

This month marks 50 years since humans first set foot on the moon. In 1969, only 8 years after President J F. Kennedy announced a national goal of landing on the moon

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their “giant leap for mankind”. This amazing feat was accomplished with only a fraction of the technology that we have access to today.

 It is incredible how fast technology has evolved since then, and it’s amazing what we can achieve once we set our minds on a goal.

 Imagine the amazing things that humanity could accomplish in the future. 

Now consider the huge threat our own behaviour is having on our very existence. Is our love of coal and burning fossil fuels worth limiting our potential and worth limiting the time that earth is even habitable? 

The great thing is that we don’t have to cook the planet in order to have our modern conveniences. We have the technology we need to move on from burning coal and other fossil fuels. We now have this amazing opportunity to take advantage of the exciting possibilities that using renewable energy technologies can open up. Renewable energy can run all the electrical things that coal fired power can. With good renewable energy systems, we can actually have more power for less money, which will improve the profitability and productivity of most businesses. 

Hello,

My name is Imogen and I have just started working at the Mackay Conservation Group as a ‘Reef Campaigner’.  I am from London and upon graduating from University in England last year, I have moved to Australia to pursue a career in marine conservation.

I learnt many things during my time at university, but one thing that completely resonated with me was the importance and beauty of the coral reefs, and how they provide such crucial habitats for a variety of marine organisms, as well as providing us with bioprospecting properties and a large economic input via tourism.  The reef is valued at $56bn, provides 64 000 jobs and over $6 bn directly to the Australian economy.  However, unfortunately the Great Barrier Reef is being destroyed, largely due to climate change and water pollution from excess sediments, nutrients and pesticides entering the waterways.

Media Release
16 July 2019

Adani demands CSIRO scientists’ names: Mackay Conservation Group raises concerns

The Mackay Conservation Group says Adani should be investigated following revelations that the company requested the identities of CSIRO scientists involved in assessing the mining giant’s groundwater management plan (ABC today, Adani demands names of CSIRO scientists reviewing groundwater plans).

Mackay Conservation Group spokesperson, Michael Kane, says “Adani’s actions are clearly designed to intimidate people who work for some of Australia’s most trusted institutions and organisations, including the CSIRO and Geocsience Australia.

“All Australians should be concerned about international corporations applying undue pressure on our independent regulators, regardless of whether they support Adani’s Carmichael project or not.

“If there was a federal anti-corruption body this would be exactly the kind of conduct it would be responsible for examining.

Did you know that many of Mackay's drains in the CBD have litter traps? This is netting or mesh designed to catch rubbish and debris before it washes into the ocean. Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group Inc., Mackay Regional Council, Reef Catchments and the Cleanwater Group are auditing these traps and you can help!

By sorting and recording what washes into the drains, Mackay Council can better understand what type of rubbish and attitudes they need to focus on changing.

This child-friendly event is on Thursday 4th July, from 12 - 2:30pm at Jubilee Park.

For more information and to RSVP, click here!

🚨 A fast-growing number of countries, nations, territories and cities are accepting the science and declaring climate emergencies. 🚨

This includes entire countries of the UK, Canada and Portugal and the nations of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The City Councils of London, New York and Auckland have also joined the list.

In Australia, 25 areas have declared climate emergencies including the Australian Capital Territory and the city councils of Sydney, Hobart and Fremantle. 

So what exactly is a climate emergency declaration? And will it mean climate action?

Many of us are keen to reduce our environmental impact and do our best but with limited access to public transport, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, coal and gas dominating energy production and suburban sprawl making us dependent on our cars it can seem hard to significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

There are of course clean energy alternatives like purchasing rooftop solar and battery storage but many people simply can’t afford it, live in unsuitable homes or rent and don’t get a say about how their electricity is sourced.

However, there are affordable options for electricity consumers to switch to renewable energy no matter where you live.

For example. Mackay’s sole energy retailer Ergon Energy customers can source between 10 to 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by participating in Ergon Energy’s ‘Clean Energy Programme’.

Environmental organisations such as Mackay Conservation Group have focused on preventing the Adani mine from being constructed for several years. We have built a movement of two million people around the country who support organisations that are part of the Stop Adani alliance. That leads some people to wonder why we aren’t focussed on the other mines planned for the Galilee Basin and elsewhere.

In 2012 it appeared that the first cab off the rank would be the GVK-Hancock Alpha mine. It attracted a lot of attention from the environmental movement. That project hasn’t gone anywhere, while Adani has been eyeing off opportunities to open its mine with generous support from taxpayers including low-interest loans and special royalties deals.