A Douglas marine tour operator has expressed concern over potential impacts of shipping and dredging activity in the Reef from the approval of the Carmichael Mine. 

Quicksilver managing director Tony Baker said the company had concerns with the disposal of spoils from dredging projects like the expansion of the Abbott Point coal terminal, which could be linked to the newly-approved Carmichael Mine west of Mackay. 

The decision by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) to allow the dredging the Abbott Point channel and dumping of spoils inside the marine park has drawn fire from environmental organisations and UNESCO. 

Speaking to the Newsport, Mr Baker said Quicksilver opposed dumping dredge spoils in or near the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. 

“When it comes to disposal of dredge soil we definitely don’t want to see it dumped in or adjacent to the Marine Park,” he said. 

“In Port Douglas, spoil from dredging the marina and channel is dumped on land.”

The Association of Marine Park Tour Operators (AMPTO), of which Quicksilver is a member, supports port development but also wished to see plenty of control on environmental impact from coal mines like Carmichael. 

AMPTO executive director Col McKenzie said there was no reason mining companies like Carmichael developer Adani couldn’t invest in methods to reduce environmental impact.

“As a business body we understand that the work needs to be done and people need to ship coal,” Mr McKenzie said.

“But there’s no doubt whatsoever that putting dredge spoil into the water is not good for that area or the area around it - I don’t believe that there will be any need to expand the Abbott Point terminal past what’s been recently approved.”

“When they are working with the kind of resources needed to develop projects like this, environmental impact mitigation must represent such a tiny percentage of costs.”

Tour operators might have had mixed feelings about mine development but the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) was certainly clear about their position on the matter, citing new research by James Cook University that showed mining activity had further-reaching impacts on reef health than previously thought.

The study, presented by Professor Terry Hughes to the Senate inquiry into management of the reef last week, showed the coal dust had ‘accumulated everywhere’ on the Great Barrier Reef and passed toxic levels in areas close to shore.

CANFEC Marine Programs Coordinator Josh Coates said echoed Prof Hughes’ argument that all dredge spoil in the Marine Park should be banned and that the Abbott Point expansion should be cancelled. 

"CAFNEC is very concerned about the new research that has come to light regarding the spread of coal residues broadly across the Reef,” Mr Coates said.

“We support Professor Terry Hughes and other scientists and tourism operators in their call for the revoking of the Abbot Point dredge spoil dumping approval and a ban on future dumping. We advocate a ban on new dredging and dumping in the World Heritage Area, effective immediately. Such a ban should not be withdrawn until conclusive evidence can be presented that the re-suspension of sediments from capital dredging programs can be undertaken with no impacts of World Heritage values."

A ‘Save the Reef’ march on Four Mile Beach in March was attended by about 700 people protesting the Abbott Point dredging decision.