Shoalwater bay





Military Misdemeanours

Abuse of the Environment

Local fisherman speaks about ongoing abuse of the Shoalwater Bay marine environment by the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Stakeholders in Shoalwater Bay including National Parks and the EPA refuse to acknowledge or repair the damage to Freshwater Swamp.
© Images courtesy of Google Earth

  1. Local fishermen and ex caretakers of SWBMTA have stated that Army engineers used heavy explosives to blast a hole in the dunes on Freshwater Beach, lowered the water table of Freshwater Swamp by 3 metres and drained the swamp into the sea.
  2. Live firing of heavy artillery has occurred in the water catchment.
  3. Vast areas of mangroves have been completely decimated,apparently by fuel spills and/or phosphorus bombs.
  4. Queensland Conservation Council reported deaths of dugong due to RAAF bombing.
  5. The Wildlife Preservation Society (Capricorn Branch) has reported blasting of the Great Barrier Reef to facilitate military shipping.
  6. Members of the Byfield Historical Society have reported damage to important aboriginal sites by military activity.
  7. Military rocket launchers have been discarded at the Yeppoon Dump.
  8. A.D.F purchased and used 43,000 rounds of Depleted Uranium Weaponry over a period of 10 years(1981 to 1991) but refuse to identify where this weaponry has been discharged. (N.B.:The United Nations have declared Depleted Uranium as an illegal Weapon of Mass Destruction).

Live Phosphorous Flares found on Public Beach

Phosphorous Flare washed up on eachClose up of Flare

Live phosphorus flares, Stockyard Point and Bangalee.
Twice during 2006 live military "flares" have washed ashore on Capricorn Coast public beaches. These devices were designed for night-time illumination, however they have also been used as incendiary and chemical weapons in Iraq by the U.S.A. in Falujah and by Israel in Lebanon. They have been described in the international press as "horror weapons".

Response to Talisman Saber 07 Public Environment Report
Read the full response in PDF format

SWAG’s five primary concerns are –

  1. The failure of the ADF to adequately inform the community and government bodies and organisations about the publication of this report and the public information sessions. Further the PER claims to have widely consulted with interested parties and this has clearly not been done, for example was Livingstone Shire Council consulted regarding its water catchment area?
    The ADF has failed to honour its commitment to communicate as stated on page 2. of the PER.
  2. The PER has serious omissions regarding environmental impact from the exercise. eg. There is no mention of the Capricorn Coasts water supply, or of risk to Yeppoon from air, sea or creek born contaminants.3. Risks identified in the PER from known activities. (Pages iii & iv)
  3. Unknown aspects of the exercise including activities and use of equipment and armaments which have not been published in the PER. eg. Carrying of Nuclear weapons and whether ships confirmed to be carrying depleted uranium will be berthing in Australian ports. There is no information of the type of new weaponry to be used in the exercise, only an admission that this may occur.
  4. The failure to produce the normal Environmental Impact statement require under the EPBC act for this size activity.

Read the full response in PDF format