The main purpose for national parks in Queensland – nature conservation – is likely to be under threat from outdoor recreation interests in the future. This situation has arisen before but it is likely to get significantly worse because of the following factors:
^aEURc SEQ has the fastest growing population in Australia. Another million+ people will move into SEQ by 2021 assuming the government’s predictions are correct.
^aEURc Urban areas in SEQ are rapidly expanding to cater for the expected future population. Bushland is being cleared to develop these new urban areas.
^aEURc Native plants and animals are being destroyed as are the places needed for outdoor recreation activities.
^aEURc The demand for outdoor recreation is already high and is increasing as a result of both population growth and or increasing participation in an increasing range of outdoor recreation activities.
^aEURc Outdoor recreation includes – camping, horse riding, trail bike riding, mountain bike riding, bushwalking, rogaining, orienteering, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, rockclimbing, jet ski riding, power boating, abseiling, hang gliding, four-wheel driving, hunting, etc.
SEQ needs a program to set aside land for the relatively high impact outdoor recreation activities (ie. those which are inappropriate on protected areas). This program must be coordinated between the state and local governments.
The danger is that a future government seeking to pacify the demands of the anti-national parks for nature conservation elements within the outdoor recreation community may change the cardinal principle of management of national parks and the main purpose of the Nature Conservation Act from nature conservation to outdoor recreation – thus compromising the future of all the critical areas that are currently protected.