Petition to urge MPs to rethink location of deepwater wharf on Kangaroo Island

The Kangaroo Island community is waiting in anticipation for report details of a $30 million deepwater wharf that says it will generate jobs and not affect the environment.

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The Kangaroo Island community is waiting in anticipation of details of a report into a $30 million deepwater wharf whose proponents say it will generate jobs and not affect the environment.

The ASX-listed Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers (KIPT) has resubmitted an environmental-impact statement to the State Government, still to be publicly released.

But even before its release, a 525 signature petition will be handed to state parliament when it resumes next week urging MPs to move the proposed wharf to an alternate site.

KIPT has proposed building the deep-sea wharf at Smith Bay, 10km northwest of Kingscote, to ship timber and woodchips from its timber operations.

But the neighbouring Yumbah abalone farm says the wharf extending 200m out to sea would be detrimental its operations which are reliant on the pristine water quality.

Yumbah Kangaroo Island general manager David Connell, pictured at Smith Bay. Picture: Kelly Barnes.

Yumbah Kangaroo Island general manager David Connell said the petition – organised and distributed on the Island by Yumbah – was the “clearest indication yet” as to how the community felt about the proposed development at Smith Bay.

“We all want to see the trees exported off the island but this shouldn’t be at the expense of Smith Bay’s pristine marine environment, and our business,” Mr Connell said.

KIPT managing director John Sergeant said once the EIS was released people would have access to all the facts about the seaport.

“Until then, the signatories to the petition are reacting to a scare campaign,” Mr Sergeant said.

“The development assessment process is based on evidence.

“The development will be delivered in a way that protects the environment and provides economic, employment and population growth on Kangaroo Island that would otherwise take almost 30 years to accrue at current growth rates.”

Meanwhile, AusOcean’s marine biologists discovered a 2x2m coral in Smith Bay in December, prompting further dives later this month.

“It was a very interesting find as it’s one of a handful of coral species that will grow in cooler temperatures,” AusOcean founder Alan Noble said.

“One hundred years ago apparently there were corals just like this off Glenelg beach but unfortunately they were inadvertently destroyed by trawler practices.

“That’s why this specimen is quite special and judging by the size we estimate it’s several hundred years old.”

The AusOcean team had been in the area conducting a marine-life survey and testing technology when the discovery was made.