Greens candidate for Richmond, Dawn Walker and NSW Greens MP Jan Barham are urging the government to support the nomination of the Cobaki wetlands and Terranora broadwaters near Tweed Heads for Ramsar status.
As foreshadowed in February, Greens MP Jan Barham has introduced a motion in the NSW upper house calling on the government to support the nomination of the Cobaki and Terranora Broadwaters as a wetland area of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Ms Barham is now seeking for the government to consider the motion as formal business when parliament resumes on Wednesday.
Ms Barham said the area was ‘a significant Aboriginal cultural landscape with a history of regular large gatherings of Aboriginal peoples.’
‘The area is known as ‘Murraba/Murrawba – the favourite campsite of the Aboriginals’ and is considered to be the last of its type in the region.
‘The Cobaki Lakes system continues to provide an abundance of food resources fundamental to the culture and wellbeing of our first peoples, and is utilised to this day.
‘We have a responsibility to protect cultural and ecological heritage. The Cobaki wetlands and Terranora broadwaters are of great significance and is deserving of recognition under the international Ramsar convention,’ Ms Barham said.
Dawn Walker said she was pleased that the NSW Parliament would have a chance to support the nomination.
‘The Cobaki wetlands and Terranora broadwaters contain significant terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems including rainforest, migratory and non-migratory bird habitat, and important fish breeding and nursery habitat, and important cultural heritage.
‘It’s critical that this important environmental asset of the Tweed receive the status it deserves.
‘We have the opportunity to protect a special place that is important to our region in so many ways,’ Ms Walker said.
