Landmark property sale rocks Winton, opal miners

While not revealing the purchase price, saying it is commercial in confidence, the government said the deal was made possible through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

The group, whose mission is "to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfil our needs and enrich our lives", brokered a $21 million philanthropic donation to contribute to the purchase, in what is likely to be the single largest donation for land protection in Australia.

According to a government media release, Vergemont contains 34 different regional ecosystems, ranking higher than 90 per cent of existing national parks in Queensland in terms of regional ecosystem representation.

It will increase the amount of 'of concern' mulga woodlands given protection status from 1.43pc to 10.35pc, and the area is described as being a key habitat for the endangered night parrot, vulnerable yellow-footed rock-wallaby and highly restricted Opalton grasswren.

When combined with Tonkoro Station, purchased last year, and the Mount Windsor Nature Refuge, Pullen Pullen Special Wildlife Reserve and Goneaway and Diamantina National Parks, it will cover an area of the Channel Country bioregion amounting to almost 1.5m ha.

Opal from Vergemont is regarded as some of the world's best and representatives of the opal mining industry met onsite with Department of Environment and Science deputy Director-General Ben Klaassen last week to explain what any loss of their field would mean to the miners, the international community, and to Winton's economy.

Queensland Boulder Opal Association president Alison Summerville said it had been a 'tick and flick' exercise to appease an industry that had fallen into deep depression at the prospect of the sale.

It's understood around 52,000ha of the former cattle station will continue to support existing opal mining operations and new Winton Shire Council mayor Cathy White, in Brisbane for the announcement, said she would be working to ensure the mining footprint would be workable.

"Generational miners such as the Everts and Vinnicombes are using new technology that allows them to go down further and detect more opal," she said. "The department last week saw how scattered the mines are - if the area is too restricted, there will be no thought for future industry growth."

Environment Minister Leanne Linard said she had met with the Remote Area Planning and Development Board in recent months to discuss concerns that dedicating Vergemont Station as a protected area would have a detrimental effect on their community.

"We will work to ensure an ecologically sustainable co-existence between the existing opal mining operations and conservation of the important natural and cultural values on the property," she said. "We will allow small-scale opal mining interests to continue their operations on suitable areas within the property."

An economic report commissioned by the Winton Shire Council and compiled by AEC Group estimated the opal industry directly employed around 100 people in the shire, or approximately 16.8pc of local employment, and that the mining, processing and trade generated around $14m of total output per annum.

Cr White said that was "hard, cold evidence" she would use in a two-year negotiation period to determine a footprint for mining to continue within.

"Opal miners have lived side by side with the environment for generations and have proven they are no threat," she said. "We just wonder what isn't being preserved now, that needs protecting."

Gregory MP Lachlan Millar described the purchase as a tragedy that would take another productive agricultural enterprise out of the region, to be a breeding ground for feral animals.

"I don't deny the owner's right to sell, but if there are endangered species there, lock that area up rather than make another 300,000ha a breeding ground for dogs and pigs," he said. "The government doesn't have a good reputation in this area."

He added that the government couldn't just keep locking up land and not expecting an adverse economic impact.

Environment Minister Leanne Linard said the LNP didn't share the Miles government's commitment to protecting areas of areas of high conservation value in Queensland.

"David Crisafulli and the LNP have no environmental policies," she said. "Past performance is the best indicator of future actions and the Newman government were environmental vandals who wound back protections for national parks."

Conservationists are rejoicing at the news of the acquisition.

Queensland Conservation Council Protected Areas Campaigner Nicky Moffat said the expanded area was vital for the future of a host of unique plants and animals, threatened species and ecosystems.

She said protected areas supported communities through the creation of jobs in nature, citing a University of Queensland study showing that for every $1 spent on Queensland's national parks, $6.30 in benefits was generated, including in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

QBOA president Alison Summerville queried the tourism benefit, saying the government was hardly able to get visitors to Bladensberg National Park close to Winton, if the roads were in a good condition.

"It's three hours from Longreach and when they get there, what are they going to look at that they can't see in the areas that are already protected," she asked.