geoffjy
28-09-2008, 10:01 AM
Well, i tlooks as though the Irwin's will be running cattle on Bertiehaugh after all. Here is a the article in the Cairns Post, Sep 27th -
"Terry Irwin plans to make cattle a "major part" of development on Cape York land bought as a wildlife reserve with millions in federal government funding.
The herd will run on 56,000ha of the 135,000ha land parcel formerly known as Bertiehaugh Sation, now dubbed Steve's Place, on the Western Cape.
But Australia Zoo is adamant cattle cattle form part of good land management practices on the property.
The information came to light in correspondance between Ms Irwin and the Cook Shire Council, the local government authority responsible for much of Cape York.
In a letter attached to a briefing pack for the council, Mr Irwin vows to manage the property for conservation and research purposes.
Then she writes: "We are committed to working with the Witherspoon family who will continue to develop a major part of the property as a cattle station." Yesterday, an Australia Zoo spokesman involved in the purchase and running of Steve's place told the Cairns Post: "The reason for having cattle is you have got a management procedure, which looks after the fire regime, feral animals and fencing.
"Part of the Witherspoons contract is to fence of the pristine areas including the relic rainforest, so neither humans nor cattle can interfere with those relics."
Ms Irwin stood to make no profit from the cattle, the spokesman said.
A management plan will monitor the impact of cattle on the land and the Witherspoon family is building cattle dams to keep the herd away from environmentally sensitive wawterways. he said. "
"Terry Irwin plans to make cattle a "major part" of development on Cape York land bought as a wildlife reserve with millions in federal government funding.
The herd will run on 56,000ha of the 135,000ha land parcel formerly known as Bertiehaugh Sation, now dubbed Steve's Place, on the Western Cape.
But Australia Zoo is adamant cattle cattle form part of good land management practices on the property.
The information came to light in correspondance between Ms Irwin and the Cook Shire Council, the local government authority responsible for much of Cape York.
In a letter attached to a briefing pack for the council, Mr Irwin vows to manage the property for conservation and research purposes.
Then she writes: "We are committed to working with the Witherspoon family who will continue to develop a major part of the property as a cattle station." Yesterday, an Australia Zoo spokesman involved in the purchase and running of Steve's place told the Cairns Post: "The reason for having cattle is you have got a management procedure, which looks after the fire regime, feral animals and fencing.
"Part of the Witherspoons contract is to fence of the pristine areas including the relic rainforest, so neither humans nor cattle can interfere with those relics."
Ms Irwin stood to make no profit from the cattle, the spokesman said.
A management plan will monitor the impact of cattle on the land and the Witherspoon family is building cattle dams to keep the herd away from environmentally sensitive wawterways. he said. "