Railway corridors in the Wet Tropics

Wet Tropics Management Authority staff had the opportunity to travel with QRail recently to inspect the railway corridor between Ingham and Cardwell in the World Heritage Area.

The inspection was part of the Authority’s duty to make sure that infrastructure in the World Heritage Area is well managed to protect its Outstanding Universal Value.

Wet Tropics principal planning officer, Campbell Clarke, noted that “The railway corridor is slashed up to 10 metres either side, depending on the surrounding landscape. This is to ensure a safe zone in the case of fallen trees. Weed spraying is limited to the railway line area itself.”

“One noticeable issue was that wilding pines had spread from plantations to the west of the corridor to the edges of the railway corridor and beyond to the adjacent Girringun National Park within the World Heritage Area,” Mr Clarke said.

The only other railway corridor in the World Heritage Area is the Cairns to Kuranda railway which is also monitored by the Authority. The Authority has worked with QRail to minimse herbicide use around creek crossings to help protect the endangered Kuranda treefrog (Litoria myola).

Published: 05th Aug 2015