As a peak regional body advocating for environmental and conservation issues, WBBEC is keen to offer members of the Wide Bay Burnett community the opportunity to become members. WBBEC always welcomes new members who share the same general ideals as us: the desire for a healthy and resilient environment that is capable of sustaining us all (humans, flora, fauna, soil, microbes etc) into the future. At WBBEC this is achieved by protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainability (environmental, social and economic) and encouraging the integration of the best available environmental science into all aspects of private and government decision making.
Our status as a leading environmental advocacy organisation in this region enables our members to directly influence environmental policy development and decision-making at a national, state, regional and local level.
Our approach is consistently science-based and WBBEC’s spheres of influence include:
- Biannual meetings with the state Environment Minister and departmental leaders to advocate and negotiate on current state and regional issues.
- Supporting protection of the environmental values of the Burnett and Mary Rivers and associated catchments, while allowing for sustainable use of the region’s water and other resources.
- Providing inputs to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s management of the Southern Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
- Providing inputs from the community to the responsible federal and state ministers regarding the cultural and natural heritage of the Fraser Island (K’gari) World Heritage property.
- Making timely submissions to all levels of government and industry on matters of local, regional, state and national environmental significance.
WBBEC is well connected to environmental policy makers and influencers via membership of:
- Queensland Conservation Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council Environmental Advisory Group
- Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee
- Burnett Local Marine Advisory Committee
- FINIA (The Natural Integrity Alliance for K’gari)
- Sunwater Paradise Dam Community Reference Group
If you would like to become a member of WBBEC, please download our membership form below (PDF), complete the details and email it to [email protected] or you can fill in our online membership form.