Campers are being evacuated from parts of Moreton Island and police are manning cordons as a massive environmental clean up of South-East Queensland beaches begins following Wednesday's oil spill.
But fresh fears have emerged about the potential for the oil slick to contaminate the drinking supply on Moreton Island, which relies on an underground water table close to the site of the devastating diesel spill.
Premier Anna Bligh has declared Moreton Island, parts of the Sunshine Coast and Bribie Island a disaster zone following Wednesday's shipping accident, which saw diesel fuel spew from the damaged hull of Hong Kong cargo ship the Pacific Adventure when it lost its load of ammonium nitrate in high winds off Stradbroke Island.
Authorities initially claimed 20 tonnes of oil had been lost, however, the Premier admitted the true amount was probably much higher.
Forty kilometres of coastline have been coated in greasy, black grime, some of it "inches" thick on Moreton Island.
Trevor Hassard, from the Tangalooma Dolphin Education Centre, said the Environmental Protection Agency, National Parks, Maritime Safety Queensland, Brisbane City Council, police and ambulance officers were on Moreton Island at 5.30am today to begin the clean up.
But he said the island's isolation was making it an "impossible task".
"Normally, this stuff (oil) would be scraped off the beach and taken to a secure location and left to break down, but we can't do that here," Mr Hassard said.
"Every bucketload of contaminated sand has to be removed from the island by barge, and each bucketload from a front-end loader weighs about one tonne. It's just an impossible task.
"The other problem we have is that Moreton Island is sand, and below us is a water table that everyone on the island relies on for drinking water.
"We have to be careful with the sort of white ant treatment we use in case it leaches into the water table, so you can imagine what would happen if the oil got in there."
Mr Hassard said police were moving campers from the eastern and northern sides of the island to safer areas on the western coast which have not been affected by the slick.
He said he had received unconfirmed reports of campers receiving minor burns from the toxic diesel fuel in the water, however a Department of Emergency Services spokeswoman said ambulance officers had not responded to any calls for help.
"We've had guests (at Tangalooma Resort) who have walked through it and have been unable to wash it off their shoes, it's that toxic," Mr Hassard said.
"It's probably going to be a few days before we see any dead wildlife coming in."
Yesterday, Transport Minister John Mickel estimated the cost of the clean up would reach about $700,000 and take a week to complete. The owners of the Pacific Adventure, Swire Shipping, would pick up the tab and could also face heavy fines if an investigation into the disaster found against the company.
It is understood both the Premier and LNP leader Lawrence Springborg are currently inspecting the damage from the air this morning.
Source: Brisbanetimes.com
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