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Former Kiwis league player Jarrod McCracken faces criminal charges connected with the development of his multi-million dollar Queensland property.
The state's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has charged McCracken and his company Crackers Corp with eight offences for alleged unauthorised clearing and earthworks on his 387ha property at Clarkes Cove, north Queensland.
The Whitsunday Shire Council is also pursuing three charges over the alleged development.
It is alleged McCracken cleared rare bottle trees from the site without permission...damaged native vegetation on state coastal land and in Dryander National Park...and caused sediment to run off into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
McCracken and his wife Michelle this year reached an out-of-court agreement with the EPA and Whitsunday Shire Council to replant hundreds of trees cleared from the property.
But the EPA decided last month to pursue the matter further and it will be brought before a local magistrates court next month.
McCracken was awarded A$97,500 ($118,454) in the New South Wales Supreme Court in 2006 after suing National Rugby League (NRL) club Melbourne Storm and its former players Stephen Kearney and Marcus Bai over a spear tackle which ended his career in May 2000.
The former Canterbury Bulldogs, Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers NRL player had sought at least A$750,000 in damages, having suffered neck and spinal injuries following the tackle.
- NZPA
