Why Leonardo DiCaprio has a major beef over small Australian town

Leonardo DiCaprio will always speak his mind when it comes to the environment.

The Titanic actor has been outspoken about climate change and conservation for decades, and serves on the board of several environmental protection organisations like WWF and Oceans 5. 

Now, Leonardo is calling out the Australian government for approving a mine expansion that could devastate local wildlife and lead to a loss of vegetation in the area. 

The South32 mine in question lies near Boddington in Western Australia, about two hours drive from Perth. 

Almost 4,000 hectares of bushland are expected to be cleared as the mining company expands their site.  

“The Australian government has approved deforestation within the Jarrah Forest of Western Australia, clearing the way for the mining of bauxite, the main ingredient in aluminum [sic],” Leonardo wrote via Instagram on Wednesday.

“The mining company @south_32 is set to clear 9,600 acres of this old growth forest, which is home to threatened species like the Critically Endangered Woylie.”

“This operation will destroy critical habitat for over 8,000 species, 80 per cent of which are found nowhere else on Earth,” he continued.

“While native forest logging was banned in Western Australia in 2024, clearance of native forests for mining is still allowed due to separate government policies that prioritise mining development over environmental protection.”

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The Oscar winner went on: “This new approval is in addition to South32’s previous deforestation, bringing the total area of Jarrah Forests cleared to over 38,000 acres. @rewild and @wild.ark stand to protect these towering ecosystems that are already at risk of climate change.”

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek green-lit the plans in February, drawing ire from local activists. Leonardo’s bold move has garnered praise for the actor, including from the Save the Black Cockatoos group. 

“Thrilled that Leonardo DiCaprio has Instagrammed footage of Karaks (Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoos) to his 60 million followers to highlight the problem of bauxite mining in the Jarrah Forest,” the group stated on Instagram.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was less than impressed by Leonardo’s comments, and made his feelings known in a press conference on Thursday. “If Leonardo DiCaprio knows where a bauxite mine is in Western Australia, I’d be very surprised,” the politician said. 

South32 has spoken out about the 50-year-old’s post, claiming that it has “factual errors” in a statement. 

“The Worsley Mine Development Project will be undertaken in accordance with strict approval conditions that seek to avoid or minimise impacts to habitats of species, including the Black Cockatoo, to support their ongoing viability,” the company said. 

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Leonardo has never been shy about calling out those in power for their lack of environmental protection. 

In 2014, he criticised former Prime Minister Tony Abbott at a dinner in Washington, DC, denouncing his government for the degradation of the Great Barrier Reef. “What once had looked like an endless underwater utopia is now riddled with bleached coral reefs and massive dead zones,” he said at the time. 

He has also called out logging practices in Tasmania, and the underreporting of deforestation in Queensland.