We will shortly have more information about proposed road and open cut magnesite mine in the vicinity of the Tarkine Rainforest Track.

The controversial Tarkine Tasmania loop road – May 6th, 2009

Many of you have not walked the Tarkine Rainforest Track so you may be unaware of the issues affecting the area. Those of you who have walked the Tarkine Rainforest Track may or may not be aware that in February, the State Government pledged funding for a $23 million dollar road to be pushed through the heart of the forest and eventually onward to Tarkine Wilderness Lookout on the fourth day of our walk.

The premise of the road proposal is that it will provide a sealed access to the North West in the form of a loop, for tourists who wish to travel on sealed roads without backtracking. A sound idea.  However, there are existing roads that could easily be sealed to form an iconic tourist drive, costing but a fraction of $23 million and bypassing the untouched Savage River Rainforest, the heart of the Tarkine.

The big question is: how can the Tarkine wilderness region be made broadly available to tourists, without compromising the integrity of its wilderness values? Our support lies with the $200,000 Tarkine Tasmania strategy document prepared by the Cradle Coast Authority who, in our opinion, has got it right. Click here for details: http://www.cradlecoast.com/tourism.html

Having spent many years exploring and taking guided walking tours through this beautiful landscape, we have a unique perspective on how to sustainably develop the Tarkine wilderness for tourism, whilst maintaining the values that make the region so special. We, and many other individuals and organisations, believe that there are better options than the proposed $23m loop road, a road that in our view will be detrimental to the region as a whole and devastating to the Tarkine Rainforest Track.

The New Green Front – article in The Weekend Australian Magazine

On 3 April 2009, The Weekend Australian Magazine featured a six-page cover story on the controversial Tarkine loop road by accomplished writer Mathew Denholm. The length and status of the article was in itself quite an achievement and a strong indication of increasing awareness and concern for the future of the Tarkine.

After discussions with staff from The Australian Newspaper post-release, we discovered that travel stories of this length are a very rare feature in this magazine. But this is no ordinary travel story. Matt’s intimate account of his personal experience is juxtaposed with the harsh reality that, if built to plan, the Tarkine loop road will severely diminish the wilderness values of this extraordinary region and more pointedly, this walk.

The Weekend Australian Magazine article:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25283383-5012694,00.html.

An extraordinary response

The public response to the article has been quite overwhelming. Since going to print we’ve been literally swamped with people wanting to

“…experience the Tarkine Rainforest Track before it’s too late”.

A recent enquiry sums it up succinctly.  Another client remarked upon booking:

“…I missed seeing Lake Pedder before it was dammed; there’s no way I’m going to miss this!”

The future of the TRT hangs in the balance.  The Tarkine secret is out, and has been recently cited as Tasmania’s new wilderness frontier.  In the upcoming season we need to demonstrate that, if left wild, this walk has immense value for Tasmania’s North-West economy.  We must prove the Tarkine Rainforest Track’s viability in financial terms.  Therefore, it is imperative that we increase the number of people who join us for the walk. We realise that a boost in numbers means increased traffic and that, with mismanagement, could potentially cause harm to the fragile Tarkine.  That’s why we are committed to further developing and maintaining the Tarkine Rainforest Track sustainably and sensitively into the future, holding fast to our policy of “maximum respect” for the place.

We can clearly demonstrate the economic demand for the walk and powerfully add to the overwhelming opposition to the road. Please add your voice to this growing chorus and join us for an extraordinary six days on the Tarkine Rainforest Track.

Have you walked the Tarkine Rainforest Track?

If you wish to voice your thoughts and feelings about the proposed road, please contact us and we will happily provide you with details for newspapers, politicians, etc.  The more the merrier!

The specific issues regarding the proposal are many and varied. For more information about the proposed road please contact us at

info@tarkinetrails.com.au

For more information regarding and the Tarkine Rainforest Track click here:

http://www.tarkinetrails.com.au/tour/tent-based/the-tarkine-rainforest-track/

Upcoming story on the road – The 7:30 Report

Last week we took the 7:30 Report crew into the Tarkine to highlight the issues of the proposed road.  Tune into to ABC this week (4-8 May 2009) to watch the feature, or, if you miss it, click here to view program and transcript on the net: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/.

Last night the 7:30 report aired their Tarkine segment. Below are links to the transcript and an extended interview with Rob Fairlie, Tarkine Trails business partner. We’ve been humbled by your response, with many people wishing to join us on the rainforest track. Thats all from us, over to Kerry Obrien.

Kerry Obrien

The Tarkine in Tasmania’s remote north-west is the world’s second largest temperate rainforest and is praised globally for its ecological significance, but many Australians have never heard of it. The Tasmanian Government now has plans to develop the area into a tourist icon; however much of the tourism industry say the Government’s plans could actually damage tourism. Includes extended interviews.

Watch here: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/

Transcript from 7.30 Report: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2569706.htm

Extended interview with Rob Fairlie: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2569706.htm

Related Stories: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2569706.htm

Hobart, Friday 22 May 2009
The belated listing of the Tasmanian Devil as an endangered species will provide Minister Garrett with a substantial to refuse planning permission for the Tarkine Road, the Australian Greens said today.
Recent scientific evidence showed that the Tarkine Road could facilitate the spread of the Devil Facial Tumour Disease into some of the last remaining unaffected populations.

The listing of the devil comes as Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne launched a hard-hitting report, Paradoxes of Protection, by Dr Louise Crossley, which details the under-resourcing and mismanagement of Tasmania’s parks, another serious threat to the devil’s future.
“I welcome Peter Garrett’s belated move to list the Tassie Devil as an endangered species, but if he was serious about strong action, he would be protecting the habitat of the devil from ongoing destruction of forests and roads,” Senator Milne said.”His opportunity to make the listing mean something, is to finally put the destructive Tarkine Road to bed.”The proposed Tarkine Road is environmentally destructive and is against the wishes of the local community.”What’s more it could directly increase the chances of the Tassie Devil being driven to extinction in the wild.”With that very real risk, Peter Garrett must step up to the plate and reject approval for this road, just as he outright rejected the Shoalwater Bay coal port because of its clear environmental impacts.

“Minister Garrett has the power to refuse approval if the project is so ecologically destructive that it would clearly breach the EPBC Act. This proposed road is a case in point. ”The road Forestry Tasmania is proposing might be badged as a tourist route, but it is clearly all about propping up Forestry Tasmania’s flagging bottom line.”Locals know that there are better options for the region which would support long-term jobs in sustainable communities instead of propping up short-term destructive practices.

“At the urging of the Greens, the Federal Government has already publicly stated that it will not fund this ecologically destructive road. Mr Garrett should now step up and also make it clear that he will not approve the road,” Senator Milne said.

Paradoxes of Protection is available at http://www.christinemilne.org.au

Happy trails

From the Tarkine Trails team

Address: 148 Davey Street, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7000

ABN – 51 142 885 021

If you have previously enquired using this form then you can send us an email direct by clicking here: info@tarkinetrails.com.au

Click here to complete an enquiry form