save the Blue Tier
press release, 18 june, 2004
Blue Tier Campaign Heads to Canberra
After campaigning locally for many years members of the Break O’Day community feel they have been ignored long enough.
Next Monday and Tuesday representatives of Friends of the Blue Tier will be in Canberra to meet with a variety of Senators, Advisors and Ministers in order discuss the ongoing environmental concerns within the municipality.
'We are greatly encouraged by the response we have had from the Federal Ministers and Senators and will have a busy few days.'
'We are trying to protect the water catchment and promote the area for tourism – but we haven’t even had a response from the State Environment Minister (except to deny us a meeting) or the Tourism Minister,' Friends of the Blue Tier spokesperson, Lesley Nicklason said.
As a result of growing community concern, Break O’Day Council requested that the relevant Minister refer the Blue Tier Nature Recreation Area (proposal) to the Resource Planning and Development Commission for a Public Land Use Inquiry into future management. Minister for Forestry, Bryan Green responded on behalf of the Environment Minister and has refused to refer the matter.
'Minister Green hasn’t met with this community and he hasn’t visited the area, its very disappointing for the local community,' said Ms Nicklason.
'We feel we have tired every avenue and are going to Canberra to discuss the issues of protection of upper water catchments and the future of eco-tourism in our area.'
Since gaining widespread community approval for the Nature Recreation Area proposal Friends of the Blue Tier, in order to promote the area, have .....
- Held numerous information stalls
- Run a series of radio ads.
- Produced a highly successful self drive brochure
- Produced a car sticker
- Hosted 10 community walks attended by over 1000 people
- Held 2 music and 2 film festivals
- Printed over 500 'Friends of the Blue Tier' t-shirts
- Established and maintained walking tracks to The Big Tree, Crystal Hill, Harridge Falls and 2 multi day walks through the area ..... Alcheringa (8 days) and The Blue Tier Track (3 days)
- Attended countless meetings with Forestry Tasmania, Ministers, Senators and Councilors
- Put 16 questions to the local council
- Written 13 letters the Council, 20 letters to Forestry Tasmania and 28 letters to State Ministers
- Sent over 200 hand drawn post cards to politicians
- Been involved in the Natural Resource Management process
- Have had 82 letters of support published in local newspapers
- Have had 79 newspaper articles written about the campaign (+ 2 cartoons)
- Recorded numerous radio interviews and been on talkback countless times
- Have fundraised the thousands of dollars required to keep the campaign going
- Held 6 information forums
- Established a website
- Learnt the skills and conducted a community based audit
- Identified/reported breaches of the Forest Practice Code
- Referred safety concerns to Work Place Safety
- Lobbied for a moratorium on all logging in the area
- Attempted to have a legal injunction put in place
- Attempted to serve an Environmental Protection Notice
- Called for a Public Land Use Inquiry
- Been arrested (10 people)
We have maintained a continuous presence on the Tier at the Lottah Camp for 97 days ..... during which time we have provided information to approximately 500 tourists from all over the world.
For further information contact Lesley Nicklason 6373 6195 or 0400 557 418