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UNESCO concerned at TAS Gov rezoning wilderness areas to allow development

Tasmania is blessed with beautiful and intact landscapes and excellent protection of much of the state. World Heritage Areas and national parks have long been coveted by developers and these attempts to open up parks to commercial interests have been resisted – with varying degrees of success – over the years.

Under the current very pro ‘development’ Liberal government in Tasmania there are no end of proposals for private developments in national parks and other parts of the conservation network (check here for a current list).

This is being resisted strongly by many in the Tasmanian community and it is now being criticised internationally.

Continue reading “UNESCO concerned at TAS Gov rezoning wilderness areas to allow development” →

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Mt Wellington cable car proposal hits another hurdle

As shown by the enormous rally held earlier this month, there is significant public opposition to the plan to build a cable up the face of kunayi/ Mt Wellington, in Hobart.

The owners of the Cascade Brewery have been under pressure to distance themselves from the project, as the proponent has been hoping to access land owned by Cascade in South Hobart to use as the base for the cable car.

It would appear that the proponent is now seeking to use a different route up the mountain. They have been informed that they will need reapply for government approval if they decide to do so.

Continue reading “Mt Wellington cable car proposal hits another hurdle” →

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Logging stops in Quoll habitat

Great news! Logging machines have left Mount Baw Baw near where the endangered Spot-tailed Quoll was found. Congratulations to Minister Lily D’Ambrosio MP for taking action. Send the Minister an email in your own words thanking her for acting and encouraging her to ensure the protections stop further logging that is planned nearby.

You can write your own email here >>> https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/email_minister_d_ambrosio

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Noojee forest granted short term protection.

Residents in Noojee, in Gippsland, have been running a campaign to stop logging adjacent to their township. This is emblematic of a growing resistance in the logging country across eastern Victoria, were normally conservative towns are rising up against the impacts of broad acre logging. Tin the case of Noojee, some residents claim that a population of the threatened greater glider will be impacted by the logging.

Now, the ABC reports that the Federal Court has granted an injunction to stop any logging by VicForests in the area until February when a three-week trial is due to start. This temporary reprieve has been welcomed by the Friends of Noojee Trees. Spokeswoman Gaye Trevan said “It gives us some breathing space until the trial but the battle goes on to try to protect the forest next to the town”.

The Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum group is challenging VicForests’ compliance with the regional forest agreement (RFA) for the Central Highlands.

IMAGE: Justin Cally. https://twitter.com/Jcal1

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Timely drive for ski patrol volunteers

With the arctic blast that is currently hitting the alps and (hopefully) heralding the approach of winter,  Lake Mountain Ski Patrol (LMSP) has launched a timely drive for volunteer patrollers for the 2018 snow season.

The patrol is looking for people who can cross country ski, have basic first aid training, love to work outdoors and are keen to join the weekend roster for volunteers over the winter.

Continue reading “Timely drive for ski patrol volunteers” →

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SnowAction heads to Tassie

The southern winter edition of SnowAction (‘Australia’s #1 magazine for snow sports and mountain culture’) has some great stories from Tasmania.

There are excellent stories from a big roadtrip to NZ/Aotearoa, great powder images from Hotham, a piece on the more serious side country terrain at Mt Buller, and skiing in Chile, plus profiles on Chumpy Pallin and film maker Warren Miller. There is also substantial coverage of Tassie’s two resorts.

Continue reading “SnowAction heads to Tassie” →

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‘Finding the Line’ screenings happening in Australia

Nat and Anna Segal have announced the Australian launch of their long awaited film, Finding the Line. The premiere will be in Melbourne on May 29th at the Astor Theatre, and be followed by shows in Canberra (May 30), and Sydney (May 31) and then a final show in Melbourne (June 1).

The film runs for an hour with a Q&A with Anna and Nat after the film with SnowsBest.com founder, Rachael Oakes-Ash, for the first three screenings in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

Continue reading “‘Finding the Line’ screenings happening in Australia” →

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Mt Olympus traverse

The Olympus Range is in central Tasmania in the southern end of the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park. It is the range that runs along the western shore of Lake St Clair and stands high above the surrounding plains and poses quite a challenge to approach.

The range has two key summits (Mt Olympus north and south, of similar height), some beautiful lakes and stands of deciduous beech, and should be on the list for any serious mountain enthusiast who enjoys a challenging walk.

There are some track  notes for the traverse available here.

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state budget allocation to Falls to Hotham Crossing

Mountain Journal reported recently that Parks Victoria had released its final Master Plan for the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing: a five day serviced hiking opportunity in the Alpine National Park. In the state budget for 2018/19, there was an allocation of funds to help make the project a reality.

The proposal has been widely criticised because it will help open up previously undeveloped areas near Mt Feathertop and allow private development within the Alpine National Park.

Continue reading “state budget allocation to Falls to Hotham Crossing” →

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Opposition to Mt Wellington cable car keeps growing

The community campaign against the cable car that has been proposed for kunayi/ Mt Wellington in Hobart is going from strength to strength.

Here is a summary of what’s happened in the past week.

Continue reading “Opposition to Mt Wellington cable car keeps growing” →

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Tunnel re-connects Mountain Pygmy Possum populations

The Mt Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and Zoos Victoria have recently completed a tunnel under the Great Alpine Road, which aims to provide safe passage between two groups of critically endangered Mountain Pygmy-possums. The populations are separated by the road and this reduces the chances of the species remaining viable in the Mt Little Higginbotham area.

Continue reading “Tunnel re-connects Mountain Pygmy Possum populations” →

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Mountain Ash forests facing ‘collapse’

There is ever growing evidence of the impacts of climate change on natural ecosystems. We know that, without meaningful action now, the future of alpine vegetation in Australia doesn’t look good. This is true around the world. For instance, research shows that, in many instances, forests in the western part of the USA are not growing back after wildfire, and warmer temperatures are being blamed.

Here in Australia, longer and hotter summers are increasing the risk of longer fire seasons. Some parts of the Alps have been burnt three times in the space of a decade or so, with resulting impacts on what species grow back.

Continue reading “Mountain Ash forests facing ‘collapse’” →

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