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Environment, news, culture from the Australian Alps

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Snowy 2.0 hydro project to avoid environmental scrutiny?

It is being reported that the Snowy 2.0 Hydro project has been given ‘critical’ status for NSW, fast-tracking its development, amid concerns it may skirt environmental obligations.

The ‘critical’ status means the project no longer has to go through as rigorous a planning process and will only require the sign-off of the NSW Minister for Planning, Anthony Roberts. However, there will still be some environmental and community impact investigations.

Continue reading “Snowy 2.0 hydro project to avoid environmental scrutiny?” →

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The Mountain Pygmy–possum

We have ‘adopted’ the Mountain Pygmy–possum as the symbol for the first Victorian backcountry festival.

Like our snowfields, this small, mouse-sized nocturnal marsupial is unique. And just as our alpine areas are threatened by climate change, the possum is now listed as being Critically Endangered because of a range of threats to the species survival.

As part of the festival, we will be raising funds for efforts to protect the possum.

For details on the festival program (being held at Falls Creek over the weekend of September 1 and 2) please check here.

And for information on the possum please check here.

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Residents call for halt on logging at Noojee

Local residents have launched a petition calling on VicForests to stop logging a coupe next to the township of Noojee, to the east of Melbourne.

They claim that a population of the threatened greater glider will be impacted by the logging.

Continue reading “Residents call for halt on logging at Noojee” →

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Backcountry Film Festival in Sydney

The 2018 Sydney screening of the Backcountry Film Festival will happen on saturday April 21.

For the third year, the Sydney screening will be hosted by the NSW Nordic Ski Club.

Continue reading “Backcountry Film Festival in Sydney” →

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Cradle Mountain Film Fest

Come up to Cradle Mountain, Tasmania from April 6 to 8 2018 for a weekend of adventure and film.

We are chuffed to be hosting the Tasmanian exclusive screening of Mountainfilm On Tour all the way from Telluride, Colorado at Cradle Mountain. Mountainfilm is a fantastic festival that showcases the best of the world’s adventure films.

Continue reading “Cradle Mountain Film Fest” →

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The environment and the Tasmanian election

The Tasmanian election is largely being fought on ‘bread and butter’ issues like health, jobs and education. Gambling and the future of pokies is also a significant issue. But around the edges of debate there are some interesting promises and policy commitments around the natural environment.

While environment debate during elections tends to focus on forestry issues, this time, the future of existing national parks and reserves has been more dominant. With Tasmania looking to develop new tourism opportunities, especially in the realm of nature-based tourism, the park system is seen as the next frontier by the state government, which has been pursuing private development with national parks.

The following covers some of the debate and policy being announced about the natural environment in Tasmania. The election will be held on March 3. It does not seek to cover broader energy or climate issues.

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More private development in Tasmania’s parks system?

Negotiations are underway to allow ‘no fewer’ than six private hut-based walks under the Tasmanian government’s wilderness tourism expression of interest program.

Continue reading “More private development in Tasmania’s parks system?” →

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Dinner Plain ‘village green’ update

At a recent meeting the Alpine Shire has confirmed that the ‘Village Green’ planned for Dinner Plain near Mt Hotham will not proceed in its current form. However it will continue to look into options for a ‘lower impact’ public space in the village.

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The Mt Wellington/ kunanyi cable car and the Tasmanian election

With a state election happening in Tasmania on March 3, the Liberal government quietly gave the Mount Wellington Cable Car Company permission to start drilling and surveying on the mountain just days before the state election was called. Plans to build a cable car up Mt Wellington/ kunanyi are being resisted by many in the Tasmania community.

Residents group opposed to the cable car (Respect the Mountain. No Cablecar) have put out a call for people to contact the ALP, to encourage the party to clarify their position on the cable car. They are also calling on people to lobby the brewery CUB, which has land at the base of the mountain, and who has been approached by the developer to be involved in the project.

Continue reading “The Mt Wellington/ kunanyi cable car and the Tasmanian election” →

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Will we recognise the future?

Every time I drive up the hill from Harrietville to Mt Hotham, I feel a strange mix of joy and sadness. Its always good to get back into the mountains. But those burnt out alpine ash forests break my heart.

People will often say ‘fire has always been part of the landscape’. True. But that misses the point that fire intensity and frequency is already increasing as we lurch into the climate change influenced future. In my lifetime it has already transformed many of the landscapes I know and love best. What will the coming decades bring?

Continue reading “Will we recognise the future?” →

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TAS gov gives OK to start drilling on Mt Wellington/ kunanyi

Mountain Journal has been covering the long campaign against a planned cable car up the face of Mt Wellington/ kunanyi, in Hobart. In alarming news, the ABC is reporting that Tasmania’s State Growth Minister quietly gave the Mount Wellington Cable Car Company permission to start drilling and surveying on the mountain just days before the state election was called.

Continue reading “TAS gov gives OK to start drilling on Mt Wellington/ kunanyi” →

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Vic Government to log Greater Glider stronghold

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