Much publicity has been given to the logging of a portionof the northern peninsula of Recherche Bay. When my father bought the property in about 1948 he was interested in a portion of it that contained very straight trees suitable for jetty piling, which was in vogue at the time.

Alos, the James Craig was on the shore of the land which had an old title to the low-water mark and he had a dream of refloating that ship to use as a barge for carrying the piles to Hobart.

My brother Robert subsequently paid my fathr for a half share. Before the plan could be executed ill-health forced my father to abandon the idea. When he died in 1967 all his estate was willed to my mother, who, after my brother’s death in 1987, transferred the land to my nephews, who are now at the centre of the controversy.

I must say that my father would be horrified if the bulk of this land was to be cleared of the beautiful trees that have grown there.

Selective logging for milling timber we might have agreed with as it had been milled previously. But I feel certain my father would not have been party to clear-felling.

As the existing plan proposes a 14sqm section to be left to create a mosaic effect, this is tantamount to clear-felling.

My father never spoke of the historical importance of the peninsula nor was he cognisant of the garden and artefacts it contained. As further archeological work seems essential, I can but propose that logging at any stage be abandoned and my nephews be adequately compensated for the loss that such a measure would entail.

That the State Government should have permitted a road to be constructed through a wildlife sanctuary to reach the land beggars belief.

Greville R.E. Vernon
Riverside
Letter published in The Mercury, Friday, April 29.