Tough roads ahead

BILLY MacTOLD

While some rub hands in eager anticipation of pushing roads into wilderness areas, there is much angst for others about the impact these projects will have on the natural environment. Tasmania has the Tarkine controversy – meanwhile, across the Tasman . . .
Why is it that certain people in power positions get it into their heads that putting roads through places of natural beauty are a fine idea, notwithstanding the risk of spoiling these wilderness landscapes?

The highly-contentious issue of the eagerness shown by Premier Bartlett and his cohorts for the $23-million (plus) road project in the lovely Tarkine is a case in point – and we know the vehement opposition to the scheme.

But Tasmania is not alone in such a wilderness road furore. Across the big ditch that is the Tasman Sea, a long seabird flight will take you to the deep south-west of New Zealand’s South Island, alongside the Southern Alps, where there is another such road under consideration. Or reconsideration rather, because there has been a long-running debate about the merits of a new link through the pristine region of Fiordland, to connect what is known as the Haast with Hollyford.

It has been a hot topic for several years and as is the way with wilderness roads, groups are bitterly divided on its viability.

This is shown by a recent report I have that the Southland District Council received 201 submissions on a long-term plan it has for the road – yet only 37 were in favour.

One who was formerly a supporter but has now come out as an opponent is Southland District Mayor Frano Cardno, who said the road would have a big environmental impact and she believed protecting what is national park was important. “When building a road there’s going to be controversy and in lots of ways we have something unique in our national park. And the question has been asked, should we just protect it?” she said.

Of course, others see it differently. The MP for Invercargill, Eric Roy, said he had walked the possible road route, wanted a serious analysis of its effect and cost, adding that it would open up the region to Southland province and provide “significant” savings in road transport costs.

Another supporter, Bruce Ford, a member of Stewart Island Council (the island at the bottom of the South Island), claimed much of the ground the road would go through wasn’t particularly “flash”. He said: “In my mind, everybody should be allowed to have a look, not just those people who have a bloody pack on their back; that’s being selfish.”

Considering the tough terrain that would have to be traversed, this road would be a major engineering undertaking, on a much larger scale than the Tarkine. But it does raise again that vexing question about wilderness access – to road or not to road?

And considering the financial constraints in the current economic climate should we even be contemplating such big-spending endeavours? We should also take note of comment this week on the Tarkine by West Coast Mayor Darryl Gerrity where he reiterated that he saw this as a forestry road, not a tourism initiative.

Footnote: yes, there is already a road through that part of Kiwiland, the route connecting the western coast with North Otago through the Southern Alps via the Haast Pass, one of the most difficult roadworks ever achieved in New Zealand by the time it was opened in the 1960s. The pass link was pushed through a particularly rugged alpine landscape and an indication of the massive task can be judged from the fact that in the final four-mile section of its formation, 60 creeks and rivers had to be crossed.

It took some three decades to finally create what is a spectacular scenic route. So do they want another?