GARRY STANNUS
An upturned garbage tin in scrub at the top of a hill in one of Launceston’s suburbs. Beside it a white plastic marker with the number ‘9’ inscribed. On a handle of the bin is tied some fluoro-pink ribbon, the sort that is commonly used to mark boundaries for subdivisions or for other things such as logging operations. In this case, it marks something not quite so routine…
On the side of the garbage bin written in black texta is the following: “9 Easment Bdy” (sic) which we might translate as “Marker Number 9 – Boundary Easement”. Underneath the garbage bin, driven into the ground is a single, new, zinc corrugated-iron roofing nail. In fact we are quite close to/between the Way FM Radio Station and the large round water storage above the Trevallyn Dam.
This last week the Greens raised the issue of the commencement of some scrub clearing at the site of the proposed pulp mill. On Friday 7th August, Rachel Williams of the Examiner, wrote of various proposed works, including:
“…Slashing of understorey vegetation and removal of trees from a section of the water pipeline corridor on land within, but excised from, the Trevallyn Reserve and the establishment of a gravel base for a balance tank.”
A physical inspection of the existing route for the proposed pipeline shows no apparent activity has taken place at the Trevallyn Dam itself, nor down along the final easement which leads to the Tailrace. However the situation shows that there has been recent marking out of boundaries/easements in the vicinity of the Reatta Road radio station – West Tamar water storage. What is planned here? A balance tank, according to Rachel Williams. What does this mean? I’m told that its function would be to reduce the build up of internal pressure in the water pipeline, if it were to be built.
What does Warren Jones, EPA Director have to say? According to Rachel Williams, he confirmed that Gunns had not yet met prerequisites for beginning site preparation for the balance tank, but that Gunns had submitted documentation which was currently being assessed. From the context of William’s report, if accepted, this would allow the company to clear the scrub, but as for the construction of the balance tank, who knows?
So sitting on the ground here and there are little square shaped plastic markers, bits of ribbon, a nail, an upturned garbage bin. What it all means, who knows? Is Gunns going to try and build the pipeline in bits and pieces, with gaps in between, and then apply pressure to be allowed to ‘fill in the dots.’ Down below this hill of plastic markers and pink ribbons, waits the West Tamar Council land and the land owned by the residents of the West Tamar.
How will Gunns attempt to muscle their way through those areas? Will it ever come to that? – Not if we can help it. Kim Booth has said that it is misleading for Gunns to ‘claim it was “all systems go” for major work to begin’ while it yet lacked permits to begin major works – looks like Kim’s right again – for the time being.
