A rally will be held on Easter Monday on the Huon river and on the foreshore at Franklin to highlight alternatives to placing the Southern Water pipeline in the historic and beautiful Egg Island canal.

Organisers are calling on any body with a water craft to be ‘on the water’ between 10 and 12 this Monday. People with kayaks, canoes, row boats, yachts, sailboards, floating bathtubs you name it, are all welcome. Even if you do not have a craft come along, there are sure to be spare spots in some of the boats to enable you to see the canal and discuss some of the other options for the pipeline route.

At 12 o’clock the rally will gather on the foreshore to hear a few speakers on the issue.

The Egg Island canal was built in 1885 and is the oldest canal in its original form in Australia. An application for listing on the Heritage Register is currently before the Heritage Council.

It is important to note that the organisers of the rally support the Huon Valley Regional Water Scheme. However, it is hoped that the State and Federal governments are able to work together to find a solution that enables the Scheme to proceed without harming this historic treasure. All local Members of Parliament will be invited to attend.

In the words of Nathalie Norris in the Huon News of March 17, ‘There is only one place (for the pipeline), and that’s across the island, it wouldn’t interfere with anything, maybe disturb the snakes for a day or two, but that’s all!’