Tarkine Heritage must not be vandalised: Brown

Picture: Bob McMahon

Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania Bob Brown said there has been unforgivable damage to one of the richest Aboriginal heritage sites in the nation, through off-road vehicle use and deliberate vandalism of Tasmania’s Tarkine coast.

After visiting the coast with Aboriginal elders today, Senator Brown made a plea to the federal government to use its powers to protect the Tarkine Aboriginal heritage from further destruction by off-road vehicles.

“These Ancient middens and other Aboriginal heritage have been partly or totally destroyed by the on-rush of illegal or unrestricted abuse of this area by off-road vehicle users.

“Today’s rally at Smithton in support of further destruction is the uglier face of Australia’s disregard for its rich human heritage,” Senator Brown said.

• MINISTER MUST RULE OUT FURTHER ARTHUR PIEMAN DAMAGE

The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Environment Minister Brian Wightman MP to rule out exposing the Tasmania’s Tarkine coast to any further damage by off-road vehicles by re-opening further tracks in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area.

Greens Member for Braddon Paul O’Halloran MP said that the existing Parks and Wildlife management plan was already a compromise proposal, and that the decision to close the area south of Sandy Cape was based on sound environmental and Aboriginal heritage advice.

“There has been extensive community consultation and scientific study on this issue for close to a decade, and the last thing we should be doing is throwing that all work away,” Mr O’Halloran said.

“Some off road users are clearly not happy, but many environmentalists and Aboriginal community members are also unhappy because the management plan allows continued vehicle access to many sensitive coastal areas.”

“The area south of Sandy Cape is still relatively unspoiled by off road vehicles, and the open access approach that the Liberals are spruiking will only lead to continued and increasing degradation and community division.”

“Places like the Arthur Pieman are becoming increasingly rare around the world, and continuing to allow this area to be wrecked would be an insult to past and future generations.”

“The environmental and cultural assets contained within the Arthur Pieman Conservation area are unlike anything else in the world – aboriginal rock art, towering middens, unique coastal landforms and dunes, rare shorebirds and a real, rugged wildness.”

“Let’s celebrate rather than destroy this area,” Mr O’Halloran.