The Tasmanian Conservation Trust today called on the Parks and Wildlife Service to stop the planned revocation of part of Woodvine Nature Reserve and clearing of forest (currently in the Reserve), which is proposed to allow road access to a private subdivision.
The Woodvine Nature Reserve has a unique origin, having been donated to the people of Tasmania in 1998 by its owner Mr Ernie Shaw for protection in perpetuity as a Nature Reserve. Mr Shaw wanted to ensure the protection of Woodvine’s animals and plants after his death. The Woodvine Nature Reserve was proclaimed in 2001. The proposal to widen the road and transfer it to the Sorell Council would be contrary to wishes of Mr Shaw, who died in 2005.
Many surviving relatives and friends of Mr Shaw recall that he reluctantly agreed to a narrow road being constructed through his property to access a quarry but wanted the road retained within the Reserve to restrict access and protect the reserve’s values.
The General Manager of the PWS Peter Mooney provided a letter to the Sorell Council (dated 14 April 2014 – see reference below) granting consent for a subdivision application, covering land immediately to the north of the Reserve, that included a proposal to access the subdivision via a road that passes through the Woodvine Nature Reserve.
The subdivision proposal (included in the council agenda – reference below) included a requirement that the road be widened and that ownership transferred to the Sorell Council to become a public road (requiring it to revoked from the Woodvine Nature Reserve).
The subdivision was passed by the Sorell Council Development Assessment Special Committee on 11 November 2014 and the minutes are available at: http://www.sorell.tas.gov.au/publications-forms/council-meetings/development-assessment-special-committee-meeting-agendas-minutes
The letter from the General Manager of the PWS is included on page 61 of the DASC Agenda for its 11 November 2014 meeting and this is available at:
http://www.sorell.tas.gov.au/publications-forms/council-meetings/development-assessment-special-committee-meeting-agendas-minutes
The road widening and Nature Reserve revocation have not yet occurred.
The road that currently passes through the Reserve is gated by the PWS and access is permitted only to the manager of a quarry which operates to the north of the Reserve.
The subdivision has an existing public access via Nugent Road and no reason was provided to the Sorell Council for why another access may be needed. It appears to the TCT that the subdivision can proceed without using the road through Woodvine Nature Reserve but that this road may provide a slightly shorter access for some blocks of land.
The proposal to widen the road and open it to public access will threaten many of the very significant natural and cultural heritage values of Woodvine Nature Reserve.
• The widening of the road through Woodvine cannot be done without clearing the threatened forest community Eucalyptus amygdalina (Black peppermint) forest and woodland on sandstone and may destroy part of the threatened plant population Pimelea flava subsp. flava.
• Making the road a public road will make it much easier for vehicles to illegally access the Reserve and this will worsen the existing problems of illegal cutting of firewood and dumping of rubbish in the reserve and vandalism of its heritage listed buildings.
• Easier vehicle access to the reserve will increase the risk that the root-rot fungal disease Phytophthora cinnamomi, which is not currently known in the Reserve, would be introduced and further threaten the native vegetation.
Further information regarding the Woodvine Nature Reserve is available in:
‘Management Statement 2010: Woodvine Nature Reserve’ available from the Parks and Wildlife Service web site at: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=20572
Tasmanian Conservation Trust Inc
Ph: 03 62 343552
2nd fl, 191-193 Liverpool St, Hobart 7000
Email : [email protected]
Fax: 03 62 312491
Web: www.tct.org.au
Peter McGlone Director Tasmanian Conservation Trust
