Save the Tarkine welcomes Tarkine Drive opening

Urges the Premier to heed the lessons

Save the Tarkine has welcomed today’s opening of the revised Tarkine Drive.

Following the abandonment of the controversial original Tarkine Drive route that involved new roading and bridges in virgin rainforest, the former government consulted with stakeholders, including Save the Tarkine to agree on the current route utilising and upgrading existing roads and incorporating mitigation measures to reduce roadkill of threatened species such as the Tasmanian devil and the Spotted tailed quoll.

“We acknowledge Department of State Growth staff on the collaborative and consultative approach they have shown over the past four years in developing and implementing this project”, said Save the Tarkine Campaign Coordinator, Scott Jordan.

“We also acknowledge the former Premier, Lara Giddings for her willingness to set aside divisions of the original project and engage constructively on achieving a consensus plan for the revised Tarkine Drive”.

“We thank Nick McKim and former Braddon MP Paul O’Halloran for assisting in our negotiation efforts with the former Government around this project”.

“We hope that on this opening day, that Premier Hodgeman will take time to reflect on what is achievable when you are willing to work constructively with the conservation movement”.

Under the Hodgeman Government’s legislation to repeal the Tasmanian Forests Agreement, logging may occur across the entirety of the Tarkine Drive route, including in existing conservation areas, and reserves created under the Howard Government’s Regional Forests Agreement (1997) and Tasmanian Community Forests Agreement (1995).

Scott Jordan will be in attendance at the opening at Julius River today, and available for comment.
Scott Jordan, Campaign Coordinator Save The Tarkine