A heritage-listed site, owned by the state, is likely to disappear before our eyes!
On ‘May the Fourth be with you Day’ a serious piece of grading work and a grader was observed on the wall of the Heritage Listed North Bischoff Stone Dam wall – see photos below.
Built in the 1870’s out of stone, it provided the first water source to Waratah and the Bischoff mine workings via the water tunnel evident in the photos. The first electric street lighting to a town in Australia was achieved in 1877 as result.
Given its construction style and the tunnel it was ‘rated’ at a 5 tonne limit for vehicles 19 years ago.
The Volunteer Fire Service is unable to cross the dam wall as a result.
Was a permit obtained from Heritage Tasmania prior to works? Who or what entity or person is authorising and directing these works on this old dam wall?
The Empire may not yet have crumbled but damage to and subsequent loss of this last remaining North Bischoff Stone Dam Wall will devastate the Waratah people.
And all this is happening because TasWater is hell bent, despite repeated pleas from many quarters, on finding other solutions rather than final stage ‘decommissioning’ i.e. removal of the Waratah Reservoir dam wall and removal of that 52 hectare wetland as a result.
“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.” – Yoda
John Powell was Born in Rushworth Victoria; educated at Dandenong High School and Monash University; National Service during the Vietnam War; employed in oil/gas, water, and the resources sectors; proud Celt; protector of environment and Aboriginal heritages; stubborn and resolute.
After the above story was sent around an email group, TT was copied into the replies.
Here’s one of them:
