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This is a rather special
tour, since it is to
an area which you would
not otherwise be able
to visit easily and since
it is operated by the
Wilderness Society to
show what is happening
to Tasmania and to try
to obtain some support
for its protests.
Tasmania
is the source of much
of Australia’s
wood and a centre for
government-controlled
forestry operations.
These operations are
gradually destroying
the 400-year-old trees
which comprise the native
rainforests of the area.
Indeed 87% of the forest
has already been destroyed
and the Wilderness Society
is fighting to protect
only the remaining 13%.
The most incomprehensible
part of this operation
is that only about ten
per cent of this beautiful
hardwood is used for
a purpose suited to its
potential. The remainder
is made into woodchips
and sent mainly to Japan
to be used as newsprint.
Moreover, the operation
scarcely makes a profit
and is said to be continued
principally in the interests
of maintaining employment.
The Styx Valley lies
some two hours west of
Hobart. The tour is not
a plush operation. It
is made in an old school
bus owned by a company
sympathetic to the aims
of the Wilderness Society.
Since it is a school
bus, it has other duties,
so tours are operated
only on Sundays, and
sometimes on Thursdays
during school summer
holidays. The bus travels
through New Norfolk,
near which town you can
see the paper mill where
much of the Australian
newsprint is manufactured.
This plant does not use
the native forests, fortunately.
It uses plantations and
some wood from regenerative
projects. At Glenora,
where the tour stops
for a few minutes, there
is a chance for platypus-spotting
and then the bus continues
to the Mt. Field National
Park. Here the tour turns
off onto the forestry
roads and shows some
of the tallest hardwood
trees in the world. You
can be shown what the
Society claims to be
the tallest Christmas
Tree in the world. The
solar-powered lights
still glow for a while
after sunset. The Guinness
Book of Records, however,
refused to recognise
the record attempt, saying
that it was the wrong
type of tree to be called
a Christmas Tree. Not
only will you enjoy this
day amongst the giant
trees, but you will find
it educational - and
probably worrying as
well.
The tour leaves
from the Wilderness
Society Office at 130
Davey Street, near the
junction with Byron Street,
at 9:00 on Sundays and
summer Thursdays and
returns at about 17:45.
You need to take your
lunch with you. The Wilderness
Society asks you to book
at least one day in advance
(tel: 03-6224-1550),
but, in fact, if you
turn up on the day and
a seat is available,
you are not going to
be refused.
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