will ya come over when its gonna rumble. likewise

The article often describes the port as a greenfield port. What does that mean?

Mobydisc said...

The article often describes the port as a greenfield port. What does that mean?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenfield_project

Means they don't have to knock down existing structures and work around prior constraints.

Except of course all that basalt in the harbour.

Looks like a magic Spot might be no longer

Mobydisc said...

The article often describes the port as a greenfield port. What does that mean?

Greenfield port means #ucking up everything natural in site!!!!

Gonewindsurfing247 said...

Did the windsurfers get anything out of the deal? From what I remember, there was suppose to be an artificial reef built or something like that.

Nah that was just a demand, maybe it will be an angle to work on now that its going ahead..

stehsegler said...

Today in the SMH: www.smh.com.au/business/murchison-beats-midwest-in-wa-port-tender-20080729-3mr6.html

In the article they mention that the big 4 banks will be funding this project... hm, I wonder how Westpac can on one hand beat their own drum about having signed the "Equator Principles" (see: www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WICP+Our+Advertising ) , yet they will fund a project which will have a huge impact on the local environment on a massive scale.

This is like the Tassy pulp mill project all over again... so were are the tree huggin' hippies?

Perhaps it's time to put together a petition and boycott Westpac... or better send a little note to ACA or Today Tonight... don't they love to drag the banks through the dirt?

Firstly, thanks for the recognisition for the role the "tree hugging hippies" (and the rest of us rationally ecologically minded people) have had in raising awareness of the pulp mill issue here in Tassie - personally I had no idea the issue had any coverage outside Tassie, but that has obviously happened. Before I get stereotyped as a tree hugger, or greenie, I'd like to point out that I make my living by finding mines for companies, but have grown up bushwalking, kayaking, climbing etc around Tassie and the big island, and would descibe myself as a naturer lover, in all its aspects. I can justify my job by ensuring any measures we take to achieve our goals are totallly in accordance with acknowledged environmental practices, and I'd never work on a project that I had issues with. Also worth mentioning here is the fact that the pulp mill proposal was meant to be assesed through an independant body, but the proponant, Gunns, chose to withdraw from that process, and the state Labor government fast-tracked legislation to allow the construction to begin, by-passing all the environmental issues we are all so concerned about.
But enough about that. Of more concern is the proposal to build a Gold Coast style canal development, on top of our best windsurfing area. I've posted this ages ago, but here is the affected area - our prevailing winds are from the west (left in photo), launching area is the boat ramp at the bottom of the photo where the sand bar meets deeper water, and you can sail over the sand and be in thigh to ankle deep water or sail in the deeper water. Perfect location for everyone.

But how perfect for a housing development? The fact that it's probably the windiest spot around Hobart doesn't make it sound like a good spot for a canal suburb, or the fact that when the tide is full and there's a westerly gale (common winter/spring scenario) then the road through Lauderdale (at the end of the bay) is commonly under water, why the @#$% would anyone want to live there - just minutes away there's farmers who'd give their right arm to sell some drought affected land so someone could build houses to those who needed them, and hey, they'd be cheaper, and you wouldn't have to hire a chopper to empty a huge bucket of fish oil over your house every year to stop it from rusting away into the sea.
If this development goes ahead, expect to see lots of windsurfers on the news sailing as close as we can to the dozers - it's the Tassie / Greenie / Sensible / I've got half a brain I think I know what's right and wrong way.

WindWarrior said...



If the Port was to be built a further 10 - 15km north... would any of us care ?

Probably not, but those that surf Oakabella would be devastated.

It will be interesting to finally see a detailed plan of the proposed port, I approached OPR about being able to see the proposed plan but was told it was commercially sensitive and would be released eventually. In any case it will be mamoth for this region as its starting from scratch and infrastructure requirements are huge. I believe the original environmental impact study is out dated by current standards and thinking, so it will be interesting to see whether they start on that again or race it through to get the show going.