Tue. Feb 11th, 2025

CC Council speaks up for the Dial Range

By Ashley Bulgarelli – Protect Our North West Forests                                                                       
Photo credit: Tim Cooper

The Dial Range has been described as the jewel in our crown. A place treasured by all, where walking tracks and mountain bike trails wind beneath tall canopies of dense forest sheltering tassie devils, spotted-tailed quolls and rare orchids. 

When our marvellous wild sanctuary that is the lifeblood of our region was threatened by logging, individuals, businesses and recreational groups came out in strong opposition of these wrecking plans.

Now, Central Coast Council have voiced their concern that clearfell logging their iconic range just doesn’t stack up.

At their November meeting, in a motion moved by Councillor Kate Wylie, Central Coast Council voted in favour of requesting Forestry Tasmania pause planned logging in the Dial Range until Council come to a formal evidence-based position.

In passing this motion eight votes to one, Councillors have come to a historic position that sets the bar for listening to and representing community concerns. 

Forestry Tasmania have ignored hundreds of concerned locals by forging ahead with these disastrous plans – will they now ignore local government? Only time will tell. 

Chris Fletcher, President of the Cradle Coast Mountain Bike Club, believes that Council’s position reinforces that the Dial Range is better-suited to nature-based recreation and tourism than short-sighted forestry operations. 

“Consistent with its modus operandi over the past decade, Council has positioned itself to let well founded research and rigorous public consultation guide planning and developments in the Central Coast,” he said. 

Lyndon O’Neil, a Tasmanian Aboriginal person and Ulverstone resident, considers this announcement a pivotal moment – beyond the cessation of machinery.

“Outdated mechanisms hinder progress, failing to support health, sustainability, and biodiversity. Collective action is essential for reversing the decline of Tasmania’s ancient forests and landscapes,” he said.

“Education and awareness is empowering us all to protect such remaining natural and cultural assets”. 

Council has no jurisdiction over these logging plans, but in voting for the motion, Councillor Sophie Lehmann reminded Councillors “we do have a jurisdiction to advocate for our community”. 

We are hopeful that Council will do just that, because hundreds of people have made their voices heard. Destroying 45 hectares of forest for majority woodchips, directly over the Mt Duncan East Face Track, is not in our community’s best interests.  

We would like to thank everyone who has contacted Forestry Tasmania and Central Coast Council. Your voices have been heard loud and clear and have directly contributed to keeping bulldozers out of the Dial Range since the original planned start date seven months ago. 

Please consider writing to those Councillors who voted for the motion and thanking them for standing up for the Dial (see Council’s website for the recording of the meeting and Councillor emails).

We believe that these preposterous plans are no longer viable. But we need to keep the pressure dialled up. Please follow Protect Our North West Forests on Facebook for ongoing updates and actions. 

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