Letters of Comfort and Support

My thoughts, and background thinking, for becoming a member of Tamar Lake Inc: History tells us that some communities forge ahead – and others wither. The ‘courage to develop’ seems to be the precious difference. The citizens of Athens voted and approved the Parthenon. Paris went ahead with the Eiffel Tower and New York with the Statue of Liberty. The scale doesn’t matter. Who would deny that Sheffield hasn’t been changed economically, as well as visually, for the better because of its murals? What would Canberra be like without Lake Burley Griffin? Would Australia, as a young nation, have developed as quickly into a wealthy nation, without the courage and foresight to build the post war Snowy Mountains scheme? The circumstances are always different, as is the scale, the cost, the degree of controversy. But I try to think of communities that took a risk – that developed – rather than withered. There are very few that have regrets.  The Sydney Opera House may have been a scandal for its cost as well as its design. But look at the reverence with which is now held – world-wide. Could Launceston have a Lake to build the atmosphere similar to the great lakes of Switzerland or Italy – but still uniquely Tasmanian? What if it also drove economic value and employment? History might have the answer – but first we must have the courage – as a community.

Andrew Lovitt June 3rd, 2014

The Citizens of Launceston and the surrounding districts, including the Tamar Valley have a long history of achievements and steady growth.
The creation of a Tamar Lake would give the region the impulse and population increase it needs and could attract.
E. M. Pedley

Tamar Lake:…..
The greatest enhancement and social benefit Launceston and the North of the State could ever achieve in the next 100 years or more; not only will its existence bring industrial development and work to our area, but will give Northerners a sense of pride and belief in our heritage as Tasmanian’s worthy of our patch.
It will also encourage others to occupy Launceston and surrounds, bringing their expertise and crafts.
The forgotten north needs this for our children’s future and their children’s future.
There are depleting reasons to reside in our Northern Tasmania; it has to be arrested…
1st, the sewage problem solved
2nd, Tamar Lake.
Ross Ambrose
Member Tamar Lake Inc

I have read your Tamar Lake plan and once again am impressed with the possibilities it presents. It is good that you have some state government support also for some necessary modelling.

There is no doubt that the lake would be of tremendous benefit to Northern Tasmania. At a time when the world is seeing finite limits to its freshwater supply, a scheme that can increase the availability of freshwater on the scale of Tamar Lake is tremendously significant, and the day could well come when another Bass Strait pipeline delivers water to the mainland.

Cost is going to be the difficulty and to that extent the KPMG report is significant. It must be possible to pre-sell irrigation water to a host of farmers for vineyards, orchards, cropping and dairying. This is what happened in the midlands with farmers committing to various levels of water use prior to the government going ahead with the scheme. I would think, top of my head, that over $40 million of water could be pre-sold. And then there is the annual cost of silt raking which could in future be seen as providing interest on borrowings to get barrage built.

We have a federal government which wishes to be remembered for its infrastructure spending. In the order of things an expenditure of 300 to 400 million dollars in Tasmania is not too big an ask  when these days we usually  talk in billion of dollars.

Ensuring that sewage sludge does not enter the river will be vital if it is to become a ‘playground’ for water activities. Hopefully solving this issue goes hand in hand with building the barrage.

Congratulations on your work, Robin. I hope you find all the support you need.

Dick James

I am the tournament director for competition waterskiing in Tasmania and we would offer you our full support for your lake plan. Your lake would attract an Australian National Championship to Tasmania for both Water skiing and Wakeboarding and even more importantly it would attract a lot of young people to live in Launceston.

Water skiing and Wakeboarding, followed by houseboat holidays are the backbone of tourism for many towns throughout regional Australia.

See link below to our national body, we compete throughout the world and Tasmania has a State team that competes nationally each year, additionally we have a Launceston water skiing competing in the world Championships in Florida in September.

Currently we have clubs on Lake Barrington Lake Meadowbank and Lake Trevallyn.

Our Governing body is the Australian Waterski and Wakeboard Federation.

Please contact us for any help we can be raising public support for your venture. (Keep Young people in Tasmania)

http://www.awwf.com.au/site/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_main&OrgID=5182

Damian Causby

Tournament Water skiing Tasmania

The benefits of what this project could bring to the Tamar Valley and Launceston are phenomenal. I am really excited by this and am very impressed with the level of work that has already been done, it is credit to those involved. Let’s hope the inevitable negative propaganda has little impact on the thought process of the community.

The Committee of the Tamar Rowing Club, at its last meeting, received a summary of the Tamar Lake Project from our President Allan Weeding. The strategic plan was tabled.

The Committee unanimously agreed to support the proposal.

We would be pleased if you would accept this letter as an indication of our club’s broad support for the proposal and that the club has no objections to the implementation of further studies into the project and ultimately, its successful implementation.

The vision of a lake as proposed can only benefit our club, the community and the wider sport of rowing.

Fenton Jones, Secretary.

100% support the idea & commencement.
No more studies.
A flood will come and wipe out more value in loss and heritage than the cost of this development.
We will see a return in growth 10 fold once it has been started.  Its time we did something. No more raking or slush in the river at home point….

YES, I give Tamar Lake permission to publish my Letter of Support on their website

Barry Vethulst

To whom it may concern
This is a fantastic idea. It should be done. The Tamar has been a tidal silt ridden mess for ever this will benefit Launceston’s economy tremendously.
Regards
Justin O’Byrne

KPMG Letter from Martin Rees

I am a strong advocate of the Tamar Lake concept and can visualise the incredible scope of opportunity it would provide Launceston and the north.  There is significant private investment along the Tamar River in the form of the North Bank and Penny Royal developments, and I believe Tamar Lake would create an impetus to expand on the experiences and development along the waterfront. The idea of being able to market Launceston and the north to tourists and locals as a place of innovation and waterfront experiences is incredibly exciting and one that I believe would position Launceston as the must visit destination when coming to Tasmania. I believe it would also create a landscape of better connectivity with our neighboring regions and enable us to leverage off each other’s assets to greater effect.  Most importantly for me Tamar Lake would provide a dynamic, functional and layered waterfront for the Launceston community to enjoy and be proud of.

Angie Hart

I only heard of the Tamar Lake proposal this week – after reading into it I think all of Launceston and the Tamar region should seriously consider backing some further investigation into the Tamar Lake for our river!

For me I think it addresses some of Launceston’s biggest concerns, not just the silt issue, such as;

– Reduces the flood risks of low lying areas (Tamar Lake reports the initiative could lower the flood water level by as much as 1m – so many homes and businesses would have been saved the recent inundation of flood waters!)
– Encourage Launceston to update our antiquated sewerage system which causes particular trouble during very wet weather.
– Allows for boats and larger vessels to travel during more than just high tide… Rowers will particularly enjoy less mud!

Emily Hutchinson

My son just posted the link to your website and I am absolutely thrilled, more than I can express, that FINALLY someone is doing something for my beloved river. One of the reasons I left Tassie was because of the slow death of the river. I grew up at Rosevears and we had a lovely pebbly beach. When I left about 30 years ago the beach ceased to exist. Then moved to Swan Point and we used to”mow” the beach. Thank you so much for tackling this humongous challenge.I plan to retire back to Tas in 22 months and will do all I can to help your wonderful efforts.

Sherry Prince

Dear Sirs,
I was quite amazed to see the recent “deliberations” by TasWater on this matter.
In the business world this would be termed “bury your head in the sand and it’ll go away……hopefully” and (then) people would be, should be questioned heavily about such an attitude.

Apparently TasWater, or for that matter the three Tamar Estuary councils (who have little real influence over TasWater) and/or the State Govt don’t fully appreciate the tourist significance of the Tamar Valley and the many tourist attraction that are the bases for central northern tourism; paying lip service until the next round of elections…?

Add to that TasWater’s apparent complacency about the sewage fouling that has occurred over many years and no real long term accountability for remediating the problem to the benefit of all in the community other than –

quote: “Analysis shows that TasWater will need to cater for an increase in sewage volume of more than 100 per cent over the next 50 years. That means the capacity for Launceston to grow, and the ability of businesses to invest and create new jobs, is critically dependent on the development of a modern sewage treatment system” – unquote.

Using satellite photos, freely available, over the last eight (8) years the silting on the estuary opposite Muddy Creek has reduced the estuary width by upwards of 70% at mean low water – high water. Similarly the same silting effect is apparent along the estuary adjacent to the Tamar Wetlands, there will be no wetlands sooner than later.

One would have to be “blind” not to see the effects of silting on the river.

Look at the Seaport marina area (questionable whether there should be a marina there anyway) and the pleasant smell that permeates the area during 1/2 to low tides, especially noticeable when dinning at Seaport restaurants.
With boat owners no doubt paying (lot of) $s to keep, get their boat hulls clean.

The economic benefits to northern Tasmania to “convert” the Tamar estuary to a fresh water lake are clearly apparent. With the construction, on-going operation of the barrage with power generating turbines and the tourist benefits of such an all-year-round lake unquestionably adding employment opportunities.

Should one expect, anticipate State Govt, quasi Govt entities and councils being able to rationalise such long term benefits…??

Mike Armstead