Long road from the city to Triabunna

IT WAS a landmark protest against plans for a fish farm in Okehampton Bay.

Scores of brightly coloured watercraft took to the Derwent on Sunday and hundreds of protesters lined the docks.

It was an imposing sight and a powerful message.

But a day later, what was the feeling on the ground of the town most likely to be impacted by the development — Triabunna?

“To be honest, love, I didn’t even know [the protest] was on,’’ the cleaner at Triabunna’s Spring Bay hotel told the Mercury.

The hotel’s licensee Liza Gadd said the wharf-side pub served fishermen alongside Tassal workers and was “a bit like Switzerland.”

“We are neutral here, everyone knows that and the subject is not up for discussion,” she said.

Another shopkeeper who did not wished to be identified echoed Ms Gadd’s view.

“It’s exactly the same here — in a small community town it’s best to say nothing.”

The shopkeeper said he was in two minds.

“We need it to survive but I love the ocean as it is.”

But there is clearly an appetite among locals for the potential jobs on offer.

Extra application forms had to be printed at a Tassal jobs forum on May 24 at Triabunna Trade Centre.

And more than 120 people filled in application forms for 25 jobs on the day.

Tassal chief executive Mark Ryan said the voice of the East Coast community in favour of the development was “as strong but not as vocal”.

Chris Chapman from Orford Beachside Holiday Park and Maria Coast Fishing Charters said protesters “were hyping it up a bit.”

“We need jobs in Tassie not just our area,’’ he said.

Mr Chapman said most people in his area “are for it.”

To say that tourists don’t want to see fish farms was “a load of bollocks.”

“Tourists tell me they enjoy the tours of Macquarie Harbour,” he said.

“We can’t live off tourists during June, July and August. We are looking forward to it.”

Former Glamorgan Spring Bay mayor Howard Harris said the protest was held in Hobart “to get the numbers.”

“They are not dealing

with it where it needs to be dealt with, Triabunna,’’ he said.

“Triabunna has always been an industrial town, any of the businesses here will need something like this to go ahead.”

Greens leader Cassy OConnor said Sunday’s protest sent a clear message from the community they did not want fish farms in Okehampton Bay or on the East Coast.

“This Government has the capacity to put a stop to that fish farm and buy out the licence, the community will not sit back and let that fish farm be built,” she said.