Meeting place
Beautiful, but lessened
TOURISM is a cruel and avaricious mistress. Bruny Island is feeling her lash. In the past few weeks more than 10 visitors to the island have ended up in ambulances en route to the Royal Hospital emergency ward after traffic accidents on the Alonnah-Lunawanna road, one of which involved a minibus. The road had become a nightmare for visitors and locals as huge potholes appeared during remedial works to cater for tourists at The Neck. Maintenance of this troublesome section, which continues to the lighthouse, seemed to have fallen off the radar until locals aired their frustration on one of the island’s Facebook pages. Next day the grader returned. I have witnessed the effects of tourism in another town in which I lived, Margaret River. The trampling feet of tourism threatened its coastal environment and changes like those at The Neck were opposed by soul surfers for years until they bowed to the inevitable. Years later those changes have softened and the environment has to some extent recovered. This is how it is with The Neck, IT is pitiful a minority of environmentalists have displayed a negative attitude towards a makeover of the popular Bruny Island Neck. This development will enhance the view and provide an ideal meeting place for tourists and locals which is a credit to our State Government. The know-alls against the improvements should go to Sandy Bay beach during the summer season where they will see motor vehicles parked from one end to the other without any problems, including a very good view of the River Derwent.
Thoughtless
SURELY the time has come for Government and councils to understand our tourism growth is due to our natural uncompromised beauty, not car parks for hordes of people and buses. If Lord Howe Island’s example of capping numbers on A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website.
Other lookouts
ANOTHER option would have been to close the lookout which is on difficult terrain — after all there are plenty of other more viable scenic lookouts on the island. The Wineglass Bay parking ground is another example of what could go wrong. It now resembles a shopping centre carpark. Good to see the Bob Brown Foundation speak out against a proposed track to Lake Geeves. Is nothing sacred? There are those who would prefer the challenge of wild bush tracks instead of garden paths. The Three Capes caters adequately for those who want it easy and accessible.
Hanging on
We used to have a landline telephone that worked if the power went off. Now we have NBN fibre to the node, so now we don’t. Progress?
Sporting
I WONDER what would happen if the Socceroos were required to follow dual-citizenship exclusion rules?