Blue skies on horizon but still tough days ahead

HUON business owners say clear skies appear on the horizon for Geeveston trading but an uphill battle still looms.

The Riveaux Rd fire which started near Geeveston last month forced temporary closure of many local businesses, with traders who remained open reporting business to have slowed dramatically.

The long weekend brought relief to local shop owners who are now hoping for a return to the peak-season trading seen in the Huon over the last few years.

Geeveston’s Old Bank Cafe owner Dianna Cruz said her business received a wave of sup- port from customers since it reopened on Friday.

“Gosh we had a fantastic weekend with lots of people out and about and coming in — it was fantastic,” she said.

Mrs Cruz thanked the community for pulling together to support a depleted economy and her business, which closed for three weeks during the fire threat.

“We’ve taken a huge hit but I’m so glad and thankful to see there are now a fair amount of people around,” she said. through the area, woodchip and sawdust piles at the plant continue to smoulder, Ta Ann Tasmania executive director Evan Rolley said.

“We can’t yet put a figure on the cost of the damage but it will be in the multi-millions,” Mr Rolley said.

“The wild fire has caused extensive damage to log processing and related infrastructure and other damage that is not immediately visible is still being assessed,” he said.

“There is a lot of smoke around the site from a fire

Destination Southern Tasmania CEO Alex Heroys said it was important Tasmanians did their bit to help the battered region, where fires at advice warning continue to burn nearby.

“Tourism is a key economic pillar for the far southern area of Tasmania and we urge as many people as possible to rediscover the Huon and far south,” he said.

Mr Heroys said Tasmanians should also consider supporting other areas of the state hit by bushfires such as the Derwent Valley and Central Highlands. neers from international suppliers of operational equipment to assess whether there has been internal damage to other key plant components,” Mr Rolley said.

He said the impact on commercial forests and plantations also was still unclear.

Mr Rolley said Ta Ann was meeting the plant’s 42 employees and their unions this week to decide on options for their employment, including the option of redeploying some people to the company’s Smithton plant.