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READER PIX P19 MARKET DAYS P11 FIRST WELCOME TO YOUR NEW EDITION COMMUNITY PAPER FREE FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020 CLOUD OVER Best in TYNWALD WETLANDS Australia THE community will be asked for its views on the future of the artificial wet- lands adjoining Tynwald Park outside the Turriff Lodge sewage treatment plant at New Norfolk. again Built as a job-creation project in 1994, the wetlands area was designed as a nutrient-removal system intended to improve the already high standard of wastewater being discharged from the treatment works into the nearby River Derwent. A quarter of a century later, the treatment plant is now regarded as a high-risk environmental operation and planned upgrades will reportedly make the wetlands redundant. The wetlands occupy flood-prone council-owned land that was once used for hop-growing. At a recent Derwent Valley Council meeting it was agreed to work with the sewage plant owner - Tas- Water - to gauge public opinion on the SECOND TO NONE: In the midst of the most challenging trading conditions in a century, the award future of the area. for the Guardian group’s pharmacy of the year was awarded to the New Norfolk store owned “The decision now needs to be made and operated by Bel Bird (above, with retail manager Janelle Maw). The welcome accolade was on how the wetland area is to be re-pur- received during an online meeting and coincided with Ms Bird’s 10th anniversary in the business. posed once the constant and reliable wa- Along with the town’s Amcal pharmacy at the opposite end of High St, the business has remained ter supply from the treatment plant is no open throughout the coronavirus pandemic to provide a vital service to residents of the entire longer provided,” a council officer said. D erwent Valley. Picture: MATT THOMPSON FULL STORY, PAGE 3 PROUDLY PRINTED ON LOCALLY-MADE PAPER FROM THE BOYER MILL Councillor Advertisement Your ad here 6cm strip PaulYour go-to councillor, BELCHER open and honest. I can be contacted 24/7 with any council concern. ✔ Not afraid to ask the real questions to get the truth.. 0424 879 829 or [email protected] ✔ Not afraid to stand up for the people. Authorised by Paul Belcher, 68 Derwent Terrace, New Norfolk 7140 2 A B O U T U S newnorfolknews.com NEW NORFOLK AND Local news, straightforward and honest DERWENT VALLEY “STRAIGHTFORWARD and years to the day since the New be the mouthpiece of government New Norfolk and Derwent Valley N E W S always honest” has been the motto Norfolk News website had its first and it is not in the interests of good News. Straightforward, and always Issue 1: July 17, 2020. FREE of New Norfolk High School for appearance. governance when the media ceases honest. Next issues: August 14, most of its existence, and it’s a It comes at a time when it’s to question and challenge. To the readers, please keep us worthy path for a newspaper to more important than ever to have As a community we also need honest. Send in your feedback, September 11, October 16, follow, too. ready access to a trusted news to celebrate local successes, and comments and constructive November 13, December 11. $2 This first print edition of the source, free of “spin”, and unafraid sometimes to grieve together when criticism. NEWS: Damian Bester New Norfolk and Derwent Valley to speak truth to power. the news is not good. Damian Bester, News is published almost 12 It is not the role of the media to This will be the focus of the Editor/Publisher [email protected] 0417 387 577 ADVERTISING: Wayne Shoobridge [email protected] 0427 642 098 DEADLINES: Friday prior to A truly local paper publication INSIDE Local news ................1-13 for our community Your letters ................... 4 O bituaries .............6, 8, 12 The first issue of this newspaper is a gift, Council news .................9 but it will need community support to Kids’ Club .....................14 School Report...............15 succeed, writes Damian Bester O pinion ...................16,22 People ..........................17 THE first decades of this century ongoing and critical need for grass- Crossword ...................18 have been a challenge for newspa- roots community journalism of the Readers Photos............19 pers, and converting a website into kind I gained so much satisfaction Books ...........................20 a newspaper does not follow current from practising in Queenstown for wisdom. two years, in the Derwent Valley History ....................21,23 And yet, newspapers are still be- for 12 years, and on a wider scale At Hom e .......................24 ing born, particularly in places from throughout Tasmania. D IY ................................25 where larger media organisations With encouragement from fam- have decided to withdraw. ily and friends, and expressions of Sport .......................26-28 Many readers will know my support from potential advertisers, New Norfolk and Derwent Valley background already. I was born in the decision was made to develop News is published by Damian New Norfolk and educated here, a print edition of the New Norfolk Rodney Bester, 4 Richmond St, and fortunate to have spent 30 years News website, under the expand- New Norfolk TAS 7140. working for Tasmania’s leading me- ed title New Norfolk and Derwent ABN 17 889 778 875 dia company in many different roles. Valley News. Hyper-local news will ISSN 2652-6735 (Print) That included 12 years right here be the focus of this venture, from in the Derwent Valley with the local Granton to Derwent Bridge. EDITOR: Damian Bester. Printed by Davies Bros Pty Limited paper, and after that I served as a The online version will continue Picture: MATT THOMPSON 31 Innovation Drive, councillor for eight years. as a free service and will often car- Dowsing Point TAS 7010 I established the New Norfolk ry longer versions of the newspaper News as a blog-based news site in articles. Some features will be exclu- particularly like to see featured? on 0417 387 577, email damian@ Responsibility for election comment July 2008 and have published 5712 sive to the print edition. Your feedback will be always wel- newnorfolknews.com, or write to 4 is taken by the Editor/Publisher, articles on that platform. This first issue of the newspaper come. Letters to the Editor are en- Richmond St, New Norfolk 7140. Damian Bester, 4 Richmond St, New Norfolk TAS 7140 As a freelance editor for the last is a gift from me to you, the reader. I couraged and if a topic requires Thank you to all advertisers and year, I have produced pages for hope you will find sufficient interest more space, ask about providing an supporters. Thanks also to graph- Opinions expressed by letter writers newspapers around the country, all and enjoyment to consider purchas- Opinion column. ic artists catlindsay000@gmail. and columnists do not necessarily the while continuing the free service ing a copy of next month’s issue. If News tips are especially welcome com and [email protected] reflect those of the publisher. All that is the New Norfolk News. you find nothing of interest in these and will contribute greatly towards and photographer mattthompson- content is published in good faith. During the height of the corona- pages, please let me know. establishing this as a truly local [email protected]. Their work is virus pandemic, I reflected on the Is there something you would community newspaper. Contact me highly recommended. RE CLR N BCHER pit Roast eats Guy Beef ● amb ● Pork Barnett uality mall oods eat Liberal for LYONS PEN ih treet, New Norfolk 7am to pm TA 7140 onday to P: (03) 6701 2170 GuyBarnettMP Ph 0 661 ob 04 77 6 riday E: [email protected] reclarkandsonsbiondcom Authorised by: Guy Barnett , 15 High Street, New Norfolk TAS 7140 New Norfolk & Derwent Valley News // July 2020 newnorfolknews.com NEWS 3 Views sought on wetlands DAMIAN BESTER of the wetlands. “This feedback will be and operated by TasWater, but the wet- on how the wetland area is to be re-pur- established that the project area does not used to guide decision making and master lands are on council land. Mr Craven posed once the constant and reliable water contain any observable habitat elements planning on the future options to retain said work in 2016 had identified the plant supply from the treatment plant is no lon- that could be considered critical to the ONCE described as the envy of other mu- the wetlands in some form or return it as one of TasWater’s more high risk envi- ger provided,” he said. persistence of threatened fauna species at nicipalities, New Norfolk’s artificial wet- back to open parkland,” council opera- ronmental operations. An ecological assessment was done last a local level or higher. lands system near Tynwald Park is facing tions manager Jamie Craven told the May “This is due to the relatively high October. “This revealed the area it to be “No tree hollows viable for the nesting an uncertain future. council meeting. pathogen risk posed by effluent dis- comprised entirely of non-natural (plant- of vertebrate species were observed, nor With an upgrade of the associated The wetlands were constructed in charged to the wetland and Derwent Riv- ed) vegetation with a substantial com- were ground dens or burrows.” Turriff Lodge sewage treatment plant ex- 1994 as a federally-funded job-creation er in recreational areas. This project has ponent of declared and environmental A TasWater spokesman yesterday said pected to make the wetlands redundant, project with the aim of further enhancing now progressed to the point where Tas- weeds,” Mr Craven said.