Tarkine National Coalition

BREAKING NEWS 11/12/2009:

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett today used emergency provisions under national environment law to include the Tarkine in the National Heritage List. This is a significant milestone in the campaign to protect the Tarkine, and now ensures that the Tarkine Road and any future development...s will now have to be assessed against the National Heritage Listing. The boundary of the 447,000 hectare listing follows the boundary for the proposed Tarkine National Park. The fight goes on. The Tarkine Road still is not defeated, and the long term aim of a Tarkine National Park and World Heritage Area will require us to continue the campaign to ensure protection of this special place. But tonight I think everyone who has supported the campaign can enjoy an ale or a glass of wine, and toast a great day for the Tarkine.

Welcome to the homepage of the Tarkine National Coalition.

The Tarkine is one of the world's great wild places. It is an expansive 447,000 hectare wilderness area of recognised World Heritage significance in the North-West corner of Tasmania, Australia's island state. The Tarkine contains remarkable natural and cultural values, including one of the world's most significant remaining tracts of temperate rainforest.

A relict from the ancient super-continent, Gondwanaland, the Tarkine contains Australia's largest tract of temperate rainforest, and is home to more than 60 species of rare, threatened and endangered species. These include such unique animals as the Giant Freshwater Lobster - the world's largest freshwater crustacean, and the Tasmanian Wedge Tailed Eagle - Australia's largest Eagle, and the famous Tasmanian Devil.

The Tarkine is also one of Australia's most important Aboriginal regions, and contains a diverse array of landscapes, from giant forests to huge sand-dunes, sweeping beaches, rugged mountains and pristine river systems.

However, many of the Tarkine's unique values are threatened by destructive activities such as logging, and illegal activities such as poaching and arson, and less than 5% of the Tarkine is protected as a National park. The Tarkine's future as a wild place hangs in the balance, and is dependent on the support and involvement of people like YOU. Please read more, and JOIN US, as we work to see the Tarkine, one of the world's great natural treasures, protected as a National Park and World Heritage listed area, for all people, for all time.

Tarkine Road referred to Commonwealth

The $23million Forestry Tasmania Tarkine Road has been referred to the Commonwealth for Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act assessment. This project will intorduce the fatal Devil facial tumor disease to this last refuge of isolated healthy Tasmanian devils.The project is critically non-compliant, and is clearly unacceptable.

For information on this major threat to the Tarkine

click here