The Authority What’s on?
Newsletter of the Cradle Coast Authority September 2011
23 September Healthy Communities project management workshop for Councils. Contact Bev Hayhurst
Regional tourism campaign has wide reach Only four weeks after Tourism Minister Scott Bacon announced $50,000 of funds for the Cradle Coast Authority to run a regional tourism campaign; the My Tassie Break promotion had hit the airwaves.
11 October Cradle Coast Authority Board meeting. Contact Luke Sayer
The radio and television campaign was reinforced with newspaper advertisements, social media and email promotions to encourage residents in regional Victoria and elsewhere in Tasmania to take a winter break. The ads appealed to a variety of consumer segments by highlighting different regional experiences including wilderness areas, local produce, indulgent escapes and adventure activities.
15 October Start of volunteer’s shorebird count period on the region’s beaches. Contact Dionna Newton 20 October Cradle Coast NRM Committee meeting. Contact Richard Ingram
Viewers were directed to www.mytassiebreak.com and a freecall 1800 number to make bookings. The campaign attracted 3025 people to the website in the first five weeks, with 63% of visitors directly entering the web address or coming from a search engine looking for My Tassie Break—suggesting a high recall. An incidental benefit has been the significant number of website visits from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane residents. For more information on this campaign, contact Tourism Marketing Coordinator, Don Monk at dmonk@cradlecoast.com
Call us on 6431 6285 to find out more
A year of Cradle Coast NRM activities and achievements The 2010/11 Cradle Coast NRM annual report is now available for download from www.cradlecoastnrm.com
Cradle Coast Authority 30 Marine Terrace (PO Box 338) Burnie 7320 Phone: 03 6431 6285 Fax: 03 6431 7014 E-mail: admin@cradlecoast.com
The report summarises the regional Natural Resource Management team’s projects, events and achievements from July 2010 to June 2011 as required under the Tasmanian Natural Resource Management Act 2002.
Cradle Coast NRM Committee members met on 15 September to endorse the report in preparation for delivery to the Minister for Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.
To obtain a printed copy of the report, call our office on 6431 6285.
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The Authority
Two year extension on Healthy Communities Initiative The Australian Government has extended the Healthy Communities Initiative with the Cradle Coast Authority for an extra two years and $566,042 of funding.
The initiative increases opportunities for, and participation in, physical activity by connecting local council resources and infrastructure with service providers to develop programs to suit local resident's needs.
The extension enables the region’s nine member Councils to continue developing programs to help those most in need of assistance to stay healthy and out of hospital.
The Healthy Communities Initiative commenced as a pilot in the region mid‐last year. Since that time, the Councils with the support of Bev Hayhurst, the Cradle Coast Authority’s Healthy Communities Coordinator, have launched 24 projects and engaged more than 1500 people in programs to increase physical activity, improve poor nutrition and reduce unhealthy weight. Programs covered topics such as nutrition awareness, cooking skills, time management and planned exercise and utilised local facilities such as men’s sheds, community gardens, walking paths, sports grounds and swimming pools. The Burnie Challenge, Swim the West Coast, King Island Growing Old Living Dangerously!, Waratah Moves and Kentish Cook for Life are some of the region’s many activities implemented via this initiative. The Cradle Coast Healthy Communities Initiative has also built capacity in local councils and in community members so that programs can exist long‐term and therefore have more chance of inspiring lasting change. Outcomes have included funding for Certificate training of local residents so that they can offer health and wellbeing services where previously none existed. Six councils also supported local providers to undertake nationally accredited courses ‐ Lift for Life, BEAT IT, Heart Moves, Cycle Education and Certificated Fitness leaders training. The Initiative has also produced a draft Communities in Action Toolkit which will be a resource of case studies and tips from local, state and national health and wellbeing programs for use by council staff. Council’s plans for the extension phase are currently with the Department of Health and Ageing ready for approval and commencement.
For more details on the Healthy Communities Initiative, contact Bev Hayhurst: bhayhurst@cradlecoast.com
September 2011
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NRM Community Grants Program - now open The Cradle Coast NRM Community Grants Program is now open for applications enabling community groups in the region to undertake environmental projects up to the value of $4,000 each. Two categories of Community Grants are being offered – for coastal works and for works that enhance biodiversity in either coastal or inland environments. Applications for Coastcare or Landcare groups, ‘Friends of’ groups, or any other issues‐based Cradle Coast NRM community groups in the Cradle Coast region are eligible to apply. Activities supported Community include, but are not limited to, weed management, revegetation of native plants, Grants close 4pm hosting public workshops on environmental topics and installing protective fencing. on Friday 14 October Download the application form and guidelines at www.cradlecoastnrm.com Enquiries are welcome by calling Cradle Coast NRM Facilitator, Mark Wisniewski, on 6431 6285.
In the news... Cradle Coast Authority staff have been actively promoting the region’s successes, projects and issues in the media in recent times. Here are some examples: “...It’s great to see children take ownership of the area (West Ulverstone Reserve dunes). Children have been tree planting there for three years ...’ ‐ Anna Wind, NRM Facilitator Team Coordinator on the region’s revegetation activities involving schools and community groups. The Advocate 2 August “...It’s a reflection of the fact that Tasmania is recognised as a great touring destination—cycling is an extension of that” – Ian Waller, Regional Tourism Development Manager on Lonely Planet’s listing of the West Coast as the world’s 2nd best cycling route . The Advocate 23 July
“...The additional funds mean we can keep tackling obesity and other lifestyle related conditions..It’s great the we’ll be bringing more subsidised or free activities to people right around the region ...” – Bev Hayhurst, Healthy Communities Coordinator on the initiative’s extension. LGAT News September
“..The Authority has written to Minister Burke recommending that nationally significant heritage values in the Tarkine be mapped and protected where they actually occur, not where they might be found...” ‐ press, radio and TV coverage, September For details on Cradle Coast Authority communications, please contact Amanda Wilson on 6431 6285.
Visit the Cradle Coast Authority web site for copies of our media releases www.cradlecoast.com
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The Authority
Lake Margaret tourism opportunities to be explored The tourism potential of the Lake Margaret power station precinct is to be explored by Cradle Coast Authority Tourism, the West Coast Council and Hydro Tasmania using a $235,000 grant from the Tasmanian Government. The Lake Margaret precinct tourism study will initially focus on improvements to enable safe access to the site; delivering site interpretation including the relationship between the power station and the Mt Lyell mine; identifying a tour itinerary and tour operator for the precinct; and an assessment of potential educational activities and educational group infrastructure requirements. Longer term deliverables include village redevelopment, promotional brochures and websites, and a product development plan. The historic precinct dates from 1914 and includes a re‐commissioned and operational power station, a wood‐stave pipe and an abandoned yet intact village surrounded by West Coast wilderness. Rare power generating equipment is also a feature of the site. The precinct played an integral role in the development of nearby Queenstown and the Mt Lyell and Railway Company mines. A steering committee comprised of representatives from the West Coast Council, Cradle Coast Authority, Hydro Tasmania, Tourism Tasmania and the community will be responsible for overseeing the project and providing quarterly reports to the State Government. The Lake Margaret tourism project is to be completed by 30 June 2012.
Timber security welcome - but more needed The Cradle Coast Authority’s member councils have welcomed the State Government’s move to legislate to provide secure resource for veneer and specialty timbers and propose that the same legislated certainty is applied to value adders of high quality sawlogs for the furniture and fine timber sector which contributes significantly to the region. The councils believe that commitments of future supply of timber should be equivalent to those protecting areas from further harvesting, and the areas for supply should be mapped and protected for wood production. The Councils, via the Cradle Coast Authority, have written to Premier Lara Giddings asking for this legislative extension.
Briefly Celebrate spring at the Aboretum 46 Old Tramway Rd, Eugenana 2 October from 11am to 4pm
Entertainment, tree plantings, reptile displays, guided walks, come along and hear from the Regional Weeds Officer, North West Wildlife Rescue, Friends of Lillico Penguin members and many more
Entry by donation—all welcome
Proudly supported by Cradle Coast NRM and Devonport City Council through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country