Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to talk about a project that I was fortunate enough to launch in the southernmost municipality in Australia last week, in the Huon Valley. It is a Green Corps project. It is a partnership between the Huon Valley Council and Central Victorian Group Training, and it is called the Urban Black Gum Reserve Rehabilitation and Community Education Project. It is a 26-week program. Its aim is to improve the black gum reserve area, to help protect its unique species.

The Huon Valley environment network approached the Huon Valley Council about two years ago wanting to highlight the importance of a piece of remnant bush. It is a five-hectare block that contains a wide diversity of flora and fauna, but, more importantly, it includes the black gum reserve, which is significant due to the presence of a threatened species of swamp gum. The swamp gum is habitat for the endangered swift parrot. The black gum reserve has several natural wetland areas and a diversity of vegetation types. It is also very close to the centre of the township of Huonville. When I arrived at the black swamp gum reserve, I was really surprised to see that such a diverse habitat was only a few streets away from the busy town centre. It was no wonder that the Huon Valley Council was so eager to see this area preserved.

I want to congratulate the eight young people who are taking part in this project. They will receive accredited training in environment and resource management. They will be doing a lot of work over the next 26 weeks. They are looking at collecting seeds and propagating and planting seedlings. They are looking at constructing swift parrot nesting boxes; undertaking weed control; constructing tracks, bridges, benches and tables; and hosting a community field day, as well as conducting school environmental education with the Huon Valley primary school. When these young people were asked why they were involved in the Green Corps project, they were very honest with some of their answers. Their reasons ranged from wanting to contribute to the environment to doing it just for the money, but I was really thrilled that they were so enthusiastic about this project. I hope that their enthusiasm continues—particularly during the winter months in Tasmania, as it does become a bit colder—as they work through this. Their team leader, Leon le Bon, is a very enthusiastic young man, and I hope that his team does very well over the next 26 weeks.

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