An iconic north-west Tasmanian tourism event is currently under threat due to refusal by the state forestry body, Sustainable Timbers Tasmania, to give permission to access public land. takayna Trail, a 51 km ultramarathon, is in its 3rd year. It is a major event for the north-west region, bringing runners from around the world to visit this incredibly beautiful place. But Sustainable Timbers Tasmania has refused access for the event to use public lands, which puts takayna Trail at risk of being cancelled.

takayna Trail has become a world-renowned event. Runners from all around Australia and the globe travel to Tasmania to run through some of the most beautiful landscape on the planet. 75% of runners come from out of the state, with over 100 signed up for this year’s event. The ultramarathon puts well over $150,000 into the Tasmanian economy over the weekend with local accommodation and local contractors and suppliers, not including other expenditure from participants during their stay in Tasmania.

“For forestry to deny this event access public land is an outrage. It puts this event at risk of being cancelled. Forestry’s vengeful political stance in banning the event from public land should worry all Tasmanians. This is a low impact, environmentally friendly event, which brings much-needed income into the north west. No reason has been given for the ban,” said Jo Edwards, Bob Brown Foundation Event Manager.

“Sustainable Timber Tasmania has an obligation under government legislation to ‘allow access to permanent timber production zone land for such purposes as are not incompatible with the management of permanent timber production zone land’. This blocking of an iconic tourism event appears to be bloody-minded revenge for the Foundation’s call for an end to native forest logging.

“If it genuinely supports the concept of ‘mulitple use forests’ that it so often publicly promotes, Sustainable Timber Tasmania should grant permission for this sporting event to take place on public land, as required by the law.”

https://takaynatrail2021.raisely.com/