Fire weather warning

Fire Weather Warning for the Midlands, Upper Derwent Valley and South East forecast districts

Issued at 10.10pm on Monday, January 16, 2012.
For Tuesday, January 17

Very High Fire Danger is forecast for the Upper Derwent Valley, Midlands and South East, with maximum temperatures around 34 degrees, relative humidity down to 17% and winds averaging 50 km/h expected.

The Tasmania Fire Service advises you to:

•     Check your bush fire survival plan - now
•     Monitor the fire and weather situation on ABC radio or through www.fire.tas.gov.au
•     If power supplies fail, listen on your car radio

The Tasmania Fire Service advises that if you are in an area of Very High or Severe Fire Danger:

•     Get ready now to leave for a safe place
•     Leave immediately if fire breaks out near you
•     Only stay if your home is well prepared to withstand fire and you can actively defend it

The next warning will be issued by 5am Tuesday.

New Norfolk weather forecast here.

Dick Smith picks our fruit

FRUIT from the Derwent Valley is set for a return to Australian tables as the key ingredients of a new range of jams being launched by Dick Smith Foods. Today's issue of the Sunday Tasmanian reports that the Clark family farm at Westerway will supply raspberries and blackberries for Dick Smith's "Magnificent Australian Grown Foods".

This is a welcome return to the heyday of smallfruit growing in the Derwent Valley. For generations, local growers supplied fruit to Sir Henry Jones for jam-making at his IXL factory in Hobart. In 1923 Sir Henry established a processing plant in Stephen St, New Norfolk, to pulp fruit for export to England. The building is now home to New Norfolk Timber.

• Sunday Tasmanian article
• Dick Smith Foods

Congratulations to the Clark family of Westerway.

Fireworks for Macca's big day

McDonald's New Norfolk

THE official opening of McDonald's New Norfolk will be celebrated on January 20 in association with Hobart radio station 100.9 Sea FM.

The restaurant has been trading since December 19 and reported a successful launch other than some initial computer problems. Its Facebook page thanked the New Norfolk community for their welcome, support and patience.

Next week's official opening is expected to include a visit from corporate mascot Ronald McDonald, while Sea FM is running a competition to select someone aged from 7-15 to set off a firework display scheduled for 9pm.

Sea FM's "Sea Patrol" will be at McDonald's New Norfolk on Thursday, January 19, with giveaways and the announcement of the fireworks competition winner.

• Sea FM competition: seafmhobart.com.au

Sprintcar star at the speedway this Saturday

ONE of the world's top speedway stars will race in round six of the sprintcar series at the Hobart International Speedway, at Sorell Creek on Saturday night.

Top-ranked American speedway sprintcar star Craig Dollansky is flying direct from the US to race at Latrobe on Friday night and then heading straight to Hobart to compete on Saturday night as well.

Dollansky, from Minnesota, finished fifth in the World of Outlaws Series and fifth in the Knoxville Nationals in the US in 2011 - both considered the premier series and most sought after sprintcar crowns in the world.

Dubbed "The Crowd Pleaser", Dollansky will arrive in Tasmania tomorrow (Thursday) to race a brand new car he has built in the US for Launceston's Darren Goodyer, which has been shipped out ahead of Dollansky and will remain in Tasmania after his five-meeting Australian tour, which also includes race meetings at Geelong, Mt Gambier  and Warrnambool.

Local drivers will make sure any victory claimed by the visitor will be hard earned. One of his biggest threats will be Hobart teenager Shaun Dobson who has returned home for several weeks, taking a spell from the World Series Sprintcars championship. Dobson will race at Latrobe and Hobart on Saturday before heading back to the mainland for several major race meetings.
 

Former Tasmanian champion Tim Hutchins has been in form this season and will be fired up after blowing his lead in the final at Carrick last Saturday night after a simple mistake. Jamie Bricknell has also been in red hot form, but crashed on the opening lap at Carrick after qualifying on grid three for the final and will be keen to get back on the podium and prove his ability against a driver of Dollansky's calibre. Former state champion Kurt Luttrell has also been in great form since losing his State title last month, with new state champion Jason Dawkins out to back up his championship victory at the same venue with another strong performance.

Craig Dollanksy after a recent victory

This Saturday night's program will also feature the Tasmanian Street Stock Sedan Championship, plus V8 AMCAs, wingless sprintcars, Formula 500s, Tassie sixes and speedway karts. The gates will open at 2pm, with racing for karts at 4pm and the main program starting at 5.30pm.

Hobart International Speedway (presently branded as Mountain Dew Raceway) is on the Lyell Highway at Sorell Creek - ignore the television ads saying it's at Granton. Further events at the speedway are on January 14, 27 and 28, February 18 and March 17.
 

• hobartraceway.com.au
• dollanskyracing.com
  

Billion dollar bridge

Artist's impression of the new bridge

THE new Bridgewater Bridge will cost about a billion dollars by the time it is built in about a decade's time, Derwent Valley councillors were told last night. A representative of the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER) provided this update at the first councillor workshop of the year.

Following the most recent round of consultation, seven design principles for the new crossing of the Derwent River at Bridgewater have been determined. It is still proposed to build the new bridge alongside the existing heritage-listed crossing. The design principles are:

1. The new crossing will provide a standard of service consistent with the Brooker Highway and Brighton Bypass (four lanes of traffic and a design speed of 110km/h)
2. Height/airdraft at the navigation span at the Bowen Bridge should be maintained at Bridgewater (18m)
3. The rail corridor will be retained across the river at Bridgewater (on the old bridge - the new bridge will have a rail "corridor" for future use but no actual railway lines)
4. The design and construction will have the least possible impact on the community and its environment and will explore opportunities such as maximising the “Gateway to Hobart” concept
5. Transport connectivity and functionality should be maintained, recognising the strategic importance of efficient and effective movement to/from the Lyell Highway
6. Pedestrians and cyclists to be accommodated (on the new bridge)
7. The design process is transparent, timely and accessible

A recent design change saw the inclusion of a two-lane on-ramp from the Lyell Highway. Two lanes will allow trucks to climb the steep grade up to the bridge without delaying smaller and faster vehicles.  

Last night's briefing to the Derwent Valley Council was the final stage of the current phase of community consultation.  The State Government will now make an application to the Federal Government for about $16 million to progress the project by securing the corridor (property aquisition) and completing a "reference design". The current plans are described as a "concept design".

Councillors heard that it would cost about $500 million in today's prices to construct the new bridge to the proposed design, but by the time the bridge was built in about 10 years time the cost would be about a billion dollars.

The latest plans will be on display for three weeks from January 9 at the Derwent Valley Council Chambers and in the windows at the former Valley Vision office in High St.

An artist's impression of the new bridge alongside the existing causeway

Meet the prefects

NEW Norfolk High School has named its prefect board for 2012. The new prefects are: Sophie Briggs, Jye County, Jessica Hall, Jamie Heron, Tyson Gray, Dylan Jones, Alex Kemp, Alice Mutton, Tyron Rainbird, Bradley Ransley, Mya Silverthorn, Karlee Tatchell and Caitlin White.

The election process included a written application, formal interview, speeches to the whole school and making posters for display.

Taxi licence fees to fall

ANNUAL fees for cabs operating in New Norfolk and all other taxi areas within Tasmania will be reduced this year, Sustainable Transport minister Nick McKim said recently. Mr McKim said the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources would lower the annual fees payable by all licence holders in 2012.

“This means that the annual taxi fees in the Hobart and Launceston areas will fall by $93.80 to $613.20, while taxi fees in Devonport, Burnie, Ulverstone, George Town, Perth, West Tamar and New Norfolk will decrease by $70 to $462,” Mr McKim said. “Annual licence fees for remaining taxi areas will fall from $210 to $182. This demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to this important industry and prudent financial management.”