Bushfire latest: some roads re-open

Google map showing the current extent of the fire shaded grey.

THE Tasmania Fire Service and the Parks and Wildlife Service have re-opened the Florentine Valley and Styx Valley area to the public. The Lake Rhona walking track in the Florentine Valley is also now open.

This follows several weeks of closure due to the bushfire at Mt Cullen near Strathgordon. The need for those areas to remain closed to visitors was questioned at a public meeting in Maydena on Monday night.

Gordon River Rd from Maydena has now been re-opened as far as the junction with Scotts Peak Rd. All roads beyond that point remained closed to all but essential services. Restricted access is being allowed to Scotts Peak Rd in essential cases, under escort by emergency services.

For information on current road closures, please visit the Tasmania Police website: http://www.police.tas.gov.au/community-alerts/

Walking tracks at Mt Wedge, Sentinel Range and Mt Anne Range remain closed. The Wedge River, Edgar and Huon campgrounds remain closed. Adamsfield Conservation Area also remains closed.

TFS and PWS urge people to remain informed as there are areas of fire that continue to burn and conditions can change.

Fire activity remains low with continuing favourable weather conditions. Efforts are continuing to focus on the Eastern fire boundary south of Gordon River Rd with remote area teams. Thirtytwo active fire crew members were working on the fire today. The Tasmania Fire Service says crews continue to make good progress with the consolidation of containment lines around the fire boundary.

Local cricket - round 15

SOUTHERN CRICKET ASSOCIATION
Derwent Valley matches

Round 15 - January 30-31

FIRST GRADE: Molesworth I had a convincing 100-run win over Sorell at Boyer Oval. This was thanks to a five wicket haul by opener Dean King who had a day out with the Kookaburra, finishing with the fine figures of 5-32 off 9.5 overs. Molesworth won the toss, making 10/234 off 48.5 overs. In reply Sorell finished 9/134 off 30 overs. Batting at number eight, Nathan Eiszele  made 67 hitting three fours and four sixes. Nick Piuselli also did well making 54 with five well-struck fours and three sixes. Captain Jamie Adams made 28. Brad Coppleman took 2-30 (3).

In a very good match at Tynwald Park, New Norfolk I went down to St Anne's by just one wicket. The home team won the toss and had first knock, making 9/242 off its 50 overs. All the Red Caps batsmen contributed well with John Ferguson timing the ball well to make 52, including six fours and one six. Chris Ashcroft found the gaps for 46 runs (five fours) and shared a 77-run stand with David Maddox who played with freedom making 36 (two sixes) while Adrian Eiszele 33 and Brendan Skelly 30 also chipped in. In reply, the visitors were just a tad too good, finishing 9/243 off 43.5 overs. Josh Walsh has bowled well this season and was unlucky not to pick up more wickets, taking 3-46 off 8.5 overs. Aaron Drew took two wickets a hard-fought game by New Norfolk.

SECOND GRADE: With finals spots still up for grabs, Gretna I kept its chances alive with a good six-wicket win over top-placed Richmond/Cambridge on Saturday. Playing at home, Gretna dismissed the visitors for just 95 in 30.3 overs. This was due to some great bowling by the Gretna attack, in particular Peter Jelkic who took five wickets. Zac Crosswell did well cleaning up two top-order batsmen, finishing with two wickets while Aaron maddox also got two and Corey Ransley took one. In reply, Gretna chased down the small target, finishing 4/98 off 24.3 overs. Mathew Burns did well making 49 while opener Bruce Emery made a handy 32. Congratulations to Aaron Maddox who played his 100th club game for Gretna.

Bushy Park batsman Trent Grant.

THIRD GRADE: Bushy Park gave its finals chances a big boost with a convincing 162-run win over Gretna II at the Bushy Park Showground. This was due to two great all-round efforts from Trent Grant who made 56 with the bat and then took 3-23 with the ball and Troy Smith's 46 off just 23 balls and 2-26. Bushy Park having first hit made the big score of 6/255 off its 50 overs. Mitch Crosswell made a patient 54 while Nathan Grant remained 29no and Shaun Fenton 15. Todd Jarvis took 2-41 (10) and Adam Browning 2-39 (10). In reply Gretna could only manage 93, bowled out after 28.1 overs. Cameron Emery showed poise with 19 until an unfortunate run out while Adam Browning 11no and Luke Wheeler 11 were next best. All up Gretna had four run outs. Congratulations to Shaun Fenton and partner Rachel who were married on Saturday. The pair showed their commitment to Bushy Park on Sunday, with Shaun playing and Rachel working in the canteen.

FOURTH GRADE: An interesting result unfolded at Lindisfarne on Saturday with Bothwell I batting first, making just 90 runs and going on to bowl out Montagu Bay for just 68. Matthew Eyles was the star for The Bucks, top-scoring with 26 runs. He then destroyed the Sharks batting lineup, taking 6-30 off his 10 overs. This helped his team to victory in a game that could easily have been a heavy loss. Nathan White also bowled well taking 3-26 (10) while Trent Rogers took 1-1 (1).

New Norfolk II won its third match in a row and and moved into fifth spot with a good three-wicket win over Richmond/Cambridge at Richmond. The home team was sent in to bat and made 7/157 off its 50 overs. In reply, the Red Caps chased down the runs finishing 7/158 off 35.3 overs. Mitch Rice was the best of the bowlers with tight figures of 1-22 off 10 overs. Nathan Heron also picked up two wickets and then opened the batting and returned to form with a fine 49 (six fours). In his first match Robbie Iles hit four boundaries and remained 21no.

Meanwhile at Pontville, Molesworth II had just three players available and was forced to forfeit to Old Beach.

SIXTH GRADE: It was a good battle at Bothwell with the home team bowling out St Aidan's for 145 off 48.1 overs. The Bucks then and then chased down the runs to finish 6/149 off 46 overs. For Bothwell II, Bradley Eyles made 45 with the bat, Anthony White 29 and Kelvin Eyles 18. Earlier, Eyles had bowled well, taking 3-24 off 8.1 overs. Blake Eyles bowled five overs, taking 2-18.

New Norfolk III went down to Weily Park Rockers at Weily Park by 123 runs. The Rockers made 8/225 off their 50 overs and then bowled out the Red Caps for 102 off 29.2 overs. Captain Brad Kemmler took 2-26 (10) while Andrew Callander bowled without luck, taking 0-32 (6) and having four catches put down. Openers Trent Smith made 40 (two fours, one six) and David Mitchelmore 16.

Tee time all around Tasmania

The Carts Fore a Cause crew in New Norfolk this morning.

FOUR rounds of golf on Derwent Valley courses was the target for a fundraising foursome making its way along the Lyell Highway today.

New Norfolk Golf Club, Ouse Country Club, Wayatinah Golf Course and Tarraleah Golf Club were the targets for the day - but only after playing a round at Claremont first.

Golfing mates Andrew Main, Bernie Klasen, Jason Love and Luke Atkin are in the early stages of a 2600km trip around Tasmania, travelling in a small fleet of golf carts on a quest to visit more than 80 and courses to play more than 900 holes.

But it's far from a month-long golfing holiday. Calling their quest "Carts Fore a Cause", the men are aiming to raise $100,000 for Beyondblue - the national initiative to increase the awareness of depression and anxiety, and to provide resources for recovery, management and resilience.

They will visit towns and communities from Dover to King and Flinders Islands to Ringarooma and Ouse and everywhere in between that has a tee to hit off and a hole to aim at. Along the way they will meet with locals and spread the word about the reason for the tour and let people know that if they are in need of help there is somewhere to turn.

The adventure started on January 30 and is expected to be completed on February 26. Read more on their website or click here to donate.

Maydena updated on fire situation

AN infrared scan will be conducted today to look for unidentified hotspots in the bushfire that has been burning at Mt Cullen near Lake Gordon for the last two weeks. At a community briefing at Maydena last night, Tasmania Fire Service community liaison officer Peter Middleton said there may be small amounts of smoke today but there was still no threat to the Upper Derwent Valley town.

Mr Middleton said firefighters were working their way around the edges of the fire, with a particular focus on the southeastern corner. He said the fire was believed to have been started by a lightning strike on or around January 13 and had now burnt an area of 4060 hectares.

Resources deployed yesterday included seven helicopters, some of which had come from Queensland and New South Wales. Also in use was a specialist aircraft that can scoop water on the run. On the ground, firefighters are engaged in back-breaking manual work in remote areas.

Mr Middleton said the Mt Cullen incident was the worst of 11 fires currently burning in the remote South-West. Despite the flooding rains experienced in the state's North and East last week, very little had fallen in the South-West. "The stark reality is that there has been less than 1mm of rain on the fireground and it is the same all the way up the West Coast," he said.

Gordon River Rd remains closed beyond Maydena but Mr Middleton said the Tasmania Fire Service was working closely with stakeholders to minimise disruption. Beekeepers have been escorted to their hives and service vehicles have been allowed through to Strathgordon when conditions allowed. Log trucks are being allowed into the area.

Mr Middleton emphasised that although Gordon River Rd was closed indefinitely, the situation was being assessed on a daily basis and the road would be reopened to tourists as soon as possible.

LATEST UPDATE: Fire activity remains low with continuing favourable weather conditions. The northwest corner is now in patrol mode with active firefighting continuing for identified spot fires. Active firefighting continues on the southeastern edge with remote area teams, with aerial support, continuing to work on the fire boundary.

Crews continue to make progress with consolidation of containment lines in other areas around the fire boundary. Weather forecast for the next few days should allow operations to continue and see little change in the fire boundary. People are asked to remain informed as conditions can change.

Walking tracks at Mt Wedge, Sentinel Range and Mt Anne Range are closed. The Wedge River, Edgar, and Huon campgrounds are closed. Adamsfield Conservation Area is also closed.

For safety reasons the Gordon River Rd is closed at Maydena and will remain closed until the fire is contained and deemed safe.

Updates on this fire are available here. For information on current road closures, please visit the Tasmania Police website.

Second bushfire briefing for Maydena

Last weekend's community briefing at Maydena. Another will
be held tomorrow (Monday) night.

AN updated community information session about the southwest bushfire will be held at Maydena at the start of the monthly Community Association meeting tomorrow night (Monday).

When: Monday 1 February 2016
Time: 6.30pm
Where: Maydena Community Hall, 36 Kallista Rd
More information: Visit www.fire.tas.gov.au or contact the Bushfire Information Hotline 1800 000 699

LATEST UPDATE: Fire activity remains low, with continuing favourable weather conditions. The northwest corner on the banks of Lake Gordon continues to require significant hand work by remote area ground crews to extinguish the fire edge.

Fire crews at a daily briefing at
Strathgordon.

Additional lightning strikes have been detected today in the southeastern corner between the fire boundary and Scotts Peak Rd. Crews are currently working to extinguish these.

Ground crews in conjunction with air support are still making good progress with consolidation of containment lines in all other areas around the fire boundary.

Reported rainfall in the area remains minimal. Weather forecast for the next few days should allow operations to continue and see little change in the fire boundary. People are asked to remain informed as conditions can change.

Click image to enlarge.

Walking tracks at Mt Wedge, Sentinel Range and Mt Anne Range are closed. The Wedge River, Edgar, and Huon campgrounds are closed. Adamsfield Conservation Area is also closed.

For safety reasons the Gordon River Rd is closed at Maydena and will remain closed until the fire is contained and deemed safe. Visitors should be aware they cannot travel past Maydena at this time.

Updates on this fire are available here. For information on current road closures, please visit the Tasmania Police website.

Community event of the year

Flo Ransley and Lydia Hunt with the Community Event Award.

THE annual fundraising event that pays for swimming lessons for young students has been named the Derwent Valley's Community Event of the Year.

The Taste of Fairview is organised every year by the School Association at Fairview Primary School. All classes prepare food for the event, which usually also includes food stalls and barbecues.

Funds raised from the event help to cover the cost of early childhood learn-to-swim programs for students in Prep to Grade 2.

Presenting the Community Event of the Year Award at the Australia Day celebration last Tuesday, Mayor Martyn Evans said the learn-to-swim program funded by the Taste of Fairview directly benefited more than 100 families each year. The award was accepted by Fairview Primary School Association members Lydia Hunt and Flo Ransley.

Meet our good sports

Sports award winners Matt Byrne, Nathanial Graham
and Tyron Bailey. 

THREE young sportsmen took out the main sporting awards at the Derwent Valley Council Australia Day celebrations last Tuesday.

The award for Sports Team of the Year went to the New Norfolk Rowing Club's under 21 men's crew, Matt Byrne and Nathanial Graham.

During 2015 Byrne and Graham represented the New Norfolk Rowing Club at state and national championship regattas with excellent results. Both were selected for the 2015 Tasmanian Youth Eight Squad for the 2015 as well as being chosen for the Tasmanian Institute of Sport Development Squad.

In 2011 Byrne was named the Derwent Valley municipality's Junior Sportsperson of the Year.

The title of 2016 Junior Sportsperson of the Year went to Tyron Bailey. Presenting the award, Mayor Martyn Evans said Bailey had represented Tasmania in schoolboy football. "He is also active in the sports of swimming, running and cricket," Cr Evans said.

No award was made in the category of Sportsperson of the Year.