Golfers ready to light up long-awaited Arm End course, south of Hobart
THE SUNDAY TASMANIAN SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 source: http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/golfers-ready-to-light-up-long-awaited-arm-end-course-south-of-hobart/story-fnj4f7k1-1226724495059
THE long-anticipated Arm End golf course project south of Hobart has moved a step closer to reality, with firebreaks mown into the Opossum Bay site in anticipation of a Parks and Wildlife-managed burnoff later this week.
Proponent Greg Ramsay, the Bothwell-based tourism entrepreneur responsible for the acclaimed Barnbougle Dunes course at Bridport, said he hoped the controlled vegetation backburn would reveal more about the environmental, heritage and Aboriginal values of the planned multi-use site.
“Before we enter into the full lease and undertake construction, we are doing some final site studies,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Our consultant initially recommended we do test-pitting for further heritage, but it was the Aboriginal committee who actually suggested a burnoff.”
Mr Ramsay said the backburn, which will also offer clues as to future revegetation, pest-eradication and weed-management strategies at the site, would proceed as soon as the right weather conditions presented.
Clearing out the introduced grasses, African boxthorn and heavy weeds would help designers plot exactly where the development’s golf holes, cycling tracks and walking trails would be situated.
“A burnoff is a great solution as it will highlight major infestations of woody-weeds that aren’t yet visible above the grassline and we hope it reveals networks of rabbit burrows that cannot be seen below the grass,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Most importantly, the burn will be reducing fuel load as the community have been concerned for many years about the fire hazard that the mass of dry grass presents in the summer.”
Fellow investor Craig Ferguson said he signed up to the project, which will eventually include a Salamanca-Opossum Bay ferry link, when he saw the potential opportunity in developing a vibrant and viable recreation business.
Having worked around the world, Mr Ferguson said he could not imagine a community playground so accessible to a major city and being surrounded by water anywhere else.
“I’m really excited about what Arm End is going to do for local jobs, local golf and Hobart tourism in general,” he said.
Mr Ramsay said he had no firm date for construction starting, saying further rounds of community consultation would be undertaken first.