Tasmanian photographer Rob Blakers charged with trespass over Eastern Tiers anti-logging protest

A photographer determined to put a stop to logging near a swift parrot nesting site in a Tasmanian forest has been arrested and charged over his protest action. His words after the arrest >

A photographer determined to put a stop to logging near a swift parrot nesting site in a Tasmanian forest has been arrested over his protest action.

Rob Blakers, with the support of five other Bob Brown Foundation protesters, on Tuesday morning walked onto an active logging site in the Eastern Tiers.

Mr Blakers, who had for the past three summers photographed the swift parrot in the area, said the logging was taking place within metres of “by far” the most important site for the parrots he had seen.

“Flocks of up to 30 birds were observed on several occasions, with 12 parrots photographed in a single tree on Christmas Eve,” Mr Blakers said.

He said at least one nesting site had been confirmed but that he believed there were more.

Mr Blakers was taken from the site and charged with a count of trespass – but despite his arrest, he said the experience had been “smooth”, and his arresting officers “courteous”.

Tasmanian photographer Rob Blakers was arrested and charged with trespass after refusing to leave a logging site in the Eastern Tiers, near where he previously documented swift parrot nesting sites.

After what he described as “30 seconds of tension” between protesters and loggers, Mr Blakers said while he didn’t expect the loggers to understand the motivation behind the protest, it was “never a bad thing to talk”.

“I think that is a useful process – even if you don’t agree [with each other],” he said.

“None of us had expectations to change minds.”

Mr Blakers will appear in court in August.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania previously told the Mercury that areas around the confirmed or known swift parrot nesting trees had been excluded from the harvest area.

Originally published as Tasmanian photographer Rob Blakers charged with trespass over Eastern Tiers anti-logging protest