Birdlife of Robbins Island prints released to raise fighting funds

An artwork depicting the diverse birdlife of the Robbins Island wetlands has been released to coincide with International Wetlands Day and to raise money for a wind farm fighting fund.

A COMMUNITY group raising money to fight a proposal to build a mega wind farm on Robbins Island is selling prints of a Tasmanian-produced artwork which highlights the area’s significant and diverse bird population.

Wednesday is International Wetlands Day and the A3 artwork - produced by Hobart’s Lois Bury - has been launched to coincide with that

Convenor of Birdlife Tasmania Eric Woehler said the Robbins Passage - Boullanger Bay - wetlands were the most important area for shorebirds in Tasmania supporting more migratory and resident species than the rest of Tasmania combined.

“The wetlands support six species of internationally-significant resident and migratory shorebirds, and it is critical to manage the area as an integrated system rather than a series of sites.”

The area supports up to 25,000 migratory and resident shore birds.

Birdlife of Robbins Island prints released to raise fighting funds. Picture: Supplied

The Circular Head Coastal Awareness Network said it had almost “zilch” financial resources to fight the 122-turbine project which has now progressed with the lodging of a development application with the Circular Head Council.

Submissions are coming in thick and fast and the council has set up a dedicated office to handle the level of correspondence.

One submission says the wind farm would spell an environmental disaster for local birdlife.

“This is about the worst possible site in southern Australia for a wind farm,” it says.

UPC\AC Renewables said the release of the DA was an important milestone for the proposed wind farm, off Montagu in Tasmania’s far North West and its development would stimulate the local economy.

CHCAN spokesperson Kim Anderson said the group was not against renewable energy or wind farms but Robbins Island was the wrong location for such a development.

The prints are for sale on https://www.facebook.com/groups/1200968830237916/ for $25.00 including postage to anywhere in Australia for the first 300 sales.

All profits will go towards the wind farm fight.

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