Tasrail, gardens and tourism

[athan <hatsoff@bigstix.com>]

In tomorrow's edition of The Mercury, (4/5/00), there is scheduled to be
an article on the gardens that surround the eastern approaches to the
small seaside village of Penguin.

Over the past 30 years, I have watched three pensioners transform the
rail approaches into the town from what were basically rubbish areas
into the most magnificent gardens.  The late Max Perry turned Watcombe
Bay into one of the most delightful recreation areas, surrounded by
grass, all season flowers and picnic areas. This he did for his
terminally ill grandchild. Many a tourist train, especially those run by
the Don River Railway stop there, and allow the passengers to photograph
the train as it travels through this wonderful area.

A little further east, Gordon and Nancy Ling transformed the foreshore
from being a wasteland and former mine area into a similarly beautiful
garden.  Like Max, they did this as a labour of love, and out of their
own pension.  The result was stunning, and the amount of tourism and
pleasure that this has engendered is sheer testimony to the delightful
work they have done.

In recognition for their work, the then Penguin Municipality named the
Watcombe Beach parklands "The Max Perry Reserve", and the Central Coast
Municipality named the other "The Ling Reserve".  The CCM recently put
water on for the Ling Reserve.  Gordon and Nancy have long taken an
interest in keeping the township of Penguin looking neat, keeping garden
beds throughout the town.  Both are in their 80's.

Recently, there was a major derailment at Penguin.  Bitumen carriages,
Peroxide wagons and containers fell onto the foreshore, and onto the
Ling Reserve.  The track was badly damaged, and the removal and
rebuilding of the line extensive.  Due to the narrow nature of the road,
and the heavy machinery needed, the gardens were torn up on both the
railway side, and on the banks opposite.  Gordon and Nancy could only
watch from their lounge as their labours were dug up.

At this stage, despite requests from the locals, TasRail has not shown
any interest in helping to rehabilitate one of the township's best kept
tourist assets.  I have no doubt that were they able to, both Gordon and
Nancy, with the help of the locals would indeed try to rectify the
problem, but given their age, and the damage done, it is beyond them.

Having recently been to New Zealand, and enjoying TranzRail's tourism
concerns and ventures on the Tranz Alpine and Coastal Pacific, it would
be nice if their Tasmanian sister could learn something and help
encourage the locals in providing some assistance in tourist ventures.
May be I live in hope- maybe it's because that over the past 30 years,
I've seen much volunteer work truly show the State for what it is.
Memories of the Tasman Limited came back to me as I traveled down the
East Coast of New Zealand, and to be honest, I think Tasmania has more
to offer than that trip.

So, TasRail, are you up to helping re-establish what was destroyed in an
unfortunate accident?  Can you help regenerate what was once a beautiful
garden? or do we take it, looking at the dirty unkempt appearance of
your locomotives, that you couldn't care less?

Fr Dennis Webster