Tamarama lifeguards fight for River Red Gum forests

Tamarama Surf Life Saving Club members joined forces with The Wilderness Society on March 27 to present Premier Nathan Rees with a petition calling for immediate protection of the Murray River Red Gum Forests in south west NSW.

Wearing only speedos and carrying surfboards, the lifeguards presented the petition at Parliament House.

Lifeguard Joel Turner, who recently completed the Murray River Canoe Marathon, said the “critically endangered forests” included the two largest River Red Gum forests left in the world and Premier Rees needed to urgently come to their rescue.

Wilderness Society campaigner Peter Cooper said the forests include wetland areas listed as internationally significant and provide crucial habitat for many threatened species. Forests on the Victorian side of the border have been recently protected, but logging for low value products such as fence posts, railway sleepers and firewood continues in NSW.

“Premier Rees claims he wants NSW to be the greenest state in Australia,” Cooper said. “Yet his government still has not protected these forests. He should immediately commit to the creation of new national parks across the entire River Red Gum State Forest, in negotiation with their traditional owners.”