New fire protection projects to help protect southern NSW plantation forests

22 Jan 2025

The Minns Government is continuing its efforts to safeguard primary industries from bushfire threats, with a raft of projects announced today to help protect critical plantation timber in southern NSW under the Government’s $13 million Plantation Fire Protection funding package.

Funding has been endorsed for 15 local projects which will form a network of enhanced fire protection initiatives across the Murray region, including Greater Hume, Snowy Valleys, Cootamundra-Gundagai. Albury and Wagga Wagga LGAs.

Ranging from latest technology fire detection cameras to aerodrome-based water supplies for firefighting, the projects have been identified to collectively deliver the maximum fire protection, hazard reduction and response capabilities for plantations and communities in the region.

A panel of government and industry experts have identified the projects by analysing existing arrangements and identifying gaps and opportunities.

While the projects will protect plantation resources, they also provide increased protection for the local residents and businesses of the area.

The projects were identified by representatives from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and the Softwoods Working Group, facilitating additional input from plantation owners, local councils, Forestry Corporation and other fire authorities.

Approved projects include:

• $1,100,000 for the upgrade of Ellerslie Range Fire Trails Program which are strategically important to protect at-risk plantation estates in the Snowy Valley which includes the Southern Cross Forest complex, Green Hills and Bago State Forests;
• $983,339 for the upgrade and maintenance of priority fire trails in Bondo, Bago, Carabost and Jingellic State Forests;
• $5,720,000 for Tumut Aerodrome, to improve water supply for aerial firefighting and the construction of hangar for fire suppression aircraft;
• $100,000 for two high volume trailer mounted water pumps for rapid refilling of water transport trucks and fire tankers, to be housed in the Bondo forest depot and Ardrossan forest depot;
• $329,490 for a network of Remote Automated Weather Stations to provide data to the Bureau of Meteorology to inform fire preparedness and response across the region;
• $145,625 for firefighting water storages in strategic locations exposed to uncontrolled fires – for both private and public plantation land in the Ellerslie forests area to the west of Adelong, forest areas to the west of Humula, Carabost State Forest and Murraguldrie State Forests;
• $456,000 for two bulk tankers to transport firefighting water, to be housed at Green Hills;
• $387,106 for specialist tractor and mulcher, based in Tumbarumba, to undertake growth suppression and non-burn hazard reduction in key fire corridors;
• $1,537,800 for an all-terrain firefighting machine with water tank and high flow water pumps that will deliver large volumes of water in difficult plantation situations to be housed in the Tumut area;
• $828,139 to expand the PSN (Public Safety Network) radio network for plantation workers, across the Murry region;
• $325,000 for three additional fire detection cameras on Mt Ikes, Table Top and Mt Flakney to complete the network monitoring the Murray Valley timber plantation estate;
• $220,000 for the Australian Fire Danger Rating System – which provides critical data to assess fire risk across the Murray region;
• $767,500 to upgrade of cabins in five fire towers to ensure early detection in Munderoo Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys), Tumorrama Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys), Burngoogie Fire Tower (Wagga Wagga), Kendall Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys) and Kangaroo Fire Tower (Cootamundra-Gundagai).

Together these projects will be administered as a pilot program, with monitoring and evaluation to be undertaken by DPIRD to help determine the potential to broaden this program across the State.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“The Murray region was hit particularly hard in the 2019/20 bushfires and we lost a significant stock of our future housing timber – we can’t afford to lose anymore.

“These projects will play a vital role in protecting the remaining critical timber supplies in the Murray region as we move into the 2024-25 bushfire season and beyond.

“These same timber plantations will produce the quality timber our NSW housing sector so desperately needs now and for generations to come, so it’s important to find ways to protect them from bushfires.

“I am confident this program will build resilience into this important regional industry through measures that deliver improved fire prevention, detection and response, making our communities safer in the process.”

The Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, said:

“Memories of the disastrous Dunns Road fire five years ago are still fresh in local minds, so these measures to reduce the fire risk in the Snowy Valleys are very welcome.

“The softwoods industry is an economic powerhouse for the local economy so it’s essential that all steps possible are taken to protect livelihoods and businesses that depend on safe and secure plantations.

“The enhancements at the Tumut aerodrome will be an important addition to the region’s firefighting capacity.

“This is the result of positive collaboration between industry, the Rural Fire Service, Snowy Valleys Council and government and I congratulate all involved.”

MEDIA:
Michael Salmon | Minister Moriarty | 0417 495 018
Paul Terry | Joe McGirr MP | 0419 618 599