Click here to see the gallery RECRUITS dived into the Cataract Gorge scrub yesterday as one of the first federal government Green Army projects took root in Launceston. The team tackled invasive weeds and identified areas for regeneration among the rugged cliff terrain in the first of five Green Army projects that will roll out across the Bass electorate over the coming weeks. Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic and Tamar Natural Resources Management president Roger Tyshing were on hand to inspect the progress of the team, made up of nine men aged 17 to 24 who would otherwise have been without work. St Helens man Brendan Riley, 20, said he had struggled to find a job last year, but was now earning $16.40 an hour and learning skills in environmental management and first aid. "I was pretty happy when I found out I had been accepted," he said. "It'd been pretty hard to find work, there's not much out there at all - and now I'm learning as well." The Cataract Gorge Reserve project was among the first to be rolled out under the $525 million Green Army Program. The work will involve a mix of conservation activities including mulching of garden areas and controlling environmental weeds. It is sponsored by Tamar NRM in partnership with City of Launceston and co-ordinated by the environmental organisation Conservation Volunteers Australia. Mr Nikolic said the Green Army participants received a fortnightly allowance of up to $987. Other projects set to start in Bass include further river restoration between the Kings Bridge and the Tailrace Centre at Riverside, as well as mountainbike trails weed eradication at Dorset, and improvements at the Bridport foreshore and walking track.
Brendan Riley, 20, moved from St Helens to answer the call of the Green Army ... Yesterday recruits were declaring war on weeds at Launceston's Cataract Gorge. Picture: Scott Gelston
RECRUITS dived into the Cataract Gorge scrub yesterday as one of the first federal government Green Army projects took root in Launceston.
The team tackled invasive weeds and identified areas for regeneration among the rugged cliff terrain in the first of five Green Army projects that will roll out across the Bass electorate over the coming weeks.
Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic and Tamar Natural Resources Management president Roger Tyshing were on hand to inspect the progress of the team, made up of nine men aged 17 to 24 who would otherwise have been without work.
St Helens man Brendan Riley, 20, said he had struggled to find a job last year, but was now earning $16.40 an hour and learning skills in environmental management and first aid.
"I was pretty happy when I found out I had been accepted," he said.
"It'd been pretty hard to find work, there's not much out there at all - and now I'm learning as well."
The Cataract Gorge Reserve project was among the first to be rolled out under the $525 million Green Army Program.
The work will involve a mix of conservation activities including mulching of garden areas and controlling environmental weeds.
It is sponsored by Tamar NRM in partnership with City of Launceston and co-ordinated by the environmental organisation Conservation Volunteers Australia.
Mr Nikolic said the Green Army participants received a fortnightly allowance of up to $987.
Other projects set to start in Bass include further river restoration between the Kings Bridge and the Tailrace Centre at Riverside, as well as mountainbike trails weed eradication at Dorset, and improvements at the Bridport foreshore and walking track.
