Once we saw bare rocks surrounding the basin, now we see two-metre wide verge of grass on one side and this is interspersed with weeds.

How did we keep it free of grass in years past? Soon there will be no rocks around the basin. The rocks are part of our icon.

The gravel paths look very tired.

There is debris each side complete with ugly cement drains.  

Perhaps the main walk areas should be resurfaced so they are easier to keep clean.

The lovely rock walls lining these paths are covered in dust from the mud splashed up from the walkways and with the earth slipping down from the bare hillsides.

The path and steps to the lookout just past the swinging bridge is impossible to traverse now. 

The balcony overlooking the river near the old kiosk now has black iron mesh tacked onto it.

This could have been done in a more aesthetically pleasing manner.

The choices made by our council has not helped, for example, the pool fence.  

Surely having the lifesavers there is adequate on busy days with everyone taking responsibility for themselves on other days.

If it is safety they are worried about what about the river.  

Compared to the botanical gardens in Hobart, we should be all up in arms about our Launceston icon.

HAVING read Sean Kinman’s praise of Tasmania’s tap water, I can only agree with the quality of water here in the North.

Obviously, this is not the case everywhere in Tasmania.

Many residents of cities in the South, such as Hobart, will understand what I mean.

Even though water is a necessary resource, there are some parts of Tasmania where tap water is of poor quality.

Ostensibly, we do indeed have the best water in the country.

Pity that we cannot be proud of our water in every region of our great state.

As for water from bottles, it’s a great shame that this malevolent habit persists.

True, it can at times be convenient to purchase a bottle of water.

However, we must admit that the cost to our environment is greater than the ease of buying bottled water justifies. 

Yet again big business manage to water down the potential benefits of our natural resources.

WITH Perth Stadium keen to poach Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test or Sydney’s New Year’s Day Test upon expiration of contractual agreements between Cricket Australia and the MCG and SCG respectively, it may be a case of the highest bidder instead of cricket tradition.

Was the loss of Hobart’s Test in a Six Test amalgamated series to Canberra, a case of the highest bidder?

Commercial in confidence will prevent this discussion, but the ubiquitous retort of crowd numbers will undoubtedly be Cricket Australia’s hollow party line.

WHAT is the world coming to?

It just goes to show how greedy some petrol companies are.

And said the company has to get in touch with the police because someone had the guts to stand up for the poor pensioner over a measly 12 cents, especially as it is coming up to the season of goodwill.

It just goes to show that there are some lowlifes still about. 

The local community should stand up for the people involved and boycott the service station.

Mitch Duhig (The Examiner, December 16) draws a pretty large bow when he speaks at length regarding internet encryption.

For someone, it would seem as knowledgeable as Mr Duhig's long letter regarding this subject, I would have thought he was able to encrypt his own, families, and friends internet connections rather simply, than use this platform as an excuse.

I WOULD like to know why Australia is meddling in Israel’s politics.

We should support the United Nations recommendations, and concentrate on our own problems.

The Liberals started this nonsense to win the Jewish vote in a by-election.

Now they make it worse by trying to save themselves but not in the interest of Australia. 

Please don’t destroy the respect we enjoy with our neighbours, for domestic point scoring.

I’M perplexed our universities have complained about the level of their research funding since they recently rejected a generous offer concerning climate change.  

They may believe the science is settled but it’s certainly not so with respect as to how best to achieve carbon reductions whilst managing problems caused by its contributions to our rising debt.