The government has reiterated its belief that the drilling of eight core investigation holes at the site of the proposed Northern Regional Prison would not impact on the breeding season of a wedge-tailed eagle on a neighbouring property.
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The drilling works are set to begin on Monday in the southern portion of the Brushy Rivulet land to test the composition of the soil, clay and rock.
The wedge-tailed eagle's nest sits in a tree near the northern boundary of the property, but more than 500 metres from the site of the proposed prison.
Minister for Corrections Elise Archer said the setback was sufficient to avoid disturbing the eagle.
"No work will be undertaken within the 500 metre no disturbance zone that is in place for the duration of the Wedge-tailed eagle breeding season, and due to the nature of the vegetation, there is not a clear line of sight between the nest and where the work will occur," she said.
"We will be fully cognisant of the local environment during this process, and importantly, the department is being advised by an independent environmental consultant in relation to the drilling work."
In a 2017 document outlining the nature conservation plan for the land, the "critical breeding season" for wedge-tailed eagles was described as being between August 1 and November 30.
MORE ON PLANS TO BUILD PRISON AT BRUSHY RIVULET:
- Feature: the sights and songs of the Westbury jail birds at Brushy Rivulet
- Land clearing for proposed Northern Regional Prison could harm endangered species: field naturalist
- Plan to set aside Brushy Rivulet land for conservation never eventuated, documents show
- Core drilling set to start at proposed prison site
It states that no shooting, vehicle use, lighting of fires or construction of fences can occur in the eagle nest management zone, however the zone does not encapsulate the prison footprint.
Prison opponents believe the drilling works should occur outside of the eagle breeding season, but the government wanted to avoid any further delays after already having to abandon plans to build the prison on industrial land on Westbury's northern fringe.
Greens environment spokesperson Rosalie Woodruff said the drilling would add to the "many other risks faced by endangered wedge-tailed eagles" during breeding season.
"The Gutwein Government are once again ignoring their own departmental advice, which warns against disturbing a nesting eagle during the breeding season," she said.
"The government's Threatened Species website cautions people against visible or audible disturbance to a nesting eagle because it risks them abandoning their eggs or chicks."
The land had previous been earmarked to be transferred to the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, however the government has since stated it no longer contained the conservation values that it was originally purchased for in the late-1990s.