HANCOCK SELL OUT?
Click here for article in "The Age"
August 2002. UPDATES
Hancock Watch has recently been given access to the following mortgage details.
The following document reveals that up to 800 land titles stretching throughout Southern Gippsland, are now under mortgage. These titles relate to properties once owned by Australian Paper Plantations, who Hancock 'took over' in August 2001. These areas also include areas supposedly protected under an 8 Point conservation agreement - March 1997 between Amcor and Friends of Gippsland Bush..
As revealed in Hancock Watch earlier this year, properties of high conservation significance are now being sold and subdivided. See May and July Updates.
Hancock purchased the assets of Australian Paper Plantations in August 2001 for over $A150 million. This document reveals that those same assets are now Mortgaged for close to $A400 million.
Hancock Watch fear that Hancock is selling forests of high conservation significance to fulfill the particulars of the Mortgage.
This is an absolutely unacceptable outcome.
Strzelecki Ranges - July 02. Jeeralang West. The Elimination of native vegetation inside a pine plantation. This is totally unacceptable.
Strzelecki Ranges - July 02 - Jeeralang West. Destruction of Remant Blue Gums. Prime Koala habitat gutted by Grand Ridge Plantations Pty Ltd (Hancock).
Strzelecki Ranges - July 02. Mutual Track - Head of Gully destroyed by Grand Ridge Plantations Pty Ltd (Hancock).
Strzelecki Ranges - July 02. Removal of 30 old Blue Gums in pine plantations by Grand Ridge Plantations Pty Ltd/Hancock. Koala found on remaining buffer.
July 02. Signage says "APM FORESTS. POISON. RAGWORTS AND BLACKBERRIES HAVE BEEN SPRAYED ON THIS PROPERTY. DATE; 2 JULY 02"
This is the wrong time of the year for spraying these weeds.
July 02: Carnage on roads. Another dead Wombat. Jeeralang West Road. Common site on Strzelecki Ranges roads which have been made unsafe for public and wildlife by logging trucks.
July 02. Mutual track - Strzelecki Ranges. Elimination of much of buffer zone and total destruction of filter strips by Grand Ridge Plantations/Hancock in the Strzelecki Ranges.
Strzlelecki Ranges: July 02 LEGL93-89. Albert River catchment. Just off Palmer Track - worsening landslip. In two years this land slip has tripled in size. How do you stop this?
Strzelecki Ranges. Mutual Track 14/7/02. Hardwood plantation obviously logged unsustainably by Grand Ridge Plantations/Hancock. Note destruction of buffer strip.
Strzlelecki Ranges. Mutual Track. Destruction of buffer zones by Hancock. July 02 inside hardwood plantation..
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Appalling roading.
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Appalling roading.
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Appalling roading leading to excessive sedimentation..
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Appalling roading leading to excessive sedimentation in the Icy Creek catchment.
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Regenerating Cassinia soon be destroyed by aerial application of herbicides?
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Hi-Fert Fertilisers. What company makes this product?
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Destruction of native vegetation from Icy Creek buffer zone. This may well be a breach of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act. Most of the bulldozed piles of vegetation are Silver Wattle.
Loch Valley plantations: LEGL93-118. JULY 02. Appalling roading leading to excessive sedimentation. Log Dump situated within mere metres of Icy Creek.