Carol Jackson

Hi! We’re Friends of Tasman Island – a highly motivated Wildcare Inc group dedicated to preserving the heritage of one of the most spectacular lighthouse stations in Australia – Tasman Island. https://wildcaretas.org.au/branches/friends-of-tasman-island/

Over the past 11 years, an impressive range of conservation & maintenance work has been carried out by our volunteers during 25 self-funded working bees.  

Each working bee (usually 10 volunteers for 10 days) contributes over 650 volunteer hours.  One volunteer is worth ten pressed men (It’s a naval expression used again and again) So here’s to the Friends and their mission bold And time well spent in Tasman’s fold!  The late Helen Gee, March, 2010

The initial aim of halting further deterioration of buildings, infrastructure and landscape has been achieved.  We have reinstated water (including new tanks) and power to the three solid brick houses, we have installed supplementary fasteners between ceiling joists and rafters to strengthen the existing roof tie-downs (a big job), we have replaced or repaired all facsia and barge boards, new guttering and downpipe for each house.  Our list of restoration work continues to grow! 

The Oil Store is completely restored: 

The front and back verandahs of Lighthouse Keeper's Quarters No 3 repaired and restored: 

During recent working bees volunteers focussed on rescarfing the verandah posts at the Head Keeper's House, Quarters No 1 

You can check out all our achievements (both on and off the island) on our Facebook Page or in our newsletters June 2017, December 2016, July 2016 

OUR NEXT PROJECT IS TO RESTORE THE SUNROOM AND FRONT VERANDAH OF LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER’S QUARTERS NUMBER 2 TO ITS FORMER GLORY!

This photo of Q2 was taken in 1970 by one of the last of the 'kerosene keepers' John Cook.  

Unfortunately this is what it now looks like  

This restoration project  is planned for our next working bee in late October 2017

WE ALREADY HAVE

• Some of the timberwork; (saved by alert Parks staff before it blew away, and in storage on the island for many years)
• 2 builders volunteering their skills, experience and labour for the restoration work
• Experienced volunteers who have helped with repair & restoration work on the front & back verandas of Quarters 3 & Quarters 1 to make up the building team
• Had several building team planning meetings - impressively organised!
• A detailed works plan approved by Parks Cultural Heritage Officer
• Undertaken a site visit to Tasman with Parks to comprehensively scope the project
• An updated detailed costings for all the building materials needed to complete the job  Shopping List

In the past Friends of Tasman Island's major fundraiser was the annual Lighthouses of Tasmania Calendar as well as successful funding submissions to local, Tasmanian and Australian Government agencies and other avenues such as the Australian Geographic and the Tasmanian Community Fund.  Since 2006, over $115,000 has been raised from calendar sales and other FoTI merchandise; and nearly $200,000 has been secured from grants.  Current funding pathways for heritage conservation work are almost non-existent and the 2016 Calendar was the last in a successful series.

So we need to raise the money to purchase and transport all the building materials needed (and the building team!) to Tasman Island. 

We would love you to show your support for our work.  Pledge now and be able to say that you are now part of Tasman Island’s lighthouse history. 

We have some great rewards on offer to thank you.

Total funds needed  $16,357

Building Materials $5,626

Detailed costings for all veranda works on Tasman Island were prepared by Keith Darke, Accredited Building Practitioner, in 2012.  Keith provided an updated detailed costings for reinstating the sun room and front verandah of Quarters 2 in May 2017.   Keith has worked on restoration works on the Lighthouse Keepers’ Quarters on Maatsuyker Island.   Since then our builder, Chris Smith and our Works Coordinator Chris Creese have worked with Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife staff to finalise a very comprehensive 'shopping list'.  If you are interersted in this sort of detail check the list out here ! Building Materials

Helicopter Transport Costs $6,419 

Because of the precipitous nature of the island, access by sea is a hazardous exercise.  The two access points used by the lightkeepers at the Haulage and the Zig-Zag have fallen into disrepair and a large number of seals now haul out at both sites.

Access to Tasman Island for Friends of Tasman Island volunteers is restricted to helicopter transport.

Osborne Heli Tours opened their base in Port Arthur last year which has significantly reduced our transport costs for the past 2 working bees.

Osborne Heli Tours has given us a good discount for the multiple flights needed to transport the building team (and cook/housekeeper!!), their personal gear, fuel and food supplies (for 10 volunteers for 10 days) and all the building materials (we have most of the tools needed already on the island) from the Simmonds Hill helibase (Fortescue Bay) to Tasman Island 

We have estimated the weight of buidling materials to be 1170 kilograms, volunteer gear, food and fuel supplies usually weighs in around 700 kilograms so we will be needing 3 sling loads and 2 passenger flights over to Tasman, we have allowed 1 passenger flight from Osborne Base, Port Arthur to Tasman.  And of course 10 days later we will need 2 passenger flights, and 1 internal load flight to get everyone off the island back to Port Arthur after a job well done!

Rewards and Delivery of Rewards  $3,100

Friends of Tasman Island have already set aside the funds to purchase our first consignment of our exclusive Lighthouses of Tasmania tea towels but we need to factor in the postage costs to deliver your rewards to anywhere in Australia (additional shipping fees overseas sorry) for our $20, $50 and $80 rewards.  The 20 personalised plaques for our $125 rewards will cost us $24 each. 

Pozible Fees and Credit Card Transaction Fees  $1,212   

The Pozible team have been fantastic support through out the preparation of this crowd funding campaign with prompt responses to our email queries, productive phone hook ups and a effective crowd funding workshop in Hobart recently - thank you Lili and Elliot!  

To make sure we havent forgotten anything!

The building team are so impressive in their meticulous planning to ensure nothing is forgotten - as we cant just walk or drive to the nearest hardware store if we run out of screws - it's a helicopter flight away! 

The weather is always a challenge!! Windy Tasman Island!!!

Over 25 working bees there have been several days where bad weather has delayed the start of a working bee and on 3 occassions we have been unable to leave the island - due to thick fog or howling winds - no one minds if we get stuck on the island for an extra day!   

And of course we need some fine building weather for the 10 days we are on the island - especially no windy days when working with the roofing iron and glass!  

We always have extra food supplies in our pantry in case we need to change our flight dates off the island to allow work to be completed or for the fog to lift!  We are back in cloud this morning...