TasPorts supports collaborative response to Lake Rosebery Oil Spill

TasPorts is proud to be part of the coordinated response effort addressing the oil spill at Lake Rosebery, working alongside EPA Tasmania, Hydro Tasmania, TasWater, West Coast Council and NRE Tas to minimise environmental impacts and safeguard this vital Tasmanian waterway.

The spill was first identified on 13 January 2025, with oil located around the Henry Bay Boat Ramp in Tullah. Since then, the affected area has been found to extend approximately 30 km along the shoreline, requiring a comprehensive and multifaceted cleanup effort.

Under EPA Tasmania’s leadership, TasPorts has been actively involved in containment and recovery activities. This has included deploying booms to limit the spread of the oily substance and providing logistical and operational support to ensure the success of the response effort.

“As Tasmania’s port manager, we bring specialised expertise and a deep understanding of incident response to situations like this. TasPorts is proud to contribute our skills and resources to this critical effort at Lake Rosebery,” TasPorts Chief Executive, Anthony Donald said.

“This response demonstrates the critical role of teamwork in addressing environmental challenges. EPA Tasmania’s leadership has been instrumental in coordinating this complex response, and TasPorts is committed to supporting these efforts to protect Lake Rosebery and its surrounding environment.”

The impacted area has required varied recovery and cleaning methods due to the oil’s differing levels of weathering and the diverse shoreline types.

Working in tandem with EPA Tasmania and other agencies, TasPorts continues to assist in efforts to contain and clean up the spill, with significant progress already made in isolating the affected areas.

The lake has been declared a Prohibited Area by Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) until at least 12:00 am on Friday 31 January 2025, unless cancelled sooner, and includes all waters of Lake Rosebery.

A public drop-in forum will be held at the Tullah Hall on Thursday 23 January 2025 between 4 pm and 7pm. Local residents are encouraged to attend, where representatives from several agencies involved in the response will be available to answer questions and provide updates on the spill.

Cleanup efforts are ongoing, and EPA Tasmania will provide regular updates as the situation progresses.