RANDALLS BAY QUARRY RESERVE - AN EXCITING PROSPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

GOAL: The local community group, Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare has undertaken the purchase for $130,000 of the derelict but popular Informal Reserve - Biodiversity Protection Area, commonly referred to as the Randalls Bay Quarry Reserve site to create a public reserve.

RANDALLS BAY QUARRY RESERVE: This elongated block of 23.58 hectares is sited adjacent to Randalls Bay and the Mickeys Beach Conservation Area, an hour south of Hobart, near Cygnet, in Tasmania. Last century it was extensively quarried for gravel but the mining lease has been extinguished and much rehabilitation work already carried out by Coastcare members. 

Members of Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare on the walking trail

Blandfordia punicea (Christmas Bells) beside quarry pond

Quarry Pond

The RBQR remains as an important wildlife refuge, has listed botanical communities and is a much-used walking and recreation place for locals and visitors. It contains half of the popular circuit walk between Randalls Bay and Mickeys Beach, the other half being along the coastline.

Patersonia fragilis

Sphagnum moss

Melaleuca squamea

Hibbertia prostrata

Slender Sun orchid

Pink swampheath

Blandfordia punicea

Pademelon

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

Wedgetailed eagle

Native hen

Blue-tongued lizard

Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare members have established a beneficiary trust to purchase from the Huon Valley Council the Randalls Bay Quarry site so that it can become a permanent public reserve. This is a once in lifetime opportunity to acquire this unique parcel of coastal land for the benefit of future generations. Fundraising is underway but we need extra assistance to secure this purchase.

The red-shaded area outlines the block boundaries in relation to Randalls Bay beach area.

The Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare Group (FORB) aims to protect and maintain the natural values of the area, including its rare and threatened vegetation communities, plants and animals, while providing a pleasant family-friendly environment for residents and visitors to enjoy predominantly passive recreation activities such as walking, swimming, bird-watching, fishing and kayaking.

Our group provides assistance in caring for the coastal bushland and beach reserve areas that extend from Mickey’s Beach around to Randalls Bay and further on to include all of the Echo Sugarloaf State Reserve (yellow boundary), the Quarry Reserve (red), and the other conserved or covenanted areas (other colours, see map below).

 Over the past two years  the Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare group has also constructed a new 2.5 kilometre walking track to the summit of Echo Sugarloaf.

Echo Sugarloaf is the State Reserve (115 ha) managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. It was made available to the public reserve system by Max and Bev Thomas in 2003. Echo Sugarloaf (above outlined in yellow) is the hill south of the Channel Highway between Randalls Bay and Garden Island Creek. Future plans include a return loop down the southern ridge.

Walking Trail

Scribbley gum

Nesting places

The summit (200 metres) offers views of the mountains of the Southwest National Park, the Huon River and D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Port Cygnet and Cygnet township. The nature walking trail leaves Williams Road in Randalls Bay and passes through a variety of woodland and grassy understoreys. The new Quarry Reserve along with the Randalls Bay to Mickeys Beach coastal trail will extend the walking opportunites in the Randalls Bay environs.

Mickeys Beach Coastal Trail

New steps to Echo Sugarloaf Nature Trail

Stone steps

Sand ladders

After work!

Friends of Randalls Bay Coastcare is purchasing the Quarry Reserve block from Huon Valley Council for $130,000 and has already secured more than half the required amount from within our own resources. Another $50,000 is needed and our target here of $40,000 will get us across the line. Any additional funds raised will go towards ongoing maintenance costs including rates, insurance, signage, fencing, covenanting and restoration.

Melaleuca squarrosa