Liberals commit $1m to Ludlow

The Liberal Party will commit $1 million towards the restoration of the Ludlow Tuart Forest Settlement if elected to preserve it for future generations.

Liberals WA Deputy Leader and Vasse MLA Libby Mettam and Liberal candidate for Collie-Preston Jane Goff, said the funding would help restore the historic settlement and also help develop its potential as an educational, tourism and research site.

“Unfortunately the forest has been reduced to 3300ha due to agriculture, urbanisation, mining, horticulture and other debilitating practices,” Ms Mettam said.

“This forest has an important history and is recognised as an internationally-important treasure that needs to be looked after.”

Ms Goff said the tuart was unique to Western Australia and only grows along a small strip of the State’s coastline. It is the only remnant tuart forest in the world.

The LFTRG has recently completed negotiations for a 20-year lease over the historic Ludlow Forest Settlement and surrounds and are continuing restorations to the many original buildings.

“The volunteers with the LFTRG have done an amazing job in the last couple of years planting tens of thousands of seedlings with the help of school groups,” Ms Goff said.

“We are committed to supporting them in this next exciting step of preserving the settlement for future generations to enjoy.

“The settlement itself was one of the first built in WA and is now amongst the last standing examples of forestry life during the early 1900s.

“It has great value not only as an educational site for school groups to learn about and contribute to the restoration of the forest and the settlement but also as a significant tourism site and we look forward to working with volunteers to ensure their vision comes to fruition.”