Compliments of the season to one and all and a big welcome to the ever growing legion of new readers and supporters right throughout the Brisbane Valley who have and are taking an interest in preserving our tower. The Jimna Fire Tower Action Group (JFTAG) hopes that this news update will bring everybody up to speed with achievements to date and many thanks to the valleys print media, who have sought stories and are exposing this issue to the public,

 1.. JFTAG has successfully prevented demolition of the Heritage Listed, iconic, Jimna Fire Tower, due to the massive support received from the general public, the business houses and the tourism stakeholders throughout south east Queensland over the past eighteen months.

 2….JFTAG, despite numerous high profile news events saturating the media, has managed to create wide spread public awareness through both print and electronic media and that interest in campaign progress is being maintained and is on the rise from new local media outlets. 

 3….Most importantly the Jimna Fire Tower issue is now well known throughout all Queensland State Government Departments and commands much respect and a genuine desire amongst departmental staff, policy advisors and ministers to have the tower’s tourism viability assessed through a professional and independent process. 

 4…The “engine room” at the Jimna Visitor Information Centre has been an integral ingredient in promoting the campaign, providing a hands on point of public contact, registration of support centre and a briefing venue for visiting government representatives and community officials..

 4…. Current owners, Forestry Plantation Queensland (FPQ), has recently spent many thousands of dollars on security (chain gates) and landscaping (perimeter logs) on the tower site to contain vandalism, as well as providing ongoing site maintenance (mowing).

 5….Recent State Government policy changes embracing the management of commercial and public use of State Forests and National Parks by FPQ, as well as the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), has taken place since the campaign to preserve the Jimna Fire Tower began in early 2006.

 6….JFTAG has negotiated the existing moratorium granted by FPQ, which is currently in place until the new Somerset Regional Council (SRC) has had the opportunity to consider ownership, which would then allow grant funding to be accessed so that the towers’ viability as a tourism destination can be professionally evaluated.

 7….With the tower’s future clearly now in the hands of the new SRC,  JFTAG has focused it’s recent public awareness campaign throughout the new Somerset Regional Council Electorate, which has resulted in fantastic interest from the general public, local business houses, Brisbane Valley Tourism and most importantly Esk Shire Councillors.

In conclusion, JFTAG is gaining international recognition by being a member of the Forest Fire Lookouts Association in America. Our new web site which will feature the join “Friends of Jimna Fire Tower” membership fund raising initiative is under construction, and we look forward to a positive relationship with our decision makers at all levels of government whoever they may be during the year ahead, for the purpose of negotiating a positive outcome. To register your support email davbar41@bigpond.com .