Lake Rosebery Information Hub

Lake Rosebery will reopen from 6pm tonight (Friday) after eight weeks of response efforts following an oil spill in the Henry Bay area.

Booms will remain in place around a very small section of Henry Bay but the boat ramp is now open to the public.

Hydro Tasmania’s Head of Major Works Justin Vandervelde said weeks of hard work had paid off and the team was pleased with the results.

“From where we started to where we are now, it’s a huge achievement for everyone involved,” said Mr Vandervelde.

Over the last week, Hydro Tasmania has been managing the water level to dislodge remaining oil and collect it in booms on the lake.

Mr Vandervelde acknowledged the big multi-agency effort it had taken to reach this point.

“We’re really happy that we can return the lake to the public and people can access the boat ramp again.”

Impacts from the oil, like dark rings on vegetation and stains on rock faces, will still be visible in some areas.

A few booms will remain along the banks of the gorge as part of the final clean-up effort and these areas should be avoided.

The Department of Health has updated advice for the public using the lake.

Recent water quality testing at Lake Rosebery has shown that the water is safe for recreational activities like swimming.

The Department of Health and Inland Fisheries Service have worked together to sample and assess the safety of trout caught from Lake Rosebery.

It is safe to eat trout caught from all areas open to the public.

The Department of Health recommends not eating eels caught in Lake Rosebery until further testing that includes eels is completed in the coming months.

Lake Rosebery to partially reopen following oil spill

Lake Rosebery will partially reopen to the public on Saturday 22 February, just in time for the Day on the Lake event at Tullah Lakeside Lodge.

From midnight tonight (Friday), Marine and Safety Tasmania will lift restrictions on the lake except for the Mackintosh Gorge and the Henry Bay Boat Ramp, which remain closed to allow the completion of clean-up activities.

Hydro Tasmania’s Head of Major Works Justin Vandervelde said it had been an enormous multi-agency effort to get to this point, but said people should maintain caution and follow advice from the Department of Health.

“People can use most of the lake for recreational use. You can still see some impacts from the oil, like dark rings on vegetation, but for the most part it’s looking really good,” said Mr Vandervelde.

“In the unlikely event that you do see oil on the water, please avoid the area.”

The Department of Health has advised you can swim and boat in areas of the lake that have reopened, however:

• Do not enter the water if you can see oil on the water
• Do not swim or take your boat through oil sheens
• Wash off any oil on your skin with soap and cold water. It feels sticky to touch.
• Avoid swallowing water or touching oiled plants or rocks
• Stay away from the booms which keep the oil away from the clean areas 
• Do not eat eels or fish from the Lake. Testing to assess the safety of fish to eat is ongoing.

Nearby alternatives for swimming, fishing and boating include Lake Mackintosh and Lake Plimsoll.

Water quality testing has shown treated water, sourced from Lake Rosebery at TasWater's Tullah Water Treatment Plant, is safe to drink. TasWater will continue to monitor."

Next week, Hydro Tasmania will raise the lake level and run Mackintosh Power Station, using the water flow to capture any remaining oil with booms on the lake. The focus over coming weeks will be on cleaning the Henry Bay Boat Ramp and pontoon.

"Thank you to all the people across multiple agencies who have participated in the clean-up response and to the local community for their patience,” said Mr Vandervelde.

“We’re so pleased we can re-open part of the lake ahead of the Day at the Lake event at Tullah Lakeside Lodge on Saturday."

Lake Rosebery closure extended as oil spill clean-up continues

The Lake Rosebery closure will be extended until 11:59pm on Friday 21 February to allow ongoing oil spill clean-up efforts.

Over the coming week there will be a focussed effort on removing oil from priority areas with the aim of returning lake activity to normal as soon as possible.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) transferred responsibility for recovery efforts to lake owner Hydro Tasmania on Friday 7 February last week, with the EPA continuing to provide advice and support.

Hydro Tasmania's Head of Major Works Justin Vandervelde said the community’s support had allowed clean-up efforts to progress smoothly.

“We would like to thank the Tullah community for their ongoing patience and understanding as we carry out this complex operation,” Mr Vandervelde said.

“The interagency effort has made great progress but there is still work to do.”

Boats and manual shoreline cleaning are being used to remove oil residue from 26 kilometres of affected shoreline.

TasWater Incident Controller Matt Jordan said water quality testing at the Tullah Water Treatment Plant shows the water is safe to drink, despite the need to extend the lake closure.

“Our intake is approximately 26 metres below the water surface and some distance from the shore, meaning the intake water is protected from contamination,” said Mr Jordan.

“Multiple water samples taken from the site have not detected any contamination, and additional testing will continue to provide reassurance for our community.”

The EPA’s formal investigation is ongoing and it is anticipated it will be finalised later this year.

Next phase underway for Lake Rosebery oil spill

The Lake Rosebery Oil Spill response is moving into its next phase as the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) transfers responsibility for recovery efforts to lake owner Hydro Tasmania. The transition will see Hydro Tasmania take the lead on cleanup efforts.

As the lead agency, the EPA has been supported by Hydro Tasmania and other agencies throughout the response, including TasWater, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas), Public Health, Tas Ports, and the West Coast Council.

EPA Director and CEO, Wes Ford said the response operation has moved from the original containment and collection activities to cleaning of impacted shorelines and recovery through ongoing monitoring and project management.

“As the critical incident response actions of containment and initial cleanup are completed, the ongoing cleanup project management will be undertaken by Hydro Tasmania, with the EPA providing ongoing advice and onsite support as required,” said Mr Ford.

Around 52.4 kilometres of lake shoreline was assessed for oiling impact following a spill from a historical mechanical maintenance tank, with approximately 26 kilometres of shoreline identified as oiled to varying degrees. The maintenance tank has since been drained of residual oily water and protected from further oil discharge, and operational priorities have been shifted to prioritise cleanup of the Henry Bay shoreline area.

“This has been a large and complex operation, and our response teams have worked diligently to clean a total of 1730 metres of shoreline and approximately sixty cubic metres of oiled green waste has been removed from affected areas to date,” Mr Ford said.

Plans are in place to control and recover any further spread of surface oil through ongoing use of collection booms and continuation of on-water and shore-based recovery of oil related products such as mousse, including any attached to foliage, branches, or shoreline terrain.

Wildlife monitoring responsibilities have been transitioned from a dedicated NRE Tas wildlife spotter to operational staff at Lake Rosebery.

“Wildlife Officers are satisfied that observed wildlife are displaying normal behaviour and appear in otherwise healthy condition, and with the positive progress of the cleanup and ongoing weathering of the oil, the risk of wildlife oiling is steadily decreasing,” said Mr Ford.

The EPA is currently undertaking formal investigations to determine what offences have been committed contrary to Tasmanian legislation and it is anticipated the investigation will be finalised later this year.

The lake has been declared a Prohibited Area by Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST) and is closed until 11:59 pm on Friday 14 February 2025, unless cancelled sooner, and includes all waters of Lake Rosebery.

For more information, please contact the EPA Senior Environmental Engagement Officer on 0460 025 410