ISUZU TIPPER PAVING THE PENGUIN PATH

13 May 2011

The conclusion of a 25-year project to safeguard the future of the Phillip Island Little Penguin colony has paved the way for land rehabilitation works on the Summerland Peninsula.

What began in 1985 as an ambitious buyback of public land on the island's westernmost tip concluded in June last year when the last of the site's 774 allotments was purchased by the State Government and handed to the not-for-profit Phillip Island Nature Parks.

The Nature Parks now bears responsibility for overseeing the removal of all housing and infrastructure to prepare the land for revegetation and eventual habitation by the island's 28,000-strong penguin colony.

Phillip Island Nature Parks Senior Environment Supervisor, Jarvis Weston, says while the work is unlikely to produce any significant increases in penguin population over the short term, the fruits of the rehabilitation project would be evident after around a decade.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) has committed $3.4 million over three years to complete the task, primarily to finance the removal and disposal of infrastructure and organic materials.

From this funding, the Phillip Island Nature Parks has purchased an Isuzu NPR 200 Tipper to bear the brunt of the work involved.

Mr Weston says it was an easy decision to make given prior experience with the brand and its enviable reputation.

"The Park has previously had an Isuzu and we found it to be reliable, user-friendly and it came at a good price," he said.

"Word of mouth also played a big part in our decision. The brand's reputation for reliability is second to none."

The NPR 200 Tipper has been fitted with a side swing tailgate to improve unloading, and a tow hook to transport the Nature Parks' chipper. It also features a custom-made galvanised canopy.

The truck's SiTEC Series III 155 horsepower engine produces 114 kW of power at 2600 rpm and 419 Nm of torque between 1600 and 2600 rpm - more than enough to haul the contents of its 2.3 cubic metre tipper.

The Nature Parks has recently set about the task of chipping wood and carting rubble and rubbish away from the Summerland Peninsula site.

Mr Weston says the massive task also includes moving powerlines underground, eradicating weeds and revegetating the land with around 140,000 plants.

"It's all orientated toward the penguins. We're working to return the whole area back into a penguin habitat," he said.

The not-for-profit Phillip Island Nature Parks is the island's largest employer with around 200 staff, including 15 rangers who also manage local parks and conservation initiatives.

Some of the island's most popular attractions fall under the Nature Parks' auspices, including tourist drawcards such as the penguin parade, Koala Conservation Centre, the Nobbies and Churchill Island Heritage Farm. Funds generated from these attractions are re-invested into environmental and education programs.

Visit www.penguins.org.au for more information on the Nature Parks.

ends


For further information, please contact:
Jeff Birdseye                                                                                     
Marketing Manager                                                               
Isuzu Australia Limited                                                        
Phone: 03 9644 6666

For Isuzu Truck releases and photos:
Arkajon Communications
Phone: 03 9867 5611
Email: isuzu@arkajon.com.au