Vale Wes Beckett: saviour of Dismal Swamp

by Bob Gordon, Managing Director

Wes Beckett, the man credited with saving Dismal Swamp in Tasmania’s north west has passed away. He was 94.

Wes worked for the Forestry Commission for 43 years from 1938 to 1981, and was for many years the District Forester for Smithton District. He will be best remembered amongst his forestry colleagues for ensuring that the wonders of Dismal Swamp’s mysterious blackwood forest were conserved for future generations to enjoy.

Wes once recalled that when he first encountered Dismal Swamp in 1938, it was a tent town of timber getters cutting blackwood staves, which were in heavy demand at that time for beer barrels. As a forester, he was alarmed by the unsustainable level of harvesting taking place: the stave cutters took only the best timber, leaving the poorer quality trees, logs and butts behind.

Further threats to Dismal Swamp came during the soldier settlement program following World War II. Surrounding areas such as Togari were cleared for farmland, and Wes was concerned about the Closer Settlement Board’s intention to clear Dismal Swamp as well.

Acting on his concerns, Wes campaigned during the 1960s to have Dismal Swamp gazetted as state forest. His expert opinion was that the blackwood could be managed for sustainable harvesting as a special timber. He once recalled, “My idea was to conserve the area. Even though selective logging was permitted, it was always to remain as a blackwood swamp.”

Thanks to Wes’ visionary work, Dismal Swamp was declared state forest in the 1970s, which finally allowed it to be managed sustainably. The last timber harvesting took place in 1975. Of course, Dismal Swamp is now home to one of the north west’s most significant tourism attractions, Tarkine Forest Adventures.

Wes was also a pioneer in modern forest fire fighting techniques, playing an instrumental role in introducing fire towers and aerial fire detection to the north west. These initiatives allowed fire fighters to gain accurate information about wildfire locations and vegetation types, and ensured that resources could be deployed a short time after a fire had started. Wes was also a forerunner in developing new techniques for fuel reduction burns.

Wes’ contributions to Forestry Tasmania are innumerable. Our organisation is indebted to him for selflessly sharing his expertise during his long years of service, and his detailed recollections after his retirement. He will be sadly missed.