A letter shared by Ken Simpson

“I worked on the Old Ghost Road for about 3 years as a digger operator and saw the effects of 1080. We worked for 10 days on and 4 days off so you get familiar with your surroundings.  I worked on most parts of the track starting in the Lyell but most of my time was above the Forkes Hut staying at the Forkes Hut and then moved our camp to a clearing above Goat Creek Hut and we formed the track back to Goat Creek hut and then up to Solemn Saddle where I left the project about 150 meters short of the Saddle. I did work on other parts of the track but generally only for short periods.

It took an average of about 30 minutes to walk to and from work. This was most enjoyable time of day and I always looked forward to it enjoying the surroundings with all the bird song and activity.

We had rats about the camp and under huts at times but very rarely saw a rat while working. I disturbed an old log and a rat ran up the bank, a Weka gave an alarm call and other Weka’s appeared and darted all over the place and had that rat dead in a very short time. I have seen the same thing happen with mice. The Weka’s would hang around the digger while working and feed in the freshly turned dirt.

We had about 10 or 12 Weka’s around the hut at times and they would grab meat off the barbecue if we were not guarding it. After The 1080  drop most of the Wekas disappeared along with Bush Robins and many other birds it was a sad day walking to work and listening from vantage points and hearing nothing, the place was sort of sterile. The Weka’s that were still about seemed very  slow and looked sick. I saw them attack and kill one Weka that was very sick. After the dropp we only had about 4 Weka’s left about the camp. I talked about the effect on the birds with DOC staff when they were staying in the hut with us and they just said “oh they bounce back quick”.

The job had lost a lot of it’s apeal. We went back to Forkes hut to work for a short time after the 1080 drop. I was getting a crook guts every time I went back to work. I complained about this as I suspected the water. They said they got the water tested and the result came back good. I never saw the results but took their word for it. The water for the hut comes from the roof and stored in a tank. While working at the sink one night I noticed the water stunk. I got suspicious and checked the tank and found the remains of rats at different levels of decay, some floating some on the bottom. If these were victims of 1080 they would have poison in their body and pass it on to us through the water we drink. The tanks were apparently cleaned out but I never went back there. I wonder how many other huts and water supply’s get effected this way. With poisoned animals they can go for water and die in the water catchments.
Ban 1080 It’s just Wrong.”

Ken Simpson
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