South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill arrived in Mount Gambier Thursday to meet local mayors and protesters opposed to his plan to sell rights to harvest timbers from the area's forests.

The two-day visit will also see Weatherill visiting a sawmill to talk to workers who fear losing their jobs if the state government proceeds with the sale of timber harvesting rights for pine plantations in the South East, according to Adelaide Now.

Some 2,000 people, including timber union members, will assemble at the main oval by noon and march to the city park to express their concern and opposition to the sale of timber harvesting rights. The demonstrators will be carrying placards with the message "Jay, please don't sell our forest", "Please Treasurer Snelling keep the forests in Government hands", and "Don't privatise our forests".

Mayor Steve Perryman assured that the rally will be peaceful.

The government wants to sell 100-year timber harvesting rights and earn some $500 million from it. The amount will be used to pay the state's debts on infrastructure projects and public doctors, nurses, police and teachers, according to Treasurer Jack Snelling.

But businesses are also opposed to the plan hatched two years ago, believing it will affect employment of some 5,000 people who depend on the forest for their livelihood.

The Gambier forestry industry accounts for 40 per cent of the region's economic activity.

Wattle Range Mayor Peter Gandolfi said that ForestrySA is earning $40 million annually in timber sales and argued that this is enough to cover the needed funding in 10 years.

Grant District Council Mayor Richard Sage expressed hope that the plan will not push through.

"We need to get this issue resolved and hopefully we get them to listen to some sense," Adelaide Now quoted him as saying.

Some 5,000 people are feared to be affected by ForestrySA's plan to sell timber harvesting rights in Mount Gambier.