Advanced Search

Share Coverage



Category: Government and Politics / Tourism

Four new eco tourism projects in Tasmania to be ready by summer

Monday, 7 Nov 2016 15:37:15 | Georgie Burgess

A boat charter into the secluded Bathurst Harbour will begin operating soon. (Dan Broun: Supplied)

Four eco-tourism projects stemming from the Government's long-awaited Expression of Interest (EOI) process will be up and running for the summer tourist season — including a trekking adventure in South West National Park and a boat charter at Port Davey.

While green groups still object to developments inside the state's parks and reserves, proponents hope public support will grow after nature-based products dominated the recent Tasmanian tourism industry awards.

Most of the accolades were won by operators working within national parks and world heritage areas.

Former Parks and Wildlife boss Peter Mooney, who took out the Tourism Champion award, said Tasmania's eco-tourism industry was "becoming very mature, especially compared to the other states and territories".

"I think the EOI will certainly show we can continue to grow but in a sustainable manner."

'Immersive' experience in nature

The EOI process for tourism ventures within protected areas was a Liberal pledge in the lead-up to the 2014 state election.

By this summer, four of the 25 final proposals will be up and running — a premium mountain bike ride near Derby, a boat charter at Port Davey, a guided walk at Freycinet National Park and a trekking adventure in the South West National Park.

Mr Mooney said it was important to get the balance right between preserving nature and allowing people to experience it.

"To date, Tasmania has done a really good job in making sure what goes in there has minimal impact on the environment but maximum impact on the people visiting the reserve," he said.

External Link: Blue Tier mountain bike trail

"Our reserves are becoming very popular; we can't ignore that and we have to provide opportunities for those people to ... experience them and be immersed in them," he said.

"Often that immersion creates a greater level of advocacy and a greater appreciation of our reserves."

Tourism proponent Daniel Hackett, who also took out a tourism award for his fly-fishing experiences, has plans for a new venture being assessed under the EOI process.

He is hoping to build a luxury camp inside the world heritage-listed Walls of Jerusalem National Park.

Mr Hackett said while the awards should help build public confidence he did not expect to win approval from the Greens.

"We've tried to engage with people like the Greens and the Wilderness Society, and from what the feedback's been 'no means no' from their point of view, so it doesn't matter what the facts are, I don't think," he said.

EOI process 'shuts people out': Greens

Greens Leader Cassy O'Connor said the EOI process had been plagued by secrecy and undermined Tasmania's wilderness.

"This has been a process that has been opaque from the very beginning," Ms O'Connor said.

"It shuts people out and we've had the Minister [Matthew Groom] changing the World Heritage Management Plan in order to facilitate these developments.

"We don't believe that there should be lodges and huts in places that have special wilderness values."

Ms O'Connor said developments undermined the integrity of parks and reserves.

"It's impossible to get any information out of the Government on this process," she said.

Environment Minister Matthew Groom said the program had been "very successful".

"We've had four projects already receive final approval, and they're due to commence over the summer period," Mr Groom said.

"If fully realised it [the entire plan] will create 300 jobs."

AustraliaPlus


 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend