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Category: Tourism / Environmentally Sustainable Business / Environmental Management / Rural Tourism / State Parliament

Tasman Island tourism concerns over pests, heritage values

Friday, 11 Nov 2016 03:28:33 | Rhiana Whitson

Tasman Island is an uninhabited island off Tasmania's south east coast. (Supplied: Dan Broun)

A plan to open up Tasman Island to tourists has sparked concern about the potential for damage to the site's environmental and heritage values.

Tasman Island is part of the Tasman National Park and is off the south-eastern tip of the Tasman Peninsula.

The Parks and Wildlife Service's draft plan allows for commercial helicopter landings and the use of its historic buildings for accommodation.

Premier Will Hodgman first announced support for Rotor Lift Aviation's proposal to run commercial helicopter flights to Tasman Island last year.

For the proposal to go ahead the changes must be formalised in the adoption of a new management plan for Tasman National Park.

In June RACT ditched its government-supported plan to extend its lodge into Freycinet National Park after a small group of members started a campaign against it.

Environment groups have criticised the proposal and said they had not been properly consulted.

Tasman Island off Tasmania's south-east. Photo: Tasman Island is best known as a weather station and tracking point for the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. (Supplied: Ian Ross)

Peter McGlone of the Conservation Trust feared allowing commercial helicopter landings on Tasman Island would lead to open-slather tourism.

"They need to restart the consultation process and be honest with the people of Tasmania about the consequences of allowing commercial helicopter access, this is a corruption of process," he said.

Mr McGlone is also against developing the historic buildings for accommodation.

"Everyone agrees the buildings need some upgrading to protect them, but we need to protect them for the historic value, not just for tourists and not just for additional and unnecessary changes," he said.

Tasman Island Lighthouse in 1968 Photo: The Tasman Island Lighthouse in 1968. (Supplied: Forty South Publishing)

Catherine Errey of the National Parks Association said tourists could unintentionally reintroduce pest species.

"It only takes one little seed lodged in someone's clothing or their footwear," she said.

Tourism operator Rob Pennicott of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys contributed about $100,000 to a successful state government program to eradicate feral cats on Tasman Island in 2011.

He said he supported the tourism proposal in principle.

"But it's got to be done sustainably for the flora and fauna, other users," he said.

"It would be a tragic things to introduce either weeds or pests."

A night photo of a feral cat with a fairy prion in its mouth Photo: A night photo of a feral cat on Tasman Island with a fairy prion bird in its mouth. (Parks and Wildlife Service)

In a statement, state Parks and Environment Minister Matthew Groom said the Government was committed to encouraging new tourism experiences consistent with the proper protection of natural and cultural heritage.

He said environment groups would not be happy unless all of Tasmania's natural areas were locked up and unable to ever be considered for job-creating opportunities.

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