L. Norman island.

[Buddy]

Has anyone been onto the island in L. Norman? Heard interesting things about it and trying to gather info. Cheers.

[Buddy]

Seriously? Nobody??

[doogs]

I had a look on The List and it appears to be covered in fagus when I messed around with the layering. Nothing else interesting appeared, what are you hoping for??

[north-north-west]

I passed close enough to Norman going from Oana to Layatinnah. All I saw on the island was a mass of scrub.

[Buddy]

My info. is that it has never been burnt and the veg. is amazing.

[NickMonk]

Looking at hi res aerial imagery it certainly appears to be significantly green on the island that the surrounds. I compared it to known areas of thick fagus and I reckon you're right - completely covered in fagus.

[DaveNoble]

Hmm.... I once heard a story about a lake out that way with an island. And on the island is a hut, and in the hut is a guitar.... something like that perhaps - it was many years ago when I heard this. And I think there is a boat moored which you can use to get to the island. It is possible that the lake involved is Lake Norman (it was certainly in that vicinity).

A lot of the lakes in that area have islands covered in fagus. The fagus on the islands have survived bush fires.

Dave

[Richard W]

I've paddled past the island on Lake Norman a few times - huge Pandanni but otherwise looks very scrubby.

The stand-out island in the area is Halls Island on Lake Malbena. It is a spectacular location with incredible original rainforest on it.

Unfortunately Riverfly 1864 are going to build a permanent standing camp on Halls Island, with helicopter access to a new helipad they are going to build just south of Lake Malbena.

Pretty extraordinary that they are able to do this inside the boundary Walls of Jerusalem WHA.

Stage II, according to the proposal, will be a new, presumably private, walking track to Mount Oana and Mary's Tarn, likewise inside the WHA.

I understand how the original owner was able to get a lease on Halls Island in 1955, and how that lease passed to his daughter.

What I don't understand is how Riverfly 1864 were able to get that lease transferred to them in the last few years. Shouldn't the lease have been transferred to the Government so Halls Island could be incorporated into the Walls of Jersualem National Park?

You can read all about the final form of the proposal at http://epbcnotices.environment.gov.au/p ... referrals/, number 2018/8177.

The proposal is for 30 trips a year - assuming 4 days per trip that essentially puts it off-limits to the public for 120 days a year.

Aside from that, the precedent for private developments in remove parts of the WHA where there are not even any formed tracks at present, and helicopter access for clients, is an extremely negative development in my view.

I've been visiting Halls Island most years since 1995 - I would be extremely sorry to see it developed as proposed.