A licence to breed, i'm not aware when, i'm not entirely sure where, the location of the sixth/11th? hut could be part of the Lk Rodway proposal or somewhere new? hopefully not PV as well. From the project brief:
Description of proposal
Due to current high demand and anticipated further demand for commercial guided tours on the Overland Track and other high end multi day walking experiences within Tasmania, TWC propose a second hut‐based guided walk along the Overland Track. The six huts along the Overland Track will be carefully sited, and have external finishes designed to minimise visibility from surrounding peaks and tracks within the National Park. The design of the new huts will be the epitome of cutting edge sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible design. The design will minimise site disturbance whilst maximising foreground connectedness.
I think the reason is clear. As follows prudent business growth, they are making lots of money and want to make more?
Mechanic-AL wrote:I wouldn't say the tent platforms at Waterfall Valley were on the fringe or on an already degraded site.
And I was told in no uncertain terms that I wasn't permitted to use them which kinda makes them exclusive in my books.
The tour group that did use them seemed to have mood swings between using platforms or staying in the public huts for the duration of their walk.
It's unfortunate that you had a negative experience Mechanic-AL, it really is, i'd encourage you/anyone to share it with the management staff.
The group platform at WFV is indeed a former group campsite AL, or from the days before permits, the one commonly used (there was no formal division). There were a sprawl of sites back up the creek above the falls and the current site concentrates camping at the lower end of them (under the platforms was a tangle of roots and bare ground that we would juggle tents around between or over). This division would be easier to implement on SCT sites as the campsites generally spawl further, on more stable ground.
The platforms
are exclusive, to groups, to try and make the experience better for everyone else. Last news on sharing these platforms was that other
groups were to be using them. Clubs, schools and that, between commercial group use (that are restricted too and fund them). As you may expect there are some issues with pre-booking, perhaps the situation has changed? There was, at one stage, some confusion among the resident hut wardens as to who to let use them and who was booked to arrive, with groups booked in and arriving late to find a friendly hut warden had let someone spread out up there, the only place tour groups should really be.. Wouldn't hurt to have their use explained/made clearer for everyone involved, especially at WFV given the lack of other public platforms.
I doubt whether any of the common tour groups would be swapping between huts and campsites. On occasion you may see them taking an end at Pelion for cooking if there are very few on the track. Occasionally cooking in Bert Nichols in the outer room. Bad form anywhere else, and not really necessary anywhere, with the rare exception of individual members with genuine reason. Maybe a new operator or community group*?
* and i'm not sure whether school/club groups are actually restricted to the group sites, they may be allowed random hut use.