by bogholesbuckethats » Tue 30 Jul, 2019 1:38 pm
Debate over the best route for next iconic walk has started
Tasmania’s next iconic walk is still a concept but debate over its final route has already begun.
The Mercury
THE blades on the helicopter which took Premier Will Hodgman into the west coast wilderness on Friday had barely stopped spinning before debate began over the best route for a new walking track forecast to being 20,000 ecotourists into the region each year.
The Bob Brown Foundation has put up an alernate route for Tasmanias next iconic walk — one it says is both environmentally and scenically superior.
On Friday, Environment Minister Peter Gutwein announced the Tyndall Ranges, near Queenstown, had been selected from 35 destinations as the site of the next eco-tourism development to rival the Overland and Three Capes tracks.
Dr Brown says the foundation’s alternate route, which skirts the Tyndall Plateau to the east, will protect what he says is one of the most fragile alpine areas in the world, and provide a more robust experience with more scope to build walker’s huts.
The Wilderness Society’s Tom Allen agrees saying the alternative put forward was superior and be better accpeted by walkers.
“Whether its tourism, wood products or farmed fish, people increasingly want to know whether the fundamentals of products are ethical, sustainable and positive so any new walks need to stack up environmentally or risk being perceived as fake eco tourism,” Mr Allen said.
The former Greens leader also wants the new wilderness experience to be more inclusive than its predecessors.
“We urge the government to finetune this proposal and to spend the $20 million for a publicly-made and available Tyndalls Track rather than another top-end product out of the reach of punters,” Dr Brown said.
The concept, put forward by Destination West Coast, is only a concept at this stage.
Parks and Wildlife will conduct a feasibility study before deciding the walk’s final route, where huts might be located and how the area can best be both protected and enjoyed.
Anthony Brown from Destination West Coast says feedback was most welcome and he too thought the route could do with some tweaking.
“I flew over the area for the first time yesterday and thought there could be some changes based on what I saw from the air,” Mr Brown said.
“Nothing is in concrete at this stage and we are just happy the west coast has been chosen as the site of the next iconic walk. We also want I now describe as a magical place protected and controlled.
“Parks and Wildlife will now develop a walk that is best for walkers, the experience and the environment.”
Dr Brown says the Tyndall Ranges area is not only one of the most fragile alpine regions in the world it was also highly exposed in the coldest wet part of Australia and scenically marred by developments on all sides.
“The Foundation route improves the experience for walkers by taking them beneath the Tyndall plateau and through beautiful lake country while protected, by the magnificent ranges form the prevailing west and north-westerly rain and snow-bearing winds,” he said.
“Lake Huntley, the area the Premier’s helicopter landed in, is more scenic than standing atop the 300m cliff looking down. This is much the same as waterfalls being viewed better from the bottom than the top.”
Wilderness photographer Rob Blakers told Dr Brown the original concept would lead walkers through an area “essentially unvisited for six months of the year.”
“The Tyndalls are immediately adjacent to Mt Read, the location that we are all familiar with from weather reports as consistently receiving statewide maximum rainfall totals which are typically ten-fold any other location,” Mr Blakers said in a letter to the foundation.
“The proposed access by the northern ridge looks straightforward on the map but is anything but.
“Rock fissures and boulder fields line the ridge. The climb itself is about twice the height of the climb to Marion’s Lookout from Dove Lake. It is a serious and exposed climb, even in good weather.”
That looks like a pad.