Economy
Cape crusaders unmoved
CONSERVATION and bushwalking groups remain opposed to the $33 million Three Capes Track, despite five years of hard-sell from the State Government.
The Parks and Wildlife Service has received eight group and 23 individual submissions on the Draft Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan for the walk.
But in submissions obtained by the Mercury, key groups remain opposed to the plan, saying it will lock out local walkers, damage the environment and fail to deliver the benefits claimed by those backing the 68km five-night hut-based walk.
The Tasmanian National Parks Association is continuing to lead a campaign against the walk under the banner “Keep the Capes Wild”.
“Few people know that this project will involve the destruction of threatened plants and threatened vegetation communities, will inevitably spread the plant-killing disease phytophthora and will potentially disturb 17 nesting eagle pairs,” association president Robert Campbell said. “There are in effect nine overnight nodes and each will also have a footprint equivalent to around 11 suburban house blocks.”
The Tasmanian Conservation Trust says the economic rationale for the track will fail if it does not attract 10,000 people a year significantly more walkers than the world-famous Overland Track.
“A failure of the business case would affect the income from the Three Capes Track and this would have direct implications for PWS’s resourcing for maintenance of Three Capes Track infrastructure and protection of environmental and heritage values,” the trust’s submission reads.
“The TCT opposes the Three Capes Track in its current form due to unacceptable impacts on the environmental and heritage values of the Tasman National Park.”
Bushwalking Tasmania and the Hobart Bushwalking Club say the track plan will restrict access to local walkers and said the Parks service ..
Earlier on Tasmanian Times: Bob Brown: All the eggs in one basket