*Pic: The Avalon Coastal Retreat on Tassie’s East Coast
A total of 25 eco-tourism projects will proceed to Stage 2 of the Hodgman Liberal Government’s EOI process.
With four more projects invited to proceed to the next stage today, I have now completed assessment of all 37 proposals submitted to the EOI process.
While there is still a long way to go for all these projects to come to fruition, together they represent the greatest influx of tourism projects ever put forward in Tasmania, made possible simply by the Liberal Government opening the door to ideas.
The 25 projects are distributed across all regions of Tasmania, with 10 proposed for the West and North-West, eight in the South and South-West, two in the North-East and five on the East Coast. A total of 15 projects are located in or on the edge of the TWWHA.
The proponents who have presented these ideas include people with outstanding established credentials in eco-tourism.
The scaremongering from certain quarters about theme parks, casinos and multi-story hotels in the World Heritage Area have been unfounded – as we said they were from the beginning.
We have a goal to transform Tasmania into the environmental tourism capital of the world, to create jobs for Tasmanians and help reach a target of 1.5 million visitors a year by 2020. We want to give more Tasmanians and visitors the opportunity to experience our unique, world class wilderness areas.
It is extremely important to note that proceeding to Stage 2 does not amount to a final approval for a proposal. Stage 2 involves a more rigorous assessment of each proposal. For successful proposals, negotiations will then be entered into for appropriate lease or licence arrangements. Successful proponents will also be required to obtain all other necessary statutory approvals as required under existing State and Commonwealth law.
As previously announced, there are 12 proposals that have not been invited through to Stage 2 on the basis that they did not adequately meet the criteria of being sensitive and appropriate to the site in question or able to be financed and operated sustainably.
Projects invited today to proceed to Stage 2:
• Mr Simon French, Dirt Art – Maydena Adventure Experience, Eagles Eyrie/Abbots Peak. The Maydena Adventure Experience will use the current Eagles Eyre infrastructure to develop a world-class mountain bike trail centre, with a range of ancillary adventure activities, which may include bush walking, zip lines, eco and sightseeing tours, and gourmet experiences. Dirt Art has initiated discussions with a range of experienced adventure activity providers and investors regarding this project, all of which have proven experience working in this area, often working alongside mountain bike trail development with Dirt Art.
• Mr John Ellerm, The Sun Stand Pty Ltd – ‘Kintail’, French’s Farm, Maria Island National Park. The development is a standing base camp for the proponent’s four day walking tour of Maria Island and will provide accommodation for the guests. The development consists of eco cabins and outdoors kitchen / dining and retreat. The development will be operated on a walk in / walk out tour basis for our guided groups. The services at the location are to provide a nature-based destination, so that visitors can experience the natural beauty of the island and its wildlife inhabitants.
• Mr Roger Corbin and Mrs Susan Stanley, Rotor-Lift Aviation – Helicopter Landing Sites at Freycinet Peninsula & Tasman Island. This proposal is for the provision of access to Freycinet Peninsula & Tasman Island by helicopter. To facilitate this and to ensure a safe and sustainable operation, it is proposed that 3 new helipads will be built. In addition to facilitating tourism opportunity it is anticipated this proposal will provide for improved remote access for emergency evacuation and emergency services, transport and medical supplies; aerial fire protection; National Parks track maintenance; and aerial media for regional promotion.
• Ms Brett Torossi, Avalon Coastal Retreat Pty Ltd – Avalon Ocean Pavilion. Avalon Coastal Retreat is an existing successful, iconic tourism development. The retreat is perched on a headland, overlooking Great Oyster Bay on Tasmania’s East Coast. Avalon Pavilion will build on this established, successful demand by providing a new and exciting small scale, intimate space for celebrations. The Pavilion will be an international experience but remain quintessentially Tasmanian. This proposal involves construction of a small stone pavilion that is inspired by the iconic, ocean-side Kelvedon boat house and the historic brick barn on Maria Island. The land is contained within the Mayfield Conservation Coastal Reserve that has no Management Plan and is therefore guided by the general provision of coastal reserves that allow for sensitive and appropriate tourism related activities.
Further details about each of the proposals invited to proceed to Stage 2 can be found on the Coordinator-General’s website at http://www.cg.tas.gov.au
• ABC Wrap: Helipad on Tasman Island among latest tourism pitches for national parks projects
