NEW MOVE TO PROTECT FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK

The yellow area denotes the Coles Bay Visitor Service Zone within Freycinet National Park. Proposed management amendments would remove a longstanding policy that protects this zone from expanded and additional private leases for commercial purposes.

Business owners, residents and shack owners are launching the Freycinet Action Network Facebook page as an information and networking hub for people concerned about the proper management and over development of the Freycinet National Park, such as new heli-tourism and the proposed expansion of RACT’s Lodge and its construction of a high-end caravan park.

As a first post, the page will publish a graphic image of the true extent of the Hodgman Government’s plans to open the Coles Bay Visitor Services Zone to new commercial leases and tourism development.

“People from all over the world visit Freycinet Peninsula for its incredible beauty and wonderful natural values. We must maintain an authentic visitor experience and protect what’s special about this area,” said local shack owner and park user Sophie Underwood.

While the Government has commenced the process to change the park’s management plan to facilitate RACT’s proposal, a close read of the amendments reveals that it also intends to remove a longstanding restriction on new leases for built tourism development across the entire Coles Bay Visitor Services Zone.

“Everybody loves Freycinet and people will be shocked to see the full extent of the Hodgman Government’s proposal to remove protections for Freycinet,” said Ms Underwood.

“The removal of this protection opens the door for new leases and a whole range of built accommodation along the entire Coles Bay foreshore and under the Hazards. This will effectively open the zone for development in the most used and over-developed section of the entire National Park.

Local resident of 50 years and owner of Shucker’s Cottage’s, Andrea Cole questioned the process and asked what level of environmental impact assessments have been done, how the project will be assessed, the level of public consultation and if alternative options for the RACT have been explored.

“Giving additional exclusive access inside the park to RACT, or any private operator, will gift an unfair advantage that would could impact on viability of existing local businesses,” said Ms Cole.

“Freycinet National Park already struggles to cope with the boom in tourist numbers. Adding more accommodation inside the park makes no sense when the park hasn’t got the infrastructure in place to cope with the influx of visitors we are seeing already.

As well as the Freycinet Lodge expansion and high-end parking for motor homes, there is also a proposal for new helicopter tourism that will impact on visitor amenity across the peninsula. A second round of tourism EOI proposals will be opened up later in 2016.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/FreycinetActionNetwork/
Sophie Underwood, Andrea Cole