New Operator Sought for Tahune Airwalk

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to ensuring that the State’s forestry business is on a path to financial sustainability.

That means focussing Forestry Tasmania (FT) on its core business of growing trees, managing land and selling wood.

In December, FT advised the Legislative Council Scrutiny Committee that it should not be in the tourism business and should not be running the Tahune Airwalk.

Forestry Tasmania’s Board advised the Government earlier this year that it planned to seek expressions of interest in the sale of the business as a going concern, including the lease of facilities.

Knight Frank has been engaged to handle the sale and advertising has begun, with the plan to conclude a sale in November to enable a new operator to hit the ground running for the summer tourist season.
It is important to note that this is not an asset sale as FT will retain ownership of the land and fixed assets.

Staff at the Airwalk have been advised and will be kept updated as the sale process proceeds, while the Huon Valley Council and the Tourism Industry Council have also been informed.

The disastrous policies of the previous Labor-Green government left FT in a financial mess, dependant on massive subsidies that took public funds from our hospitals, schools and police.

The Liberal Government has been very clear about the way forward; we want FT to concentrate on its core business and this sale will help achieve that.

This will also mean a dedicated tourism operator for the Tahune Airwalk, which is a great attraction in the State’s South.
Guy Barnett, Minister for Resources