The Rosny Hill Friends Network is challenging the Premier and Minister for Parks Will Hodgman to make a public statement about his government’s role in a proposed tourism development on Rosny Hill Nature Recreation Area.
The call comes in response to an application for a huge development including two – 200 seat restaurants, 200 seat function centre and 102 accommodation units all capable of placing 900 people on the small reserve at any one time.
“We have formally approached the government three times about zoning but they have continually avoided their public responsibility, by saying to us “go and talk to Clarence Council” as the managers of the reserve.”
“But the government as land owner have a major say in the process, and we feel they’re hiding behind Council. “Where proposed developments involve the use of Crown land, the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act requires applications for planning permits to Council to be accompanied by the consent of the Minister responsible for administering the Crown land.”
“Is Minister Hodgman planning to revoke Rosny Hill’s reserve status as a Nature Recreation Area so that the tourism development may be built?”
“And has the Clarence City Council or their developer Robert Morris-Nunn approached the Premier with a request to revoke Rosny Hill Reserve’s status as a Nature Recreation Area?”
Currently the reserve is designated as a Nature Recreation Area under the Nature Conservation Act. A Nature Recreation Area is declared by the State Government because it is ’(a) predominantly in a natural state; or (b) containing sensitive natural sites of significance for recreation.’ The objectives of Nature Recreation Areas are defined by Schedule 1 of the National Parks and Reserves Act 2002.
“The proposed huge development is also unlikely to be consistent with the management objectives for the Nature Recreation Area.”
“Rosny Hill is an important site for biodiversity and much vegetation would be cleared by the developer. It is presently valued and enjoyed by the community as a place to go and walk and relax and this would be impacted by large numbers of tourists and huge increases in traffic.”
“Nature Recreation Areas can include tourism, but only when consistent with conserving the area’s natural and cultural values. The community has been looking after this place for generations, and our concerns are also for future generations. It is places like Rosny Hill with for example its endangered flora species that make Tasmania so unique.”
“So, we challenge Minister Hodgman to make a public statement about what we feel is his government’s obvious ongoing desire to have crown land in Tasmania sold and privatized, or leased for say 99 years (a virtual sale), without any public consultation. We wish to hear him say his government will protect Rosny Hill as a Nature Recreation Area, and oppose a major tourism development there.”
