Lack of planning oversight
Ever increasing visitor numbers and lobbying from commercial operators for increased access are putting additional pressure on Tasmania’s national parks and reserves. The Tasmanian Government’s response is not to rigorously plan to ensure their protection but to ‘unlock’ these areas by weakening planning controls and reducing opportunities for public involvement in planning decisions.
Planning issues
- Issues re developments outside national parks 2020
- Set public scrutiny in concrete – change the RAA process 2019
- Proposed planning legislation for reserved land in Tasmania 2018
- Why Tasmania needs a statutory process to control development on reserved land
Tourism & development proposals
- Tyndall Range ‘Next Iconic Walk’ Feasibility Study 2021
- Proposed Cradle Mountain Cableway 2021
- UNESCO decision re tourist development process for TWWHA 2021
- Tyndalls proposed as Next Iconic Walk – background report 2020
- Lake Rodway commercial hut proposal 2020
- Letter to Minister re TWWHA Tourism Master Plan concerns & reply 2019
- Concerns re Tourism Master Plan for TWWHA 2018
- Commercial tourism in Tasmania’s wilderness threatens the attraction it exploits
- Submission re revised draft Freycinet Master Plan 2019
- Submission re draft Freycinet Master Plan 2018
- Submission re draft Dove Lake Development Proposal & EIS 2018
- Cradle Mountain Visitor Experience Master Plan 2016
- Tasmanian Tourism – What Future?
- Tasmanian Nature-based Tourism – World Leader or Mediocrity?
- Environmentally Sustainable Tourism Principles – a starting point
- Letter to Minister Groom re criteria for EOI process for tourism developments in national parks 2014
- Submission re Maria Island Ecotourism Feasibility Study 2013
- Media Release re national park tourism 2004
Lake Malbena
- International Journal of Wilderness paper re Lake Malbena 2021
- Supreme Court Full Bench decision re appeal of RMPAT decision 2021
- Supreme Court decision re appeal of RMPAT decision 2020
- RMPAT decision re Lake Malbena Planning Appeal 2019
- Lake Malbena tourist development proposal – background & summary
- Report on Central Highlands Council decision re Lk Malbena development proposal 2019
- Submission re Development Application for tourist accommodation at Lake Malbena 2019
- Critique of RAA for proposed Lake Malbena development 2018
- Assessment of impact of tourism development on wilderness at Lake Malbena 2018
- Lk Malbena development proposal 2018 – who is responsible for what?
- Lk Malbena development proposal briefing notes & EPBC referral 2018
- PWS correspondance re Lake Malbena tourist development proposal 2018
Three Capes Track
The Tasmanian Government proposed to develop a Three Capes Walk within Tasman National Park in 2007. The style of development proposed, subsequent planning, environmental impact and the scale of construction all left much to be desired. The link below contains a collection of TNPA’s campaign and related material on the issue.

Waterfall Valley, Cradle Mountain – Lk St Clair National Park. Photo: Grant Dixon
“If we can revise our attitudes towards the land under our feet; if we can accept a role of steward and depart from the role of conqueror; if we can accept the view that man and nature are inseparable parts of the unified whole – then Tasmania can be a shining beacon in a dull, uniform and largely artificial world.”