News & Media Releases
Current or topical items related to our ongoing campaigns.
New Lake Malbena book
The new book by nature writer and fishing guide Greg French, 'Wild Heart of Tasmania', is a collection of stories about Tasmania’s Western Lakes wilderness, centred around Lake Malbena, the location of a controversial proposed heli-tourism development. It is an inspirational tale for those who love wild places and wild life, and a cautionary one for those who believe Australia’s national parks to be well protected and its democracy sacrosanct.
Cradle Mountain Cableway – Good riddance!
The cableway proposal was part of the thought bubble called the 2016 Cradle Master Plan. The state government has recently been advised by the federal government that the funding commitment (the $30 million) has been withdrawn since the Tasmanian Government failed to provide the required information by 28 April 2023.
Lake Malbena: Latest process lacks integrity
The latest submission from the proponent of a helicopter-accessed tourism development at remote Lake Malbena, seeking federal approval, has not engaged with the concerns of the 1000s of stakeholders who wrote to him last year, and the whole process lacks integrity due to his treatment of these representations.
New Viewing Shelter at Dove Lake
PWS’s substantial new viewing shelter at Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain, was opened with considerable fanfare last week. Its construction was a missed opportunity but the government’s future plans are even more alarming; an intrusive and unnecessary cableway to replace the shuttle bus service.
Lake Malbena heli-tourism proposal – submissions required
The proponent of a heli-tourism development at Lk Malbena has recently made a call for the public to comment on its proposal, with responses required by 19 October 2022. This is a test case on the right to develop wilderness.
Lake Malbena developer still seeking approvals
Daniel Hackett is still attempting to obtain approval to construct his proposed helicopter accessed lodge at Lk Malbena. This has dragged on for four years, with no social license. The Federal Environment Minister should halt the current farcical consultation process.
Our Journal
Our journal, TNPA News, is published twice a year. It aims to provide informative articles on issues related to national parks and other reserves, as well as updates on our activities and campaigns. Below are links to recent issues.
TNPA News No 35 – Autumn 2023
This issue of TNPA News contains a photo feature on Tasmania's 'forgotten wilderness', the 139,000 hectare Spero - Wanderer region left out of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area south of Macquarie Harbour.
TNPA News No 34 – Spring 2022
This issue of TNPA News celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, describing the struggle that led to its initial World Heritage listing in 1982, as well as subsequent campaigns that gave rise to major expansions in the protected area in 1989 and 2013.
TNPA News No 33 – Autumn 2022
In this issue, we describe the history of Tasmania’s national park system, and note the centenary of one of Tasmania’s most famous parks. It is apparent that tourism development issues are not new, and disturbing current trends are noted. But there are also encouraging results from a recent national poll.
Reports & Submissions
We make formal and informal representations on a range of issues concerning national park and reserve management and also prepare periodic reports on related subjects. Below are links to some recent reports and submissions.
Draft Aboriginal Lands Amendment Bill
The consultation draft of this Bill misses an opportunity to facilitate benefits to both Aboriginal people's well-being and conservation land management, even though it proposes to enable reserved land to be declared Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Lands Act 1995.
Trout in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area
Where introduced trout have successfully established themselves the ecological damage has been done and cannot be undone. This makes the protection of the ecological integrity of the remaining trout-free waters in the TWWHA and elsewhere in Tasmania all the more important.
Tourism Strategy
We welcome the acknowledgement of the finite capacities of our natural areas and recommendations for research to understand “carrying capacity, cumulative impact, limits and thresholds”. Our major concern is the disconnect between this call for evidence-based planning and the unchallenged emphasis throughout the rest of the Key Directions Paper on growing visitor numbers.
Forgotten wilderness: the Spero – Wanderer region
The Spero - Wanderer region is a 139,000 hectare tract of wild country south of Macquarie Harbour and west of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) that has been left out of the TWWHA.
Lake Malbena: Latest process lacks integrity
The latest submission from the proponent of a helicopter-accessed tourism development at remote Lake Malbena, seeking federal approval, has not engaged with the concerns of the 1000s of stakeholders who wrote to him last year, and the whole process lacks integrity due to his treatment of these representations.
Wellington Park Draft Visitor Recreation Strategy
The Wellington Park Draft Visitor and Recreation Strategy is a welcome and timely document and TNPA is generally supportive of the approach proposed although we remain concerned about the low priority given to management of visitor numbers.
The Tasmanian National Parks Association offers an independent voice for Tasmania’s national parks and reserves, to ensure they are managed for the conservation of the values for which they were proclaimed.