‘Next Iconic Walk’ scaled back
A state government media release on 1 March 2025 and corresponding article in The Mercury confirm that the government is still pursuing their ill-considered Next Iconic Walk proposal in the Tyndall Range. The TNPA has previously criticised this project for a range of reasons (see here).
The changes announced (more accommodation pods and abandoning the separate campsite in favour of tent platforms adjacent to the two huts) will reduce the number of overnight nodes from 3 to 2 but will result in even more separate structures at Lakes Huntley and Mary.
It is also alarming to note that “commercial opportunities utilising the public huts may be considered in the future “. Could this be the first step down the slippery slope to privatisation?
The TNPA calls on the state government to prepare and release an updated cost-benefit study which will surely show that the expenditure of public funds on the proposed Next Iconic Walk cannot be justified.