Frenchman’s Cap hike books out after new restrictions

One of the state’s most popular bushwalks is booked solid for weeks after the Parks Service introduced a permit system. SEE HOW THIS CHANGES YOUR PLANS >>

One of the state’s most popular bushwalks is booked solid after the Parks Service introduced a permit system, limits on walker numbers and restrictions on camping.

Just ten walkers are being permitted to set out on the Frenchman’s Cap walk each day and are being limited to staying for three nights.

A new voluntary permit system for that walk is already fully booked for weeks in advance.

The system came into effect with little fanfare earlier this month for 14 popular walks after consultation with local bushwalking clubs.

Numbers have been capped at 48 walkers for the popular Walls of Jerusalem with a maximum stay of three nights and at 20 for Lake Rhona, with a maximum stay of two nights.

Walkers on the Overland Track and the Three Capes track are already required to pay for a permit before departure on top of Park entry fees.

Permits are not yet required for the South Coast Track or for daywalks.

Parks and Wildlife Service chief Jason Jacobi said the permit system was introduced as walker numbers boomed.

“We know that our walks are incredibly popular at the moment for Tasmanian’s and even with border restrictions across many states we are expecting high numbers,” he said.

“This will only increase when borders re-open.

“We have to take reasonable measures to manage daily departures to match available campsites.

“In consultation with walking clubs, climbers, and based on specialist advice from our ranger staff we have designed a registration system that maintains the same volume of use as in previous years, but limits daily departures to numbers that we know will be sustainable”.

A Parks and Wildlife Service spokeswoman said the new registration system was voluntary but strongly encouraged

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“PWS will not be enforcing departures through fines or penalties, she said.

“The registration system serves to inform and educate walkers on when a walk is full and the online system makes it easy to register or change a booking.

“Camping outside of designated campsites is actively discouraged. Penalties will apply to walkers deliberately damaging vegetation or creating new campsites.

“This is why the registration system is being implemented to avoid the chance of this occurring. Walkers are being asked to adopt ’Leave no Trace’ principles.

“PWS Track Rangers will be deployed on remote walks over this season to provide safety information and to monitor walker numbers.

Tasmanian National Parks Association president Nicholas Sawyer said the plan appeared well intentioned, although its execution has been rushed.

“They should have been developing this 12 months ago,” he said.

“It would have given them far more opportunity to make people aware of it, explain to people why it was necessary and how it was going to work, test out the IT infrastructure, which I fully expect will fall in a heap as soon as there’s substantial use of it.

“It’s free and it’s voluntary at the moment.

“But the most obvious direction for it to go, if it’s going to be effective in the long run is that bookings going to become mandatory to reduce overcrowding and once it becomes mandatory, there’s going to be at least a temptation to stick up a fee on it as well.”

Parks Minister Jacquie Petrusma said there no current plans to charge people to walk on the affected tracks.

“I share the same view of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service that there are no plans for new charges on these walks.”

Three years on, bushfire affected tracks still closed

SOME of Tasmania’s most iconic bushwalks are expected to remain closed for months longer as work continues to fix damage from the 2018/19 bushfires.

Large areas of national park and associated infrastructure were destroyed by a series of fires which burned through 210,000 hectares.

The fires caused damage to 117 kilometres of walking tracks, along with 119 kilometres of roads, bridges and other Parks and Wildlife Service assets.

Then Environment and Parks Minister Roger Jaensch said in July last year work on the Mt Anne Circuit would be finished by December.

A Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman said the new target was now this coming December.

“There are a number of tracks that have been attended to and reopened following the 2018-2019 fires including Lake Rhona, Farmhouse Creek and a section of the Western Arthurs via Moraine K,” the spokeswoman said.

The range is currently closed east of West Portal.

“Final work including completion of new stairs are underway at Mount Anne with an expected opening in December this year.

“Three track work teams have been rebuilding Lake Judd and Mt Anne tracks with over five kilometres of timber planking, 20 bridges, about 4000 steps and 400 waterbars completed in the past 14 months.”

The Eastern and Western Arthurs are considered one of Australia’s best bushwalks, attracting visitors from all over the world for their wilderness values and rugged views.

Work was continuing on other tracks to bring them back into service, Parks said.

“PWS has contracted 24 Tasmanian businesses to supply an extensive range of materials from treated timber, metal plates, chicken wire, bugle screws, gravel, fibre-reinforced polymer sheeting and tent platforms during the rebuilding of the tracks that were impacted by fire.

“The rebuilding of tracks has not been without its challenges with Phytophthora cinnamomi (rootrot fungus) discovered on the Eastern Arthur Range.

“As a result, the PWS has undertaken mitigation steps to reduce the spread of the disease, including track diversions.

“The Eastern Arthur Range Traverse — between Hanging Lake and Cracroft Plains — and the Western Arthur Range Traverse (north/east of West Portal) are closed while this work is undertaken, with a planned reopening in late autumn 2022.

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Originally published as Frenchman’s Cap hike books out after new restrictions