Mt Wellington zipline plan open for public comment

A 1.2km zip line down the front of kunanyi/Mt Wellington is an adventure activity compatible with the area’s management plan and should be approved by Hobart City Council, its proponents say.

Images taken from planning documents for the proposed Mt Wellington zip line.

A 1.2km zip line down the front of kunanyi/Mt Wellington is an adventure activity compatible with the area’s management plan and should be approved by Hobart City Council, its proponents say.

A development application for the proposal lodged with the council has been released for public comment.

The documents reveal developers TAZZIP expect more than 200 people a day to take the opportunity to spend a minute and twenty seconds zooming down the mountain.

The proposed development includes a 25m tower at the Springs at the start of the zip line and a 12m high landing platform, a new track and staircase near Strickland Falls and would operate from 8.30am until 4.30pm daily.

Zipline proponents Jenny Abel, Shane Abel and town planer Frazer Read during community consultation at the Fern Tree Community Hall. Picture: Chris Kidd

Those using the attraction would park in a new carpark to be built at Halls Saddle and be ferried up the Pinnacle road in minibuses.

The proposal takes in land owned by the Hobart city Council, and Cascade Brewery.

“The proposed zip line furthers the Management Plan objectives to enhance adventure tourism opportunities,” the application says.

“The proposal has been carefully sited to avoid and mitigate visual impacts as well as avoid and mitigate impacts on natural values.

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assesment prepared for the project says the proposed zip line “with its careful siting and design adheres to relevant policies and minimises potential visual impacts on people and places”.

“The proposal is considered visually compatible with Wellington Park and within the acceptable magnitude of change

“The two parallel cables that suspend each rider as they glide across the tops of the canopies are linked only at the top and bottom anchor points, so there are no intermediate towers impacting the exiting landscape.

“The lower Landing Platform nestles into the forested area above and away from Strickland Falls.”

Images taken from planning documents for the proposed Mt Wellington zip line.

Greens member for Clark Vica Bayley said his party was opposed to the plan, as they were to the previous failed proposal for a cablecar.

“Many have already expressed their dismay at another commercial project seeking to privatise parts of the mountain and its impact on the visitor amenity with built structures, noise, environmental and other impacts,” Mr Bayley said.

“The Aboriginal community is on the record rejecting this proposal and, following the controversy of the cable car, we know many locals will be similarly opposed.

“Kunanyi is a living Aboriginal cultural landscape and precious local reserve for recreation and solace, not a theme park.

“This kind of private commercial development has no place in any of Tasmania’s parks and reserves, including Kunanyi.”

Public representations on the plan close on February 19.

Originally published as Mt Wellington zipline plan open for public comment