Coles Bay locals and businesses dismiss calls for tourist cap in Freycinet Master Plan

Coles Bay appears divided on whether a cap is needed on visitor numbers entering Freycinet National Park.

Picnic Island, Freycinet, Tasmania. Picture: Carmel Boyd

COLES Bay appears divided on whether a cap is needed on visitor numbers entering Freycinet National Park.

Calls for a controlling mechanism on tourists visiting the increasingly popular tourist destination resurfaced on Wednesday as the State Government launched its long-awaited Freycinet Master Plan.

But several local business operators have dismissed the idea of a cap and praised the plan for not being a “one stop solution”.

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Freycinet Master Plan steering committee chair David Reed said the panel thought a lot about it but decided not to include a cap.

“I look at it as a simplistic and blunt instrument — it has far too many down sides,” he said.

“If there was a downturn in visitors next year we wouldn’t need a cap.”

Wineglass Bay, Freycinet. Picture: Supplied

Mr Reed said the plan was flexible document which they would revisit every few years and if it was determined a control mechanism was needed it could be implemented in the future. He said shifting the car park to outside the park made “eminently good sense” and hoped the future transport system could include an aqua taxi solution.

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Freycinet Adventures sea kayaking operator Susan Carins said those pushing for a cap were yet to provide any practical solutions to managing visitors.

“Are they talking about a limit on visitors to the park per day, per walk, and how would they manage boat users,” she said.

“Sure the community don’t all agree 100 per cent on the finer details. However, at the heart of this process and at the core of the document is protection for Freycinet. We will continue to work with the plan to refine the initiatives as they are rolled out — it gives both the community and business a framework to move forward and get some changes in Coles Bay.”

Ms Carins said a shuttle bus was a way of managing visitors without controlling or limiting numbers.

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All4Adventure quad bike tours owner Sam Jaenschke said he didn’t think capping numbers was the answer.

“It’s a really complex issue, there’s no black and white answer,” he said.

“It needs to be adaptable — we need some sort of document to start with otherwise there will be no funding for our area at all.”

Environment, Parks and Heritage Minister Peter Gutwein said the plan should stand the test of time for the next 20 years.

“We believe over the period of the master plan that the investment proposed and the way we are looking to manage visitors into the park there is no need for a cap,” Mr Gutwein said.

Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Debbie Wisby said the plan was not set in concrete for the next 20 years.

“If what’s being proposed doesn’t alleviate some areas then adjustments can be made,” she said.

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