Federal Environment Department reveals number of flights for Lake Malbena tours

The federal Environment Department has revealed how many helicopter flights could be used to service each of the tours associated with a Walls of Jerusalem tourism development.

A fly fisherman casts from Halls Island on Lake Malbena, the proposed site of an exclusive luxury camping project. Picture: ROB BLAKERS

THE federal Environment Department says up to eight helicopter flights could service each of the 30 tours associated with a Walls of Jerusalem tourism development if the controversial standing camp proposal gets the go-ahead from the Central Highlands Council.

The department this week released answers to questions on notice lodged by Tasmanian Labor senator Anne Urquhart on the proposed development on Halls Island, Lake Malbena, within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

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Wild Drake’s proposed helicopter-accessed standing camp was approved by the department in August, against the urgings of the Aboriginal Heritage Council, the Australian Heritage Council and the state’s National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council.

The department said this week that only the standing camp had been approved, with off-island activities, such as fishing, to be assessed at a later stage.

And it had been approved on the basis there would be 30 tours to Halls Island a year.

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“Each tour may involve a maximum of two helicopter return trips to deliver customers and staff, and a further two helicopter return trips to deliver customers and staff back to Derwent Bridge some four days later,” the department said. “An additional seven trips per year were estimated by the proponent for separate servicing and maintenance flights.”

Proponent Daniel Hackett has previously said helicopter access was a more environmentally friendly way of accessing the Halls Island site as it would protect endangered bogs and fens.

He has also repeatedly said UNESCO sites such as Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef are accessed by helicopter, and that the area has been accessed by humans for decades.

Briefing documents show the department approved the proposal because the proponents had agreed to a range of measures aimed at protecting the area.

The Wilderness Society is challenging the process of approval in the Federal Court.

The Central Highlands Council will next assess the proposal.