Halls Island helicopter tourism project at Lake Malbena under fire

IT IS up to the Tasmanian community to defend the state’s wilderness areas from “commercial exploitation”, a rally against a tourism development in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park was told yesterday.

Lake Malbena in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. Picture: SUPPLIED

IT IS up to the Tasmanian community to defend the state’s wilderness areas from “commercial exploitation”, a rally against a tourism development in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park was told yesterday.

The protest rally was organised by the Fishers and Walkers Against Helicopter Access group and comes after the Wilderness Society launched legal action to challenge the Federal Government’s approval of the Halls Island project at Lake Malbena.

A directions hearing is expected to be held in the Federal Court in the next few weeks on what will be the society’s first legal challenge since Gunn’s failed pulp mill project.

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor said the rally in Launceston attracted fishers, walkers and people from across the community.

“Only the community can defend the wilderness from commercial exploitation. The State and Federal Government have abandoned it,” Ms O’Connor said.

“It was not your normal conservation crowd here today. It shows the broad level of concern there is over keeping the wilderness how we love it.”

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Halls Island proponents Daniel and Simone Hackett say their project is small-scale, sympathetic, had passed almost four years of scientific assessments and there would be no flights over significant remote angling waters.

FWAHA founder Brett Smith said there were over 30,000 licensed inland recreation anglers whose voices should be heard.

He said the group was not against tourism developments, but believed the experience would be reduced for visitors who couldn’t afford to fly in by helicopter.

Mr Hackett said the FWAHA group was about creating a Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area free from mechanised access.