Lake Malbena proponents say they have received death threats

The couple behind the Lake Malbena proposal have revealed just how far the personal threats have gone and the toll the public response has had on their family.

Daniel and Simone Hackett who are the proponents of a luxury camp on Halls Island in the Walls of Jerusalem. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

THE man who wants to build a helicopter-accessed standing camp within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area says he and his wife have received death threats because of their proposal.

Wild Drake co-owner Daniel Hackett on Thursday told ABC Hobart the strong public response to his contentious eco-tourism proposal had taken a heavy toll on him and his wife Simone.

“It’s shocking,” Mr Hackett said.

“We’ve got death threats quite often and things like that.

”That’s not normal, that’s not acceptable, but that’s what’s happening.”

Wild Drake had applied to construct four helicopter-accessed demountable pods on Halls Island, which sits on Lake Malbena within the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. The site falls within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The Central Highlands Council blocked Wild Drake’s development application at a public meeting in February on the grounds it did not comply with the area’s planning scheme.

Wild Drake has appealed that decision in the Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal, which started hearings on Monday.

Mr Hackett — whose appeal has been joined by the state’s Environment Department and the Attorney-General — said he understood why people opposed his proposal and he had “no problem with anyone wanting to protect our state”.

But he suggested misinformation through the media and green groups was feeding the opposition, which he said largely centred on processes outside his control.

The Lake Malbena project has been viewed as a test case for further development within Tasmania’s protected wilderness.

“In terms of the thin edge of the world, if you want to use that old-fashioned sloganism, I’m definitely the meat in the sandwich,” Mr Hackett said.

“There’s nothing I can do about that unfortunately.”

The hearings into the Lake Malbena proposal continue at RMPAT on Friday.

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