Lake Malbena standing camp proposal is not luxurious, says proponent

A proposed tourism venture in the state’s Wilderness World Heritage Area would cost thousands of dollars per person, but the proponents have denied it is a luxury venture.

A PROPOSED tourism venture for Lake Malbena may come with a high price tag, but it is not luxurious, says the proponent.

In February, the Central Highlands Councils rejected Daniel and Simone Hackett of Wild Drake Pty Ltd’s plans to develop a helicopter-accessed standing camp on Halls Island, on Lake Malbena, in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. The area is within the protected Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The State Government amended the TWWHA management plan partly to allow for the development.

COUNCIL REJECTS LAKE MALBENA PROPOSAL

PROPONENTS TO APPEAL AGAINST COUNCIL KNOCKBACK

PARKS AND WILDLIFE JOINS MALBENA APPEAL

COUNCIL YET TO EXPLAIN MALBENA REFUSAL

The council’s decision was made against the advice of its planner and the proponents have appeal against the decision to the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal.

A five-day hearing began in Hobart on Monday.

Lake Malbena development proponents Simone and Daniel Hackett at the Central Highlands Council meeting where the proposal was voted down in February. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

Attorney-General Elise Archer’s lawyer Paul Turner has previously argued that the Land Use and Planning Approvals Act did not apply to reserved land covered by a management plan.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL QUIET ON LAKE MALBENA ADVICE

The issue of whether the planning tribunal had the jurisdiction to hear the appeal was put to the side while the hearing proper began.

Under questioning, Cumulous Studio architect Todd Henderson said the pods were not demountable, but built to be moved in and out of the site in one piece.

He said they were tent-like in that they were small with minimal openings.

GALLERY: HALLS ISLAND STANDING CAMP PROPOSAL

An artist’s impression of one of the accommodation pods at the proposed standing camp at Lake Malbena. Picture: CUMULUS STUDIO

The tribunal heard the predicted net profit for Wild Drake for the project was $200,000 a year at 25 trips each year.

The price tag for the four-day experience was about $4250 a person.

“The only way you can do this low-volume product is with a high price tag,” Mr Hackett said.

An image from the development application for a standing camp on Halls Island on Lake Malbena showing the layour of the pods.

Barrister for the Wilderness Society Tasmania and Tasmanian National Parks Association, Juliet Forsyth, asked if the Lake Malbena accommodation would be more luxurious than Mr Hackett’s existing business Riverfly in the western lakes area.

“No, I don’t think so — it’s about the experience away from the camp — it’s not about the buildings,” he said.

“I don’t think a 10-litre canvas tent shower is luxurious.”

The Wilderness Society’s acting campaign manager Tom Allen said after the hearing there had been a lack of transparency in the process up until the hearing.

“I think it’s pretty clear from the evidence today that what’s proposed is not a standing camp — they are tent-like structures that are temporary and what’s proposed here is luxury accommodation with showers that would be permanent,” he said.