Coles Bay vineyard ‘agritourism’ holiday experience likely to go ahead after tribunal win

A “winery style” holiday experience at Coles Bay, with cabins set next to a vineyard, will likely get the green light after an early setback last year. Check out the Wineglass Bay Estate’s plans >>

Plans are in place to construct a "winery style" holiday tourism experience at Coles Bay. Wineglass Bay Estate has now got provisional approval from the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Picture: realestate.com.au

A boutique “winery style” holiday experience, with cabins alongside a vineyard at Coles Bay, will likely get the green light to go ahead after an early setback.

Robert and Kim Alfeldi plan to establish a vineyard on a 21 hectare parcel of land between Coles Bay Road and Moulting Lagoon.

As part of their Wineglass Bay Estate “agritourism” proposal, they also hope to build eight visitor cabins, a cafe and cellar door, a four-bedroom home and a car park.

They would also demolish the existing structures on the land, which include a cottage and a shack, both with outbuildings.

Last year, the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council refused the Alfeldis’ development application on four key grounds, including contention over placing visitor accommodation in a rural area.

The Alfeldis appealed to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which heard fierce debate about whether a functioning vineyard at the location was even viable.

The tribunal ruled in favour of the Alfeldis, agreeing the visitor accommodation was required in a rural location, so the cabins could be in proximity to the vineyard.

The location at Coles Bay Road, near Moulting Lagoon. Picture: realestate.com.au

The tribunal heard the visitor accommodation would be of “modest scale” and not an “intense use” of the site, with the proposed cabins only covering 0.16 per cent of the land.

It noted there had been opposition to the development as it could impact duck hunting at the neighbouring Moulting Lagoon Reserve, given that pressures to ban duck hunting and concern over guest safety could arise.

The tribunal noted there was a law banning anyone from discharging a gun within 250 metres of a dwelling house, but found only a small area of the reserve would be affected by such restrictions near the cabins – and that duck hunting would not be affected by more than “a trivial degree”.

The tribunal also found the development met requirements to minimise or avoid impacts on the natural environment it was located in.

The tribunal said the council should be directed to issue a permit to the Alfeldis, but noted the council argued a vineyard might never be constructed, or that the vineyard could fail.

It agreed with a proposed condition that the visitor accommodation and cafe not go ahead until works were in place to establish a vineyard within a year.

However, it said it would not make a final determination until both sides either agreed on conditions or made submissions about how they should proceed.

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