QUICK FACTS
- Improve access to Mt Field to provide a year-round destination for tourists
- New walking track in Stanley and improved visitor experiences at the Nut State Reserve
- Develop a range of loop walks in the Dial Range
- Improved disability access in parks and reserves
- Deliver our Next Iconic Walk – the multi-day walk in the Tyndall Ranges
- $90 million in infrastructure investment underway in our parks and reserves
- New booking system for camping in Tasmanian parks and reserves
- A Threatened Species Fund to support conservation activities for priority species
Under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will:
- Invest in Parks amenities right across Tasmania.
- Make Mt Field a year-round visitor destination.
- Improve the visitor experience at The Nut State Reserve.
- Develop unique experiences in the Dial Range.
- Improve disability access in our Parks and Reserves.
- Continue to build our $40 million next Iconic Walk on the West Coast.
- Create a free, statewide camping system for information and booking campsites.
- Establish a Tasmanian Threatened Species Fund.
An important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is to continue to make Tasmania the best place to live, work and raise a family.
Our Parks are the cornerstone of our Visitor Economy
Our Parks and wilderness are a competitive strength of Tasmania and form the basis of the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy.
We recognise that we need to continually invest in our Parks to keep our competitive advantage we have in our natural environment.
The two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries will deliver a significant increase in capacity that is expected to lead to a big increase in visitors travelling around the state in recreational vehicles.
Through the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy we will deliver a plan for growth and a plan to manage growth sustainably by ensuring that the visitor economy continues to have a positive impact on our environment, economy and way of life.
A re-elected majority Tasmanian Liberal Government will invest an additional $12 million through the 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy to deliver on that plan.
This includes preparing for supporting Parks infrastructure, to service the projected increase in motorhome and campervan visitors, through the introduction of the two new Spirit of Tasmania ferries, which offer a significant opportunity for the visitor economy and Tasmania.
We will identify Parks sites right across Tasmania to improve infrastructure and amenities so that Tasmanians and tourists alike can enjoy our natural environment.
Enhancing the Visitor Experience
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will –
- Enhance Mt Field as a year-round destination, including improving access and facilitate transport options from the Visitor Centre to Lake Dobson, including during winter, and investigate options from Lake Dobson to the day shelter.
- Improve the visitor experience in Stanley at the Nut State Reserve which is a critical attraction for tourism in the North-West.We will improve signage and interpretation, delineate vehicle and pedestrian access, including developing a separate walking track from Godfrey’s Beach to the summit track.
- Improve recreation opportunities in the Dial Range with the development of a range of loop walks that offer a variety of features, degrees of difficulty and distance from key trailheads with walks commencing from Mt Montgomery and Ferndene trailheads a priority.
- Review the provision of disability access, facilities and mobility equipment at key Parks and Reserves sites, including popular beaches throughout the State.We will also implement a prioritised program of infrastructure and mobility equipment provision to ensure accessibility to a broad range of people, including mobility-impaired, vision-impaired, elderly, infirm and people with prams.Motorised wheelchairs and scooters are permitted within national parks and reserves.
We will also improve track standards and safety in the alpine area and provide small-scale, public huts for walkers.While requiring respect, this area is relatively small with existing tracks and a history of huts and lends itself as a play area to enjoy year-round if tracks are upgraded to a suitable safety standard with snow poles and modest, well-sited public huts.
We will also establish a walking track from the visitor car park to the wharf; install an all-abilities access section of the summit track to the base of the ascent to enrich the visitor experience; and replace the eastern-most lookout with a cantilevered lookout.
Re-routing sections of the Mt Dial Summit track (from the Mt Montgomery side) to capitalise on better view fields, scenic highlights and appropriate gradients; identifying opportunities for mountain bike trails; and improving the Mt Montgomery and Mt Gnomon car park facilities following site plans will all enhance the visitor experience.
TrailRider all-terrain wheelchairs are available at Cradle Mountain, Freycinet and Mt Field National Parks.TrailRiders enable visitors with mobility limitations to explore more rugged tracks where conventional wheelchairs would not be suitable.We will explore the scope of providing additional opportunities for TrailRiders away from these key areas, in particular on popular beach sites used by locals.
Continue to develop Tasmania’s next iconic walk
The Next Iconic Walk is a $40 million project to develop a new multi-day hut-based bushwalk in the Tyndall Ranges on the West Coast that aims to build on the success of the Overland Track and the Three Capes Track.
While the site is outside the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA), it is strikingly beautiful and showcases the area’s spectacular landscapes.
Multi-day walks epitomise Tasmania’s unique brand and visitors recognise this and travel to experience it and this commitment will enhance our reputation as one of the great walking destinations in Australia, if not the world.
The walk will deliver economic and social benefits to both the West Coast community and the state of Tasmania by creating a new walking experience that attracts visitors and encourages them to stay longer and spend more.
Continue to deliver outstanding experiences in our Parks and Reserves
This Liberal Government has a track record of investing in our Parks and Reserves. We built the now iconic Three Capes Track and we are continuing to provide outstanding experiences with over $90m investment already underway across the State.
These investments include:
- A further $14 million investment into the iconic Freycinet National Park and a new Visitor Gateway.
- Supporting tourism on Flinders Island with a $900,000 upgrade for camping and recreational vehicle access.
- Turning Ben Lomond into a year-round destination with a $2.8 million investment.
- Re-imagining Hastings Thermal Pool with a $3 million investment.
- Funding for the Maria Island Re-discovered Project with $6.8 million for Stage 3.
- Boardwalk replacement of the outstanding Tamar Island Wetlands Centre, with an investment of $2.8 million.
- Cockle Creek camp site upgrades with funding of $3 million.
- Investing in picturesque Cape Bruny with a $1.7 million upgrade.
- Revitalising the ‘Edge of the World’ experience at Arthur River with funding of $2.75 million.
- Completing Horsetail Falls Trail at Queenstown with $600,000 in funding.
- Investing in the jewel of the Derwent Valley, the Mt Field National Park with $1.8 million to create a new arrival concourse.
- Improving access to the Black River Day Use Area by upgrading Spion Kop Road.
- Progressed our $10 million investment in sustainable off road vehicle access in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area and West Coast.
- funding actions identified by the National Maugean Skate Recovery Team, in addition to the existing captive breeding program;
- implementing the new National Swift Parrot Recovery Plan and extending the Tasmanian Swift Parrot Recovery Project; and
- developing a new, best practice Tasmanian Eagle Recovery Plan.
Creating a free, statewide camping system for information and booking campsites in parks and reserves
A re-elected majority Liberal Government will develop a free, statewide camping system for information and booking of campsites in Tasmanian parks and reserves to provide a single source of information statewide.
This will make it easier and simpler for Tasmanians and tourists to plan camping trips and book campsites. The website will provide options if a first preference area is booked out and will help provide a seamless experience for visitors planning their camping holidays.
Supporting our Tasmanian threatened species
The Tasmanian Liberals remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting Tasmania’s pristine natural environment and protecting our unique species.
That is why we have already provided $2.1 million to establish a captive breeding program for the Maugean Skate, $1 million to save the Swift Parrot, $2.5 million to construct the Orange-bellied Parrot captive breeding facility and ongoing funding to continue the Save the Tasmanian Devil program.
To build on our existing funding and established programs, a re-elected majority Liberal Government will provide $8 million over 4 years to establish a Tasmanian Threatened Species Fund to directly support conservation activities for priority species, including but not limited to:
Net Cost: $15 million for infrastructure
$8 million for the Threatened Species Fund