"As an Aboriginal person, the minute you place yourself in that landscape, there is a connection," the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania chairman said.  

"Whilst ... my traditional homeland is the North-East ... I'd liken [entering takayna] to coming home after being away for a long time." 

Mr Mansell said the ALCT had engaged in discussion with the state government about handing takayna land back to the Aboriginal community. 

“If we're talking about providing a process of protecting that landscape, then if we're serious about understanding the true cultural values, the first consideration must be, return the land to its rightful owners,” Mr Mansell said.  

Acting Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the state government had “no plans to hand over land in the area”. 

Mr Mansell said a handover would not mean closing the area off to visitors. 

"The [community's] intention is, first of all, reconnect with the landscape, and then use that reconnection to have a cultural expression,” Mr Mansell said.

“[We could] take people there, so that we can learn them the understandings of Aboriginal values and cultural interpretation." 

Takayna, also know as the Tarkine, was named after the Aboriginal people who once lived along its coast.

The Bob Brown Foundation embarked on a takayna campaign two years ago, and has been collaborating with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and ALCT. 

Foundation chairman Bob Brown said he believes takayna is the North-West's "ticket" to economic stability and prosperity. 

But conflicting interests and ideals continue to dominate the region’s future. 

Mining, off-road driving and logging have all been seen as threats to the area's pristine beauty.

The state government announced it would reopen 90 kilometres of off-road tracks in takayna in late 2014. 

The Federal Court ruled the three tracks should not reopen, but the state government and the Commonwealth recently appealed the decision. 

Dr Brown described the decision to reopen the 4WD tracks as "inexplicable".

He said he hoped takayna land would be returned to the Aboriginal people and be recognised with World Heritage status. 

"The time's right for it now, because we're in a different world," Dr Brown said.

The 450,000 hectare takayna region was not privately owned or tied up with agriculture business, he said. Dr Brown first travelled to takayna in 1973 to search for the Tasmanian tiger.

Dr Brown left the Senate in 2012 and went on to establish the Bob Brown Foundation.  

Dr Brown committed to campaign to protect and preserve takayna. 

"I've always seen the potential in it and I've always been advocating for it," Dr Brown said. 

"I've walked extensively in the area, I've camped out there and I've taken visitors there and more frequently been back with the camera now that I'm out of the Senate." 

The TAC and the Bob Brown Foundation recently released a book, takayna – country, culture, spirit, detailing the region's ancient cultural and more recent political history. 

The book, filled with stunning landscape photographs of the region, explores the significance of takayna to members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community through photographs and poignant testimonies. 

"[Aboriginal people's stories are] incredibly important because, let's face it, there's a lot of discrimination still in the air," Dr Brown said. 

The foundation also released a short film about the takayna and held the Tarkine in Motion festival to showcase the region’s natural beauty through art. 

Dr Brown believes a proposed Trans Takayna Track would benefit the Aboriginal community, the tourism industry and preserve the region's natural beauty. 

He hoped Tasmanian Aboriginals would be involved as guides, and the track would show the region’s beauty.

Dr Brown said exploring the "simply fabulous" coastline could be "one of the great drawcards to Tasmania".

"The North-West deserves it and needs it as well," Dr Brown said. 

He said private enterprises were keen on the idea, but the plan needed further formulation. 

Acting Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the state government welcomed any genuine proposal to create new visitor experiences, particularly in the North-West. 

“The government believes that we can have a world-leading tourism sector as well as a world-class resources sector and that they are not mutually exclusive,” Mr Rockliff said.

Mr Mansell said a walking track that taught visitors about the region’s heritage was a “brilliant idea”. 

"If you go down there, the only thing missing from that cultural landscape is the existence of Aboriginal people,” Mr Mansell said.  

Dr Brown said while there was still a significant way to go regarding recognising the takayna land, many people were committed to the region and its potential. 

"This is the time," Dr Brown said. 

"There's a real adventure … it's a campaign, but there's also an adventure."

‘takayna – county, culture, spirit’ is sold at Petrarch’s Bookshop in Launceston.