The government’s announcement this week that it will invest into creating a tourism master plan for Freycinet National Park, as well as additional funds to fix identified infrastructure issues is a welcome one.
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For one of our most visited and most publicised national parks, the infrastructure surrounding it has been sub-standard for far too long.
In the height of the past tourist season the Parks and Wildlife Service asked people on social media to “consider visiting before 9am and after 4pm” to avoid to traffic congestion, which has been an increasing problem for several years.
At the time Parks and Wildlife East Coast parks and reserves manager Donna Stanley said access to the park, and in particular popular Wineglass Bay, has been becoming increasingly congested over the past four years.
When amendments to the Freycinet National Park, Wye River State Reserve Management Plan were opened for public comment a key concern that was raised was existing infrastructure was in need of replacement and inadequate for the amount of visitation.
Sewage infrastructure and lack of water storage were concerns of particular note to local residents.
If the government does indeed intent to “make Tasmania the environmental tourism capital of the world” then it is vital our infrastructure, environments and communities are set up to accommodate this.
The government is expecting visitor numbers to hit 300,000 this year for the first time, which is hardly surprising given the attention it has recently garnered at the recent Australian Tourism Awards.
The focus on improvement to infrastructure will ensure the pristine environment that draws people will be preserved and the brand Tasmania is building around its tourism will not be jeopardised.