Tasmania's national parks continue to undergo improvements to make them more accessible, sustainable and to cope with increased visitation at a vital time when residents are looking to their own backyard to explore.
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A new hut opening on the Overland Track, with further upgrades planned, and works proposed for the Walls of Jerusalem National Park may be what the doctor ordered.
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park's Overland Track continues to undergo upgrades but the Waterfall Valley hut is the latest facility to be upgraded.
The upgraded version was revealed on Sunday, after construction began in November, and is part of a three year program to improve accommodation facilities along the track.
In other news:
Similarly Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service also has plans to upgrade campsites and improve walking tracks in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park.
PWS allowed Tasmanians to have their say on the proposed project, through a reserve activity assessment, in January.
The RAA on the project closed in February and a development application has been lodged with the Meander Valley Council to get the final go ahead for the project.
The development application notes PWS want to spend $700,000 on the World Heritage Area for:
- a new group campsite and cooking area at Wild Dog Creek
- a new campsite and toilets at Dixons Kingdom
- a new toilet at Lake Adelaide
- track upgrades
PWS north regional manager Donna Stanley said the proposed works would help deal with increased visitors.
"The proposed works will assist and protect sites from increasing visitor environmental impacts," she said.
"Walkers can be concentrated on hardstand designated overnight nodes and clearly identified tracks."
The upgrades to the Wild Dog Creek campsite include platforms to cater for eight tents, a cooking platform and a track between the group campsite and the toilets.
A 375 metre new campsite access track, twelve double tent platforms, a cooking platform, toilets and a track to link it all up are proposed at Dixons Kingdom.
A new toilet and grass camp site is proposed at Lake Adelaide, including a 700 metre track to be constructed to access it.
About 1630 metres of the informal walking track Jaffa Vale, between Dixons Kingdom and Lake Ball, will be formalised.
The proposed works were identified in 2013 in the park's recreation zone plan. The DA is available for public comment until August 10.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
