Malbena on target

Planner recommends council approves luxury site on Halls Island

THE Central Highlands Council looks set to approve a luxury standing camp development proposed for World Heritagelisted wilderness in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park.

Documents released ahead of next week’s vote on the Lake Malbena plan show conditional approval is recommended.

That would mean it has received the go-ahead from local, state and federal governments.

But the proponent must wait for the result of a Federal Court challenge before it can be built.

THE Central Highlands Council looks set to approve a luxury standing camp development proposed for World Heritage-listed wilderness in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park.

Documents released ahead of next week’s vote on the Lake Malbena development show council contract planner Jacqui Tyson has recommended conditional approval of Wild Drake’s proposed helicopter-accessed standing camp because it substantially complied with the area’s planning scheme.

That was largely because it was allowed under the broader Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area management plan. That plan, the Mercury revealed yesterday, was amended by the State Government in 2016 — specifically to allow for the Lake Malbena proposal.

The documents show the Central Highlands Council received 1346 representations on the proposed development, which would have four huts erected on Halls Island on Lake Malbena and up to 240 helicopter flights scheduled into the Walls of Jerusalem each year.

Only two of the submissions were in support of the proposal.

A suggested approval condition was that the proposed helicopter landing site on the mainland near Halls Island be used only in association with the standing camp.

“Helicopters and the helicopter landing site must not be used for any other purpose and must altogether cease if the visitor accommodation ends,” the agenda said.

As well, Ms Tyson recommended that the proponents would have to rehabilitate the site as necessary were the venture to end.

The bulk of objections to the proposal were assessed as outside the council’s remit.

“The majority of concerns raised in the very high number of representations … focus on whether or not the proposal should happen at all in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,” the agenda said.

“This is a decision made by use the Parks and Wildlife Service and the State Government as landowner.”

The proposal has received the go-ahead from the state and federal governments, but the Wilderness Society is challenging the federal Environment Department’s process of approval in the Federal Court next month.

The Central Highlands Council document said the development would not be able to proceed until that appeal was determined. The council’s special meeting will be held Tuesday in Bothwell.