Illegal tracks found in WHA

A RECREATIONAL bushwalker group has demanded answers over new illegally hacked tracks on pristine wilderness world heritage land.

Remnants of chainsaw interference in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park were discovered last week by a rafter.

Fishers and Walkers against Helicopter Access Tasmania spokesman Dan Broun said people were “furious” about the finding.

“The lakes that these tracks go to are called trophy fishing lakes, they have really good fish in them,” he said.

“If (Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service) are unaware of it and they have nothing to do with it, then it’s completely illegal.”

Mr Broun said the two tracks link from the Kita Lake shoreline to Lake Malbena and between Eagle Tarn and Lake Norman.

He said the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service needed to respond and launch an investigation into the “extremely suspicious” tracks that were a two-day walk away from the nearest road.

“No bushwalker using traditional routes would have any need for these tracks,” he said.

Mr Broun said certain sections of the Walls of Jerusalem land had been rezoned by the Hodgman Government from “wilderness” to “self-reliant recreational” zones in 2016.

He said the tracks appeared to be cut in the last six to nine months on the protected land zones.

A Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service spokeswoman said the PWS was made aware of the incident through a Facebook post by Mr Broun.

The spokeswoman said that it “warrants further investigation”.

“The culprits may be difficult to identify given the age of the cuts and the time that has passed,” she said.

“It is inappropriate to direct or make these allegations towards any person or operator at this stage.”

Greens leader and Parks spokeswoman Cassy O’Connor said the chop down was a “a crime against nature”.

“The person or persons who did this would have to walk for hours and then cross Lake Malbena carrying a chainsaw, or be flown in,” she said.

“There are many questions that need to be answered about this illegal clearing.

“There is no justification for delay in investigating this serious offence and crime against nature inside the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.”