Mount Wellington Development

[Drifting]

Once again the Gold Coast "lets wring every dollar out of it regardless of the Environment" mentality rears it's head again, but this time on Mt Wellington.

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/20 ... -news.html

I believe that the bushwalking crowd did a lot to sway public opinion in the recent rounds of "Let's Develop Mt Roland" merry-go-round, and I'd think that folks down in Hobart and environs would want to be all over the public opinion portion of the Wellington development process.

OR- I have an idea! Why doesn't someone suggest that we build a dam on the Franklin and Gordon rivers, make a giant lake, and then build a cable car over it!!!! How's that for maximizing our tourism income!

[pazzar]

How about we develop Mt Wellington/Kunanyi as a National Park, protect it under IUCN Category V, then they cant build anything up there!

[Stibb]

At least the new Wellington Park forum to air your opinion is a good idea!

http://www.wellingtonpark.org.au/resources/forum/

[frenchy_84]

Why not develop it for tourism benefit? We have virtually shut down the forest industry (which i agree with) and the greens say dont worry about it because there is more money in tourism, yet almost every tourism venture has to fight against anti development groups. Its about time that something is done to get Tassie out of the finacial disaster it is in, WA's mining boom isnt going to prop us up for ever. Besides Mt Wellington is hardly a prestine environment, if you want a mountain range free of commercial development, the much nicer snowy range is just down the road.

[frenchy_84]

Once again the Gold Coast "lets wring every dollar out of it regardless of the Environment" mentality rears it's head again, but this time on Mt Wellington.

And that is a pretty ridiculous/alarmist statement, the proposals mentioned are a helipad, paragliding area and Cable car, hardly evironmentally devastating

[stepbystep]

I agree Frenchy but it's about balance, there was mention of trail bikes! No *&%$#! way should they be allowed on Wellington, maybe give them a course out near White Timber Mtn or something.
I do think it's ridiculous that a huge comms station can sit up there, but you can't have a discreet kiosk selling snacks/drinks.
The new Nth-Sth moutain bike track is fantastic(opening soon) and there should be a decent downhill option as well and maybe we could get large events here???(I'm not a mountain biker btw)
Cable car is another issue altogether, yet to see a proposal that I like in that regard.....
It's about being tasteful and discreet and if something is done it has to be world class, not half *&^%$#@! and compromised by cash constraints.

Good to see PeterJ on the news last night!

[wander]

Sounds a bit like the development on the hill behind Queenstown NZ.

[Nuts]

Yer, i saw this story, Peters comments and the conservative view always provide a balance, good on people for having a say! And I don't mean any malice at all Drifting when I ask how long you have been here? Towns really were dying before the current prosperous boom, afforded (in large part) by the mining industry. We continue to be propped up from Federal coffers. Whatever proposal to make 'wilderness' a sustainable resource should be examined in a positive light by those keen to preserve its future. While I'm not one for further commercial development in true wilderness areas, a bit more realism by the idealists wouldn't go astray!

[mjdalessa]

Some people may not agree with this, but I hate the fact that there is a road to the top. I wish they chose Mt. Direction or something for communications towers and only built a road to the springs. It wouldn't be that bad to have a cable car that finishes just above the springs and provides a good lookout on the lower zig zag track (compared to whats currently there) in my opinion. Then the dignity of the mountain would be left in tact (the road destroys this, hence the cable car would further degrade it)!

I guess if they did choose to build a cable car I would be quite angry and/ or dissapointed though. Some would call me selfish to be opposed to something that could potentially rake in tourist dollars like this. Perhaps I am, but I like having a semi undeveloped expanse just out the back to enjoy.

I have been to Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland, no road to the top, but a cable car that makes it a thriving destination. There are other small attractions like ropes courses at cable car stop offs that add to it, along with restaraunts on top. The cable car opens the mountain for mountain bikers as well (I do not necessarily agree with this but know I would enjoy it). This is then used by skiers in the winter. Is this euro/ North American style experience what we really want from our mountains?

Maybe we need to sacrifice the mountain for all to enjoy, but what about the Hobartians that have enjoyed it for years? The cafe at the springs is quite a good idea in my opinion, plenty of tourists visit the mountain already and this would make it more enjoyable for the winers and diners and fair weather folk.

[DaveM]

I love the road to the top - heaps of times I would bolt up after work and make a beeline towards Smiths Monument or go sit on the big fallen columns poking out near Rocking Stone. It helped keep me sane, it allowed access to real alpine country within 20 minutes of deciding.

I like the set up in Queenstown (NZ) but I hope the road stays open because once the cable car goes in (if ever) it will become expensive to go up there and that's a shame with so many families loving the ability to get up there in easy reach. Even if the buggers throw snow at the car!!

[ghosta]

I would expect that those who argued for stopping the logging of old growth forests who suggested that jobs lost would be replaced by jobs in tourism etc, would be overwhelmingly in favour of these types of developments. At least it would be a start, many more simailar projects are needed if the state is sustain its present population.

[ollster]

As someone who lives a solid 3 wood from the park boundary...

"Trail bikes are prohibited in the current management plan but the paper considers commercial trail bike tours along designated fire trails"

Anything but those *&%$#! noisy *&%$#! trail bikes!

[Chris]

I would expect that those who argued for stopping the logging of old growth forests who suggested that jobs lost would be replaced by jobs in tourism etc, would be overwhelmingly in favour of these types of developments. At least it would be a start, many more simailar projects are needed if the state is sustain its present population.

Agreed!

As a Tasmanian from North of the border who has only ever walked on Mt W once maybe I shouldn't have anything to say on this However as a Greenie I believe that we destroy our credibility by automatically objecting to all development, quite apart from our current woeful financial state. Reasonable compromise has to be part of our approach. Mt W is hardly a wilderness area either, and it's too late to preserve the skyline as the towers are there to stay.

Can't help agreeing that trail-bikes would be a step too far though.

[Son of a Beach]

...more similar projects are needed if the state is to sustain its present population.

A little off-topic, but I'd be quite happy with a smaller population in Tasmania. Probably not good for economics though, I suppose.

[Nuts]

Ha yer.. we should introduce tumbleweeds

[ghosta]

As someone who lives a solid 3 wood from the park boundary...

"Trail bikes are prohibited in the current management plan but the paper considers commercial trail bike tours along designated fire trails"

Anything but those *&%$#! noisy *&%$#! trail bikes!

As a trail bike rider (as well as a bushwalker) I would like to defend the proposal. Commercial operators guide a group of riders through an area so that any disturbance is short lived. The type of rider who creates a noise and environmental nuisance simply dont take part in this type of trail bike riding.

On the subject of noise, one thing I find totally intolerarable are the @##!!! helicopters which frequent some of the more spectacular walks in parts of the mainland eg Bungle Bungles, Katherine Gorge, Kalbarri to name a few. A helicopter shattering the silence every 15 minutes simply ruins the experience.

[Liamy77]

trail bike or chopper IMHO noise pollution is noise pollution is NOISE - whatever engine makes it.

and there IS the fern tree tavern already at the base of pinnacle Rd - why would another one increase visitors??!!

the cable car MIGHT be ok if it followed the road line as it already scars the view anyway and would allow more access when the road is snowed in and closed i guess. have to be VERY carefully designed and hidden tho and lots of public feedback that is not ignored throughout the process (novel idea in our "democracy" -maybe)....not goin there tho!

and yes i was born in hobart n grew up around the mountain- it is not pristine but would be a great nat. park with cable access IF HIDDEN AS POSSIBLE, but then i spose there would be even more park fees etc too - nice havin a free retreat fromn the city.

[mjdalessa]

Over the organ pipes would suck; I love south wellington as well but if it crossed the zig zag track away from the organ pipes it would be the lesser of two evils. I will write up a little report later about my yesterday afternoon's trip to the summit and return from my home in Mount Stuart to show what I am talking about.

[PeterJ]

SUBMISSIONS ON PLAN CALLED FOR

There has been some recent reports in the media about the future directions for Wellington Park. An Issues Paper in relation to the Wellington Park Management Plan review has gone out for public comment.  Comments on the suggested possible directions canvassed in the management plan would be welcomed by the Trust.   
The issues paper is available at http://www.wellingtonpark.org.au/management-plan-review. Part 3 contains the bulk of the Issues Paper, and provides a response to issues raised in previous consultation, and the possible future management directions.

You can fill in the response form and rank what you think of the suggested directions and add whatever other comments you wish to make.  Closing date for comments is 9th Dec .

[PeterJ]

I just filled out the on-line submission. It takes about 15 minutes to fill in the responses to questions. If you provide comment it would take a bit longer.

Well worth your time to respond, especially to the more controversial options.