Cable Car to Dove Lake

[Nuts]

It's not exactly 'new', I heard a local (summarily dismissed as a loonie) mention this on my first visit, 30yrs ago.
I don't consider playing around with taxpayers money any bolder than a minor risk to pay grade, term of occupancy of a position or government.
But anyway, good idea or nay, a cable cart looks to have grown some new claimants & legs as the latest revelation thrust:

http://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/ ... d056ab452d

[GPSGuided]

No!!!

[MrWalker]

The article indicates that he cable car would be TO Dove Lake, not from the lake to the top of Cradle Mt. Wouldn't that be better than the current bus service?

[pazzar]

The article indicates that he cable car would be TO Dove Lake, not from the lake to the top of Cradle Mt. Wouldn't that be better than the current bus service?

Through Cradle Valley?

There is no way that such a proposal would pass the environmental requirements (ie knocking down King Billy Pine stands to create a corridor).

[Nuts]

There are some subtle differences of opinion that could make such projects 'good' or 'bad'. A more efficient system is needed, at some stage. The biggest concern, for me, isn't a random project but mindset.

Does environment even come into play, is the focus on economic progress? Is the vision of a tamed, shaped experience or are such projects just another 'boys own' adventure unleashed? If so, there may very well come a time where another 'loonie' idea comes forward, that to extend such a service (cable cart, monorail, yak train) onto the plateau via Riggs Pass?

[pazzar]

I don't disagree with that at all. There needs to be a better system for getting people to Dove Lake. Has there been any feasibility studies into the costs of widening the road? That would fix a lot of the issues.

A cable car/monorail could work, but only by closing the existing road and using that corridor. This would anger a lot of people however.

[Nuts]

The road, and the valley track have been mentioned previously as routes. Again, i'm not sure who has the current 'loudest voice in the room' or of their particular focus.

[doogs]

4 lane highway to and from Dove Lake, and the visitors centre needs upgraded to include a least one fast food outlet.

[GPSGuided]

Apart from ski fields, I have never seen a natural scenic area not get damaged by long high hanging cables and steel towers. If they are concerned with volume, noise and pollution, it'd be better to have a fleet of electric mini buses or trams to shuttle visitors within the heritage area. High hanging cable car would destroy the skyline.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[MickyB]

A more efficient system is needed, at some stage.

Why isn't the current system efficient? I'm not debating if you are right or wrong. I've only been a couple of times and not in peak season so was just wondering.

[GPSGuided]

One advantage of a cable car is that visitors can be concentrated to funnel through a single point, typically a tourist building and one that houses major tourist stores, selling souvenirs and junk food etc. A bonanza for those commercially orientated folks.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Lophophaps]

There needs to be a public discussion about this, including an EIS and cost-benefit analysis.What about a narrow gauge railway with battery powered engines and rubber wheels? Is an underground rail an option? How many people visit and when? Some facts would be nice. Park managers are human and are subject to political constraints, and politicians are very human. Look at Three Capes and the Falls Creek-Hotham proposal. Or Windy Fridge Hut.

[MrWalker]

There is specific reference in the report to the issue of people on top of Cradle Mt seeing the sun shining off car windows in the car park. I think the idea is to have no car park at all at Dove lake, so they are thinking about other ways to get people there. Then the car park and road would be rehabilitated so you get only natural views from the top.

[GPSGuided]

Then the 'people on top of Cradle Mt' will see a permanent line of man made 'telegraph posts', towers and bubbles hanging in a long line into the distance at all times, unless it's a white out! What a ridiculous excuse to support their commercial project. At least car windows come and go...

[DanShell]

4 lane highway to and from Dove Lake, and the visitors centre needs upgraded to include a least one fast food outlet.

Great idea and there is definitely a market to have one or more fast food outlets along the OLT, even a pub might be a better proposition.

But seriously a cable car to Dove Lake would surely be stage 1 of stage 2 being one up the mountain

[tastrax]

There is specific reference in the report to the issue of people on top of Cradle Mt seeing the sun shining off car windows in the car park. I think the idea is to have no car park at all at Dove lake, so they are thinking about other ways to get people there. Then the car park and road would be rehabilitated so you get only natural views from the top.

That's developer speak for "We need the prime location. We want you to pay for our monolopy for years. We can only do this if we get the land for nothing, you deal with the sewerage and provide us all services, we charge what we like and you (Parks) get a pittance in return (if anything)"

[north-north-west]

There is specific reference in the report to the issue of people on top of Cradle Mt seeing the sun shining off car windows in the car park. I think the idea is to have no car park at all at Dove lake, so they are thinking about other ways to get people there. Then the car park and road would be rehabilitated so you get only natural views from the top.

That's developer speak for "We need the prime location. We want you to pay for our monolopy for years. We can only do this if we get the land for nothing, you deal with the sewerage and provide us all services, we charge what we like and you (Parks) get a pittance in return (if anything)"

Yep. Privatisation by stealth, only there's nothing stealthy about this.

[stepbystep]

Rehab the road from the lodge and make everyone walk

[north-north-west]

Rehab the road from the lodge and make everyone walk

Not a bad idea, provided the buses from Launnie can arrive earlier. Gives people a chance to get used to walking and pack-carrying before facing the climb up Marions.

[gayet]

From ABC News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-10/negative-feedback-prompts-cradle-mountain-improvement-plan/7236068

"Visitors come to Cradle Mountain expecting a world-class experience and [they] are let down by aged and primitive infrastructure," he said.

"It's not the Tasmanian wilderness experience visitors expect, and the consumer research conducted reinforces this.

So visitors expect a WILDERNESS experience and the solution is to put in cable cars and provide 4wd bike tours and helicopter flights and restaurants and who knows what else?????

Perhaps what is needed first is a definition of what wilderness means - to all the users of the area. And then decide if the environment can support that definition of wilderness. If it can't, then redefine the area as something more appropriate to requirements and market it under that definition.

from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/

Definition of wilderness in English:


[USUALLY IN SINGULAR]
1 An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.

1.1A neglected or abandoned area:
the garden had become a wilderness of weeds and bushes

1.2A position of disfavour, especially in a political context:
the man who led the Labour Party out of the wilderness

Origin
Old English wildēornes 'land inhabited only by wild animals', from wild dēor 'wild deer'


I suspect most on this forum would accept the first definition as closest. Although not always inhospitable. Except to those requiring cable cars perhaps.

[north-north-west]

So visitors expect a WILDERNESS experience and the solution is to put in cable cars and provide 4wd bike tours and helicopter flights and restaurants and who knows what else?????

Perhaps what is needed first is a definition of what wilderness means - to all the users of the area. And then decide if the environment can support that definition of wilderness.

We definitely need an applause smiley.

[GPSGuided]

+1 on the 'wilderness' definition. Otherwise it'll be like Jurassic Park with all the flying technologies amongst swarms of dinosaurs.

[Azza]

Interesting how the mindset the world over seems to be about building a visitors interpretation centre so you can go to these places and not need to step outside.
Its not considered world class unless it has an architecturally designed 'eco friendly' visitors centres.
So they could just bung a virtual reality tour back at the current visitors centre. Some people wouldn't even notice the difference.

Next on the agenda to be announced will be an up market eco resort for the dove lake car park site --> rehabilitation.

[Old Fart]

Here's a link to the master plan, (note the term master was used fairly loosely )

http://www.cradlecoast.com/pdf/Cradle%2 ... AL%201.pdf

[GPSGuided]

Here's a link to the master plan, (note the term master was used fairly loosely )

On the cover... 'Inspired by Marketing'!

As for the foundation statement 'Cradle Mountain down 25% for interstate trips over the past 5 years' in the opening of the executive summary, it's hardly the infrastructure that has hit TAS's tourism dollars but our strong AUD Fx. People have preferentially gone overseas for obvious reasons.

[pazzar]

And they made a nice little video of it for us all to enjoy.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqu3pWs88o

[Giddy_up]

There won't be one thread of gortex, Cuben fiber or silnylon carried by any person that this will attract. Tweed coats and dear stalker hats will be the order of the day. Titanium mugs will give way to the tinkling of crystal and pure water will be replaced with Bollinger.

I can hear it now........"How was your summit of the mountain Charles".........."oh quite arduous old chap, the aircon in the jolly carriage was on the blink and I stubbed my toe through my loafers on those rugged cobble steps they put in"

The fox is in the hen house on this one!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[north-north-west]

And they made a nice little video of it for us all to enjoy.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqu3pWs88o

I'd have replied sooner but I've been banging my head on the desk in sheer amazement and despair.
I thought it already was a 'world-class iconic visitor experience'. A few *&%$#! buildings won't change that. Not for the better, anyway.

[Hermione]

Well the "master" plan certainly isn't my idea of a wilderness experience!

[GPSGuided]

The label for the helicopter pad in the video alarmed me. Can just imagine it'll have a light helicopter fleet like the 12 Apostles there on Great Ocean Rd, constantly buzzing the lake and the mountain. The video animators conveniently forgot for render in a dozen buzzing helicopters.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk