Meander Falls Road Proposal

[tastrekker]

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4140081/appeal-for-meander-falls-access-project/
Proposed road extension is 4.8km which happens to be the entire length of the current walking track. The area involved has conflicting land tenures. The entire track / proposed road is within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The first 2km is Future Potential Production Forest (mining permitted, logging permitted after 2020) and the remaining 2.5km is Conservation Area (mining permitted).

[north-north-west]

Another beginning point for development creep. It's going to take a significant change in the political environment to put an end to this.

[Grindelwalddave]

One of the politicians (MLC) pushing this was quite vocal in his opposition to the World Heritage listing of the Great Western tiers and is a big fan of the logging industry

[Scottyk]

Another beginning point for development creep. It's going to take a significant change in the political environment to put an end to this.

Nothing is out of reach for this kind of thing now.
It seems everyone with a map and access to taxpayer funds is looking get this sort of thing done now

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

“Six hours, plus travelling time, is too long a commitment for many tourists and locals who are time poor."

Lol by that rationale they should turn the OLT into a road as well...

“The existing track is a significant uphill gradient and only suitable for walkers of above average fitness and is daunting for those who are not.”

... er, and pretty much most other walking tracks as well.

Mr Johnston said much could be learnt from New Zealand and Canada in how they managed precious World Heritage Areas, while allowing the public access.

How well the NZ model works is debatable (I'm generally a fan, others not so much), but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't just replace an established track with a dirty great road to the masses could get a "glimpse".

[fallsnfungi]

my worry is what happens to the pristine area at the base of the falls when it becomes accessible to everyone, there will be tracks all over the place people climbing the king billies for better viewing, im not in the fit level myself ill admit the walk kicked my butt but there is some amazing cascades and small falls on the walk up and im so happy i got to see them but saying that would love it if my 70 year old mother could get to see meander falls, because she does not have the 6 hour return in her

[waterfallman]

This is a tricky one folks. I admit, this proposal would seem a bit threatening, but only to those of us bushwalkers who are younger and fitter and who are sort of used to having wilderness area to themselves, to use as their own personal kingdoms. (Meant in a nice way). I wonder if we are being a little bit too "exclusive" here? I mean, who gives us the right to deny other citizens access to one or two more wonderful natural areas, by keeping them effectively locked up? I know, I know.. the thin end of the wedge argument again.. But, honestly, there's not enough money floating around this state, to even keep hospitals working properly, much less to bulldoze roads and developments into every wilderness area in Tasmania. They are gunna be really scratching to get even this proposal up and running. It took 4 years to repair the two access bridges! See what I mean? And because of limited works budgets, any road in will not be a superhighway. More like Riversdale rd to Liffey Falls. They'll finish it about 700m short of the bottom drop, and have a lightly graded path in. Heck, they'll probably leave roots and stumps in there for effect. And those who have the fitness can still hoof it in along the river track. And return over that rotten boulder field too if it suits them. So a little bit for everyone. We teach our children to "share", so we are honour bound to put that into practice here. At least, my conscience is suggesting that to me.

[waterfallman]

Just been checking the maps, and I now think that the 4.8k being talked about for this "road", is actually being measured from the south side of the second access bridge, right in to the existing carparking area, and then progressing uphill along the old vehicle route, past the Woods/Maynard Memorial Cairn area, and along to the Staggs Ck crossing point. (My interpretation entirely) The approximate old route used for the cattle. This is 4.9k. So, if this is the case, with a car park at Staggs Ck, then that leaves about 2.9k of the river tack still to do to get to the falls! Interesting. It is a reasonable compromise, I think. It makes the falls more accessible (to me anyway lol) and still preserves the existing access route. It should work. I mean, the sort of people who are going to throw cans and rubbish around, and who climb trees for better views will probably baulk when they realise it's still a 6k return trip for them! They'll say "screw that.. too far" etc. And the type of people who really care about the wild areas will have enough motivation to push ahead on a trek that is now just possible for them. Sure, you won't get old aunty mary in there in her wheelchair, true, but it could be a good compromise that works for most people. And still maintains the pristine environment around the falls. I might check out what the council has to say, down at Westbury at some point. Just to get more definitive info on the proposal.

[Nuts]

'He hoped a developer would one day see the potential of building a wilderness lodge in the area.'

Access can't continue to slide in to position as a primary goal for management of 'pristine' areas.
Management mitigated by reference to overseas models is framed within an excuse, not best possible practice.

[waterfallman]

Mm. I know Nuts.. True. I know what some of these buggers are trying to do. A wilderness lodge I would be dead against! That's just very very tacky. and simply a developer's way of locking in short term income. But.. you can either fight it forever (the developers will never give up), and say "no change permitted at all, ever!", Or allow a little change, with strict controls. I guess I see this as simply just "track improvement", albeit on a slightly larger scale. So more of us can enjoy what's in out backyards. In that sense, I'm for it. I guess the question is, "Do the benefits to people outweigh the risks to the environment?". I don't think we will ever really answer that one, because there are so many of us all with slightly differing opinions, that we'll never get a definitive answer. So, we just come back to the numbers game. "Those in favour?.. Those against?.. ... Carried! Or not carried.

[MrWalker]

Just been checking the maps, and I now think that the 4.8k being talked about for this "road", is actually being measured from the south side of the second access bridge, right in to the existing carparking area, and then progressing uphill along the old vehicle route, past the Woods/Maynard Memorial Cairn area, and along to the Staggs Ck crossing point. (My interpretation entirely)

You are probably right about this route. We were there in January and heard rumours that the old track might be upgraded to connect to the Falls walking track near Staggs Ck. This is making use of an existing route with a 4WD track to upgrade it for 2WD. Looking at the contours further on I don't believe they can make a 2WD road past that point at any reasonable cost.

[waterfallman]

Yep. That would be prohibitive, and a horrible disaster. That last bit is the section you'd want to protect at just about any cost.

[DanR]

It'd be a bit of shame to put in a road all the way to the falls, the walk in is all part of the experience.

As to work in that area, it'd be great if they could replace the bridge on Smoko rd, even if it was a foot bridge at this point.