The newly built Ngaro Trail on Whitsunday Island has been offered by tender to commercial operators who will control access to the trail and charge for their services. The development and running of these activities will see the destruction of native vegetation and loss of wildlife.
As most of you are aware, Australia’s national parks in several states are under siege from privatisation by stealth. Developers are using the lure of ecotourism to gain exclusive access deep inside many iconic parks.
There is a real danger in letting developers take over precious parts of nature. In many places, the average Aussie has been priced out of the park. As well, the private developments are damaging our natural heritage.
And it is happening right here in the Whitsundays.
The newly built Ngaro Trail on Whitsunday Island has been offered by tender to commercial operators who will control access to the trail and charge for their services. Few details are available as there has been no public consultation. It is even possible that the public will be denied access unless booked through the commercial operator and paying a premium price.
The proposed Skyway behind Airlie Beach, will see up to 100 hectares of National Park turned over to commercial operators who intend on building a mountain bike trail and luge run. Both activities are inconsistent with the intent of a National Park; to protect our natural heritage. The development and running of these activities will see the destruction of native vegetation and loss of wildlife.
Now is the time to remind our government that National Parks are there to protect nature, not to support private developers and their rich friends.
Tony Fontes - Whitsunday Conservation Council
Tell Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm you want our natural areas protected from destructive ecotourism!
Whitsunday Conservation Council
Policy Statement: Protecting Our National Parks
Allowing commercial tourism projects and infrastructure to happen inside National Parks is totally in contravention of the Cardinal Principal (see below). It also allows the creation of private leases and permits which can effectively exclude average people accessing areas of National Parks. We are concerned that these actions by the Queensland State Government are “the thin edge of the wedge” in commercialising National Parks.
We support the Cardinal Principle for managing national parks, as noted in the Nature Conservation Act 1992; to provide, to the greatest possible extent, for the permanent preservation of the area's natural condition and the protection of the area's cultural resources and values.
We do not accept the establishment of commercial or private development, including “ecotourism facilities” in National Parks.
We would ask the Queensland Government to revoke that part of section 35 of the Nature Conservation Act 1992 that provides for the establishment of ecotourism facilities in National Parks. In particular, remove the reference to 'ecotourism facility' in section 35 (1)(a) and remove all of section 35 (1)(c).
Section 35(1) The chief executive may grant, make, issue or give a lease, agreement, licence, permit or
other authority over, or in relation to, land in a national park if—
(a) the use under the authority is only for a service facility or an ecotourism facility; and
(c) if the use under the authority is for an ecotourism facility, the chief executive is satisfied—
(i) the use will be in the public interest; and
(ii) the use is ecologically sustainable; and
(iii) the use will provide, to the greatest possible extent, for the preservation of the land’s
natural condition and the protection of the land’s cultural resources and values; and
(d) the use under the authority is prescribed under a regulation made for this section to be a
permitted use for the area.