The Victorian Government has unveiled its guidelines for allowing hotel, restaurant and other tourism developments in the state’s national parks.
The change in rules could potentially see developments in stunning national parks such as Point Nepean, Port Campbell, Wilsons Promontory and the Grampians.
The Government says applicants must submit a detailed environmental management plan as part of a five-stage approval process, which would also include public consultation. They would need to prove that the development would generate a ”net benefit for the community”.
Environment Minister Ryan Smith says rigorous environmental conditions will be applied and that any developments would be sensitive to localised risk such as bushfires.
However, the National Parks Association of Victoria is not impressed.
The association’s executive director, Matt Ruchel, described it as ”another step on the path of putting ‘For Sale’ signs on national parks”.
He described the guidelines as vague.
“We’ll continue our campaign to oppose commercial development and hopefully we’ll get the Government to see some sense” he told the ABC. “These sorts of proposals to open up parks have been going on since the ’60s. This is just another long line of trying to open the door to get development in parks.”
Fairfax Media is reporting that the government is already working on a new master plan to redevelop Point Nepean National Park … with a boutique hotel, improved walking trails and a central visitor information centre all options on the table. About 17 hectares around the park’s historic Quarantine Station are reportedly being primed for a revamp.
While national parks were once afforded legal protection in order to protect their conservation value, the Government announced last year that about two-thirds of the state’s parks would be opened up for tourism investment.
Under the changes, investors will be encouraged to develop ”low-rise” hotels, jetties, restaurants and other businesses designed to yield big tourism dollars. Land lease terms will also be extended from a maximum of 20 years to 99 years.
The hope is that national park development will encourage more high-spending international visitors to actually stay in regional destinations rather take day trips from the city.
Does national park development make perfect sense in tough economic times … or is it an irreversible disaster for some of our most beautiful areas? Comment below.
So much for the people owning the land my Dad fought for…..The Developers and the crooked Governments are going for big Dollars…..We wont have a National Park at all in a couple of Generations
I guess one of these days no one will remember what it was like to “get back to nature”.
We need to sack this money hungry do nothing no good government, they couldn’t manage the back yard nappy gang! Our national parks are for all of us and definitely not for the highest bidder to control.