A parliamentary inquiry has recommended that national parks should host more tourism ventures such as accommodation, camping, mountain bike trails and fossicking.
An upper house committee examining tourism in local communities also called for streamlined planning approvals for development in the sensitive Kosciuszko National Park.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the report says the government should “investigate further opportunities for tourism development in national parks”’ following suggestions the highly protected areas were “’underutilised”’ and that more should be done to encourage visitors.
Regional Development Australia’s far south coast chairman Rob Pollock said national parks ”shouldn’t be the preserve of the people with a rucksack and a two-man tent” and environmentally-sensitive development would generate government revenue.
However, National Parks Association chief executive Kevin Evans told the Sydney Morning Herald that an ”over-love” of national parks would diminish their primary purpose – to protect nature.
”With more people lobbying for increased activities [in national parks], they will become over time more like local government parks as opposed to areas set aside for biodiversity conservation,” he said.
The government will consider the report. Environment Minister Robyn Parker has already said it was ”committed to increasing access and opportunities for tourism in national parks”.
She said new opportunities were being created for commercial tourism operators. In Kosciuszko National Park, horse rider camps and infrastructure for cyclists and walkers was being built and mountain bike trails were mooted.
There were 18.5 million visits to regional national parks in 2012, up 5% from 2010.
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