A Tasmanian council has approved a permit for a multimillion-dollar resort and caravan park to be built at Boat Harbour commonly used by free campers and day trippers.
The Waratah-Wynyard Council gave the go-ahead for the development, which will include luxury villas and units, five two-bedroom cabins, 15 powered motorhome sites, and 18 caravan/tent sites.
The Advocate newspaper reports that the proposed use of Crown land proved the most controversial issue, with several members of the Boat Harbour community voicing their concerns during almost an hour of question time.
Speaking against the motion, councillor Stephen Wright said allowing a developer access to Crown land sets a dangerous precedent.
“I cannot accept that we would remove this portion of land from public use into private hands, denying the public access to it in the future,” he said. “If we do it now, there is no turning back.”
However, councillor Kevin Hyland said the council should not be knocking back developments due to ‘small issues’, and he encouraged residents to consider the advantages the resort would bring to the region.
While free campers will no doubt mourn the loss of another favourite spot, some believe they have, to some extent, only got themselves to blame.
The council was apparently concerned about the volume of grey water dumped on the ground, and feared it may pose a health risk. The developer will also be closing off the day use area as part of the arrangement.
Talking on the Grey Nomad forum, one traveller, Neil B, said he had just been to the area and was not impressed.
“It is obvious what is day use and campers are preventing anyone being able to have a picnic, not that it is very nice with the remnants of grey water all over the ground,” he said. “Please stop and think before you camp in a nice day use area and don’t dump grey water on the ground … put it in a dump point!”
Despite a 436-name petition opposing the use of crown land for the development, the council voted three to two in favour of granting the permit.
· Comment below
Once again people keep doing the wrong thing when it says self contained they simply do whatever they want, then when places like these close they scream.
Is there a dump point nearby, or is it located some distance away? Self contained caravans/campervans etc. can only self contain so much. What is the stay limit in this area? If the limit is only 24hrs, then no excuses for “a huge volume of grey water” to be dumped. We always look for the proximity of the dump point before deciding on where we free camp as we know how much our grey water tank holds. If the free camp allows up to 72 hrs stopover, then a dump point should be located nearby. This makes sense and will reduce the problems stated above.
Dump point is 7km away at Sisters Beach.BHB is an unofficial site as there are no signs as to stay period.Locals did monitor site and left you with brochure which I think recommended 48 hrs stay,though have not seem anybody during last two visits.Site has become extremely popular in last few years, remember when we have been only one there.
There is no excuse for caravans/motorhomes dropping waste. Apart from the lack of waste tanks of course.
I understand that some places encourage waste to be dropped to water the grass, but that is not the case at Boat Harbour Beach. It is not nice to walk over the waste that has been dropped from some unit and even worse to walk through someone’s spag-bog leftovers.
By the way, if you do not have a waste tank, you are becoming a bit old fashioned – if you have a waste tank, you have the option of holding the waste or watering the grass if encouraged.
What a shame….Boat Harbour Beach is one of our favourite stops when in Tassie. Yes, the dump point is a fair way away but we only ever stay two nights. Such a pity that we, who do the right thing, get ‘punished’ because of the action if a few morons. No doubt the new resort will be priced out if our range.
Maybe the Ferry should have brochures “suggesting” that travellers consider installing holding tanks or buying portable tanks. Even places the get them installed could be listed. We had ours done before taking the ferry and found it really useful for free camps. And pass on the word to others that you know are going to Tassie so they can install them.