What is an ‘iconic walk’?
Different walks appeal to different people. We find walkers will have their own favourite walks depending on their preferences. Some of Tasmania’s most popular and iconic multi-day walks include the Overland Track, Three Capes Track, Frenchmans Cap Track, South Coast Track and Freycinet Peninsula Circuit.
The Overland Track is an internationally recognised walk that people travel from interstate and overseas specifically to complete.
The Three Capes Track is our most recently developed multi-day award winning track and has proved extremely popular – for good reason. The walk takes in 48 km of spectacular, cliff-hugging wilderness on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania’s south-east.
Why does Tasmania need a new iconic walking experience?
Research by Tourism Tasmania confirms that, for visitors coming to Tasmania, walking is and always has been the most popular recreational activity in natural areas, and this is confirmed by the Parks and Wildlife Service’s visitor survey program.
Tasmania is renowned for magnificent bushwalking, from short strolls and day walks to long and difficult overnight bushwalks through a range of diverse environments. This project will build on the success of the Overland Track and Three Capes Track, by creating a walking experience that showcases the best of Tasmania and is sustainably managed. Over 90 percent of walkers on both tracks rate their walk as “one of the best things they’ve done in their lives”, or “one of the best things they’ve done in the past 12 months”.
In Tasmania, there is demand for more walks; 93 percent of respondents who walked the Three Capes Track said they would walk on a new track elsewhere in Tasmania if it was a similar standard to the Three Capes Track.
How was the Tyndall Range selected as the preferred location for the walk?
In 2018 the Parks and Wildlife Service invited the community to put forward its ideas, harnessing the local knowledge of walkers, operators and people passionate about Tasmania’s nature and history. Twenty four (24) public proposals were received and, over a six month period, an assessment panel comprising local, national and international experts reviewed and ground-truthed a number of potential sites. Each proposal was carefully assessed against environmental, economic, community, and operational criteria to identify the best location. The
preferred option, was the Tyndall Range on Tasmania’s West Coast between Queenstown and Tullah. The site was identified in two of the public submissions.
Will this walk be like the Three Capes Track?
The Next Iconic Walk will not be Three Capes Track “Mark 2”. The Parks and Wildlife Service and design team has learnt a lot of lessons from the Three Capes Track and other walks around Tasmania, but this location has the potential to be something completely different. The combination of natural beauty and spectacular landscapes intertwined with a rich mining, exploration and hydro-power heritage will create a unique offering. The standard of huts is likely to be similar to the Three Capes but the nature of the environment and weather conditions is likely to see a more challenging on track experience for walkers.
How long will the walk be and how far will you have to walk in a day?
The final walk is currently expected to be approximately 31 km long. For the hut-based experience the first day will be approximately 8km, the second day approximately 13km and the final day approximately 10km. Given the nature of the market and expectations of overnight bushwalkers, the tent-based experience will only be a two-day one-night trip with the first day approximately 11km and the second day approximately 20km.
Why is it only two nights?
The
Feasibility Study explored over 50 track route options in and around the Tyndall Range. The Feasibility Study surveyed and interviewed more than 1 900 Australians and the feedback from respondents on their travel patterns and desirability of different options strongly pointed to a 3 day 2 night experience.
Who is likely to do this walk and will it exclude existing walkers in that area?
The aim is to develop an experience that will appeal to people who are motivated and inspired by walking in outstanding natural environments and the notion of exploration, whether they are Tasmanians, or interstate or international visitors.
While no final decision has been made about fees, the principle of visitors contributing to the cost of operating and maintaining the facilities they use and contributing to protecting our natural areas is a sound one.
This will be a new walk built from scratch so will not exclude any existing opportunities. People will be able to walk on existing tracks in the area for free as they do now. These walks are usually in the alpine areas, which our walk deliberately avoids, so we are not taking any opportunities away.
Will you still be able to access nearby vehicle tracks for four-wheel driving and to access lakes for fishing?
Access to existing recreation opportunities in the area will remain the same as currently available. The Lake Spicer Track, which is popular with fisherman and off-road vehicles, will remain open for use under the existing permit system.
What will it cost to walk the track?
An objective of the Parks and Wildlife Service is to ensure the operation of the walk is self-funded by walker fees. No final decision has been made on pricing. Modelling which demonstrated the feasibility of the walk considered a comparable price to the cost to walk the Three Capes Track, however further market research is required.
It is expected that there will be different price points for different levels of service on the Next iconic Walk. The lowest cost option will be a be a tent-based camping option followed by a more traditional hut-based option in shared bunkrooms and the most expensive being private rooms or ‘pods’.
How will visitor numbers be managed?
It is expected a similar approach will be taken to the Three Capes Track – with a year-round booking system. The current planning and design work for the Next Iconic Walk is based on a maximum of 50 departures per day (30 in hut-based accommodation and 20 tent based).
Why is this a good investment?
Tasmania’s economy needs to be built on a diverse range of activities and industries, and to build on its sustainable advantages like our reputation for wild experiences; the Next Iconic Walk builds upon that advantage.
Our investment in this walk will be a massive boost to the West Coast economy, with the
Feasibility Study indicating the project can deliver a $12 return for every $1 spent to the West Coast.
It is estimated that the Next Iconic Walk project will generate 139 jobs during construction and a further 40 jobs in ongoing (transport, tourism, hospitality and support services) including 9 Parks and Wildlife Service operational staff including host rangers.
What is the track going to be called?
A preferred name has not yet been chosen for the walk and will be informed by market testing. An interpretation consultant, Charlie Bravo Design, has been engaged to develop the interpretive content for the walk. Charlie Bravo Design has already developed a series of themes that will run through different elements of the interpretation on the walk – it will be important that the name selected is consistent with the themes and marketing plan for the walk.