Dear Monitors,
I realise the following does not mention any specific birds, but in
light of recent political developments I felt it was relevant and
important enough to bring to the attention of a wide group of
birdwatchers.
I hope you agree.
If it is too long there are easy ways for either you or me to
abbreviate it.
Here goes,
Ted
[fuller 'signature' below]
Shall we shoot our birds and animals, or maybe just pave their
habitat?
With all the drama of the NSW Shooters' Party bill to allow
(indiscriminate) slaughter of animals and birds in NPs there is a risk
that a more insidious threat to the natural values of our NPs may go
overlooked, namely the NSW Government's rewriting of the NP and Wildlife
Act to allow all sorts of commercial activities (luxury private
accommodation; eco-lodges etc., with all the necessary infrastructure)
within NP boundaries - and Wilderness areas will no longer be protected
from 'development'.
Already the Dept of Environment and Climate Change has set up a tourism
arm, and it seems all set to do the State Government’s and the Tourism
and Transport Forum’s (the tourist industry's peak lobby group)
bidding.
But the dangers are by no means confined to NSW.
The plans for 'Australia's Wilderness Coast’ (see www.egipps.vic.gov.au
( http://www.egipps.vic.gov.au/ ) Australia’s CoastalWilderness Tourism
Master Plan) for instance, make very scary reading.
The language is scarcely reassuring:
“A comprehensive brand strategy and suite of marketing
messages have already been created for the(sic) Australia’s Coastal
Wilderness.”
It is hoped to “attract investors through a Tourism Accommodation
Investment Prospectus … to support expansion of the Merimbula Airport …
to help new scenic flights establish and assist existing operators
expand … to build new ‘wilderness’ day‐tour products for visiting
cruise ships” etc.
ACCOMMODATION INVESTMENT PROSPECTUS
“Australia’s Coastal Wilderness needs an iconic piece of accommodation
infrastructure
located in a wilderness setting.” (What would remain of the ‘wilderness’
is not clear).
The document goes on to lament the “lack of iconic accommodation to
meet the needs of the higher yielding international Experience Seeker.”
(Clearly they aim for the well-heeled traveller).
There is an “Accommodation Investment Prospectus … designed to identify
new iconic
accommodation opportunities. This will require the preparation of an
official
investment prospectus of potential sites for development …
The Accommodation Investment Prospectus will build on the significant
work that has
been undertaken or underway in both New South Wales to investigate new
investment opportunities inor near protected areas.” ( My italics.)
“This includes the Victorian Department of Sustainability and
Environment’s Tourism Land Bank Project and the
NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change Tourism and
Recreation
Strategy (underway).”
“The following sites have been identified as possible sites for
inclusion in the plan:
‐Penders Site – Luxury Accommodation (Mimosa Rocks National Pa rk)
‐Mowarry Point – Ecolodge and Walker’s Lodge (Ben Boyd National Park)
‐Green Cape Lighthouse – Luxury Accommodation (Ben Boyd National Park)
‐Disaster Bay ‐Luxury Accommodation
‐Gabo Island – Cabins
‐‘Jingalong’ site, Mallacoota – Ecolodge / Resort (Croajingalong
National Pa rk)
‐Point Hicks Lighthouse ‐Luxury Accommodation (Croajingalong National
Park)
‐Tamboon Inlet – Fishing Lodge
‐Cape Conran – Luxury Tents (Cape Conran Coastal Park)
‐Lake Tyers – Ecolodge
‐Tullock Ard Gorge ‐Ecolodge
‐Davidson Whaling Station – Cabins (Ben Boyd National Park)”
Whether trail bike and camel rides will be included in the suite of
marketing opportunities remains to be seen.
Ted Nixon
(past President of Birding NSW; past Coordinator of The NSW Bird
Atlassers)
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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