It is one of Tasmania’s most iconic natural beauties. But there is much debate about the future of Kunanyi / Mt Wellington. A review into the mountain’s management is underway and while some see an opportunity for improvement, others are wary of reigniting a cable car controversy.
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00:00Qunanyi Mount Wellington is Tasmania's most visited natural attraction, with more than
00:07500,000 visitors every year.
00:09It's just such an amazing park, just on our doorstep.
00:12It's still so underdeveloped and pristine and natural.
00:21Pressure on the park is increasing, with annual visitor numbers expected to continue growing.
00:26Now the government is looking at how to better manage and access the tourism hotspot.
00:32Doing nothing is not an option, because we know that at the moment we have Tasmanians
00:36and visitors exploring our mountain.
00:39The review will look at what the community values most – views, heritage and environmental
00:45protection.
00:46It will look at how the mountain is managed and funded, and by who, as well as the approvals
00:51process for future developments.
00:53It will also cover how the community interacts with the mountain, including access, facilities
00:59and recreational activities.
01:02Past attempts to improve access to the mountain have been contentious.
01:06Two years ago, a push for a cable car to the summit faced stern opposition and failed.
01:12We fear that this review, not being independent, will just pave the way for another application
01:17to build a cable car.
01:19The mountain is currently managed by the Wellington Park Management Trust, made up of representatives
01:24from Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, Tourism Tasmania, Glenorchy City Council,
01:31City of Hobart, TAS Water and the State Government.
01:35The Hobart City Council funds and maintains all infrastructure in the most popular areas.
01:41It's not sustainable or fair for us to continue to have to pay for all of that infrastructure.
01:47A national park model could be one alternative.
01:51It's really problematic given the multiple land use on the mountain, and what I would
01:56rather see is a management structure that allows access to all.
02:01Tasmanian Aboriginal leader and Yorta Yorta woman, Ruth Langford, is concerned the review
02:06may be shallow.
02:07We invite Aboriginal people into decision-making roles in order for us to share the knowledge
02:14and the wisdom that we have around how to best care for this magnificent mountain.
02:22The community have until the 4th of December to have their say.
02:25A report with recommendations on how to achieve a long-term vision for the mountain is due
02:30to be released in the middle of next year.