Tourism operator Experience Co is pushing for a seven-day catered walk through Tasmania's south-west, but elders say proposals in areas with Aboriginal heritage sites should be put on hold until the state's new Aboriginal Heritage Act is tabled later this year.
It is far too soon to be talking about a proposed guided walk and huts for Tasmania's south-west, Aboriginal organisations say.The South Coast Track has "only been open to a relatively elite group" of experienced, self-reliant walkers, Right to Information documents said
It is an area with sites of "immense importance" to Aboriginal Tasmanians, according to an archaeologist who reviewed the proposal. Further documents obtained by the ABC under RTI legislation included a letter from archaeologist Samuel Dix about the Aboriginal heritage sites in the area."Due to the nature of the proposed works, much of the area where the proponent wants to establish new tracks and erect huts has never been surveyed for Aboriginal heritage.
"We look forward to building relationships and working closely with all concerned as we move through this process."The state's Aboriginal Heritage Act is under review, and an updated version is expected to be tabled in Parliament next year. Installations on the Needwonnee Walk at Melaleuca near the start of the South Coast Track present Aboriginal cultural values.The Tasmanian Greens do not support the government's program of calling for proposals for development in national parks, and Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said the party had several concerns about the proposal for the South Coast Track.