Conflict between Tasmanian Tourism and Tasmanian Greens

Another Green ‘anti forestry’ protest, this time against the Tahune Air-Walk in Tassie’s Huon region, in front of delegates at the recent Ecotourism Conference, has angered the Tourism Council of Tasmania (TCT). The Greens argue the need to preserve forest areas to boost tourism because tourism will replace forestry jobs, says Daniel Leesong CEO of TCT, but their protests amount to economic sabotage.

The Tahune Air-Walk – a steel framework supported by 12 towers embedded in the forest floor – is a spectacular treetops walkway, providing a birds-eye view of the southern forests and the local mountain range. There are several popular treetop walks right around Australia: WA’s Valley of the Giants Boardwalk in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park, the Koala Boardwalk in Victoria’s Philip Island Nature Park and several through spectatcular rainforest in Queensland National Parks.

As these protests are not isolated incidents, TCT says ‘enough is enough’. The Air-Walk has helped revive the Huon Valley’s economy and if the Green movement is prepared to risk damage to tourism icons they may decide to campaign against Green politicians to get their point across about ‘inappropriate protests’.