DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION Three Capes Track Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction Tasman National Park, Safety Cove State Reserve, Crown Land and Titles 228905/1, 210148/1 and 159762/2 JUNE 2012 DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION to TASMAN COUNCIL for the THREE CAPES TRACK Tasman National Park, Safety Cove State Reserve, Crown Land and Titles 228905/1, 210148/1 and 159762/2 JUNE 2012 Prepared by: Parks and Wildlife Service Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment GPO Box 1751 Hobart TAS 7001 i DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project Overview .......................................................................................................... 1 2. PROPOSAL DETAILS .................................................................................... 2 2.1 Proponent ..................................................................................................................... 2 2.2 Proposal Scope ............................................................................................................ 2 2.3 Subject Land and Locality .......................................................................................... 2 2.3.1 Tasman National Park and Safety Cove State Reserve ........................................ 2 2.3.2 Crown Land ............................................................................................................ 3 2.3.3 Stormlea Road – Road Reserve ............................................................................ 3 2.3.4 Stormlea Road – Private Land ............................................................................... 3 2.3.5 Mt Raoul East - Private Land ................................................................................. 3 2.3.6 Fish Hawk Gully - Private Land .............................................................................. 4 2.3.7 Mansfield Plain – Road Reserve ............................................................................ 4 2.4 Gateways ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.4.1 Independent walk start - Noyes Road .................................................................... 5 2.4.2 Commercial walk start - Stormlea Road................................................................. 5 2.4.3 Transition point – Remarkable Cave – Safety Cove Road .................................... 6 2.4.4 Transition point – Safety Cove – Dog Bark Road .................................................. 6 2.4.5 Transition point – Denmans Cove .......................................................................... 6 2.4.6 Walk terminus - Fortescue Bay .............................................................................. 6 2.5 Jetties ............................................................................................................................ 6 2.6 The Track ...................................................................................................................... 7 2.7 Overnight nodes – independent walker accommodation ....................................... 9 2.7.1 Overview ................................................................................................................. 9 i DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction 2.7.2 Hut Design .............................................................................................................. 9 2.7.3 Geotechnical Investigations and Waste Water Disposal ..................................... 10 2.7.4 Design Criteria - Bushfire Protection .................................................................... 10 2.8 Fire Management ....................................................................................................... 13 2.9 Road and Air Traffic ................................................................................................... 14 2.9.1 Road Traffic .......................................................................................................... 14 2.9.2 Air Traffic .............................................................................................................. 15 3. TIMEFRAME FOR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ................................. 16 3.1 Prior to construction commencement .................................................................... 16 3.2 Construction phase ................................................................................................... 16 3.2.1 Working hours ...................................................................................................... 16 3.2.2 Public access ........................................................................................................ 16 3.2.3 Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) .................................... 16 3.2.4 Inspections ........................................................................................................... 17 3.3 Commencement of operations ................................................................................. 17 4. EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS 18 4.1 Environmental Effects and their Management ....................................................... 18 4.1.1 Geoheritage .......................................................................................................... 18 4.1.2 Flora...................................................................................................................... 19 4.1.3 Weeds .................................................................................................................. 21 4.1.4 Phytophthora ........................................................................................................ 22 4.1.5 Fauna ................................................................................................................... 23 4.1.6 Marine Environment ............................................................................................. 27 4.1.7 Aquatic Environment ............................................................................................ 28 4.1.8 Visual Impact ........................................................................................................ 29 4.1.9 Cultural and Historic Heritage .............................................................................. 30 ii DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction 4.1.10 Hazardous Material .......................................................................................... 30 4.1.11 Waste ................................................................................................................ 31 4.1.12 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ............................................................................ 31 4.1.13 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 32 4.2 Socio-economic Impact ............................................................................................ 33 4.2.1 Economic Impact .................................................................................................. 33 4.2.2 Social Impact ........................................................................................................ 34 5. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................ 36 5.1 Summary of Whole of Project Approvals ................................................................ 36 5.1.1 Federal ................................................................................................................. 36 5.1.2 State ..................................................................................................................... 36 5.2 Tasman Planning Scheme ........................................................................................ 36 5.2.1 Tenor of the Planning Scheme ............................................................................. 36 5.2.2 Reservation of Land ............................................................................................. 38 5.2.3 Relevant Provisions within General Provisions (Part 7) ....................................... 39 5.2.4 Relevant Provisions within Special Provisions (Part 8) ........................................ 44 5.3 Consistency with Tasman Council policy ............................................................... 49 5.3.1 Tasman Council Strategic Plan 2011-2016 ......................................................... 49 5.3.2 Tasman Tourism Development Strategy 2011-2016 ........................................... 49 5.4 Consistency with Tasmanian Government policy ................................................. 49 5.4.1 State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997 ............................................... 49 5.4.2 State Coastal Policy 1996 .................................................................................... 49 5.4.3 Tourism Tasmania Strategic Plan 2010-2013...................................................... 51 5.5 Relevant Legislative Requirements ......................................................................... 51 5.5.1 Federal ................................................................................................................. 51 5.5.2 State ..................................................................................................................... 52 6. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ 53 iii DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction 7. REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 55 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 57 Appendix 1 – Concept Layout for Gateway sites ............................................................ 58 Appendix 2 – Typical Construction Details for Toilets ................................................... 59 Appendix 3 – Concept Plans for Jetty Construction ....................................................... 60 Appendix 4 – Three Capes Track Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan ...................................................................................................... 61 Appendix 5 – Typical Track Construction Details ........................................................... 62 Appendix 6 – Concept Plans for Overnight Nodes ......................................................... 63 Appendix 7 – Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act - Decision Notice .......................................................................................................................... 64 iv DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Overview The Three Capes Track is a proposal to establish a multi-day day iconic bushwalking experience, including a water-based journey, featuring Cape Raoul, Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy on the Tasman Peninsula in south-eastern Tasmania. The project, to be developed and implemented by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS), a division of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE), will require the construction of five overnight hut nodes, while the track will be completed both through the upgrading of existing tracks and the development of new track. Walkers on the Three Capes Track will walk from west to east commencing at White Beach and finishing at Fortescue Bay with a boat journey between Safety Cove and Denmans Cove. The development is almost entirely within the Tasman National Park with some minor components on Safety Cove State Reserve, Crown Land and private land. The proposal has arisen in response to investigations into the potential for an additional iconic multi-day bushwalk in Tasmania to complement the Overland Track. Those investigations identified that demand existed for a greater diversity of walking opportunities in the State. In particular, a demand for a multi-day, moderately challenging, highly scenic walk with hut accommodation and a high standard of track and other infrastructure. Consideration of a range of walking options concluded that the Tasman Peninsula offered the best opportunity to develop a walk with these attributes and the Three Capes Track concept was developed. A key component of the proposal is the combination of two streams of users, independent walkers and guided (or „commercial‟) walkers. Independent walkers will constitute the majority (approximately 86%) of users. These walkers will undertake a 5 night/6 day walk and will utilise public huts and associated infrastructure dedicated for use for the Three Capes Track during the operating season of the walk (expected to be nominally 1 November to 30 April inclusive). The public huts will have a capacity to accommodate 48 people and up to 4 PWS staff. Walkers will be guaranteed a bed in each hut as they progress along the track through a fee and booking system. There will be a high level of information provided to walkers both prior to and during the walk. An important feature of the operation of the track is the provision of hut wardens and dedicated track rangers. The presence of these staff will ensure the efficient operation of the track and is an important component of ensuring adequate levels of safety and the provision of a high level of support and information to walkers. Guided walkers will utilise private huts or standing camps, designed to accommodate up to 13 people (10 clients and 3 guides), which will be constructed and managed by a commercial operator. Commercial trips will depart from the existing Cape Raoul track car park and will complete a 4 night/5 day walk. Commercial accommodation nodes will be in the vicinity of the public huts but with some visual separation. It is envisaged that in total the Three Capes Track will attract up to 10 000 walkers during the operating season with a maximum of 61 walkers departing on any given day. The track route and overnight hut node locations are shown in Figure 1.1 (p. 3). A fee and booking system will operate during the operating season of the Three Capes Track, as currently occurs for the Overland Track. The cost of undertaking the walk as an independent walker is projected to be $200. The business model proposed for the Three Capes Track is for full operational cost recovery. Operation of the track will include management of income from walker use and the commercial operation, asset maintenance, managing the booking system, marketing and promotion, providing a presence on the 1 DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction track through the employment of hut wardens and rangers and the provision of information and interpretation. A commitment of 12.5 million dollars from the Commonwealth government and 12.8 million dollars from the State government has been made to the project. The commercial sector is expected to contribute a further 7 to 8 million dollars to establish the commercial accommodation nodes, walker transport including boat and bus transport and the associated operation of these enterprises. On the Tasman Peninsula, the track is projected to generate spending of $3.1 million per year and the creation of 70 jobs. At a State level, it is projected that the development of the Three Capes Track will generate $19.7 million spending within Tasmania annually. It is also projected that at full operational capacity it will create an additional 334 jobs in Tasmania. The coastal scenery of the Tasman Peninsula, which includes the highest sea cliffs in Australia, favourable weather and visitor infrastructure has led to the existing Tasman Trail being recognised as one of Tasmania‟s great walks. The Three Capes Track proposal will build on this by providing a coherent, multi- day bushwalking experience with a high standard of visitor infrastructure and experience. 2 DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION - THREE CAPES TRACK Track, Accommodation, Gateway and Jetty Construction Figure 1.1 Three Capes Track, track route and Independent walker overnight nodes 1