Liawenee Parks Letter

GPO Box 963Hobart Tas 700113 February 2013Minister for Parks and Wildlife ServiceParliament HouseHobart 7000Dear Minister,I am writing to you on behalf of Anglers Alliance Tasmania (AAT) and its members who are concerned about the policy change to move Parks and Wildlife representation from the Central Plateau to Mole Creek. Indeed, AAT asks the question “has the Parks and Wildlife Service abandoned the Central Plateau”.We understand that for the first time in many decades there is now no Parks and Wildlife Service representation on the Central Plateau. We believe that some or all buildings will be sold off. The PWS Liawenee Field Station was at the eastern entry point for the World Heritage Area and the Central Plateau Conservation Area and as such, a great many anglers, bushwalkers and tourists pass through this point. It is considered that user contact with the field station was quite significant.We therefore find it quite staggering that no contact has been made with Peak Body and/or Interest Groups to advise of this policy change and to advise what arrangements would be put in place given that there is now no PWS Ranger present.Anglers Alliance seeks answers to the following questions:• What are the arrangements for the opening and closing of the Nineteen Lagoons road at Lake Augusta and how/where do users access this information?• How does the PWS intend to manage the maintenance of the Nineteen Lagoons road beyond the western boundary of Hydro Tasmania’s section of responsibility?• What is the position with the public/tourist information centre and walker registration point which was managed by the PWS Ranger?• What are the contact arrangements for Central Plateau interest groups/users who wish to seek information about CP management or have issues they wish to take up?• Little Pine Lagoon is one of Australia’s icon fly fisheries and attracts a very high percentage of interstate and overseas anglers as well as local anglers annually. The camping area at this venue has fallen into disrepair and is not managed. What is the PWS position with this facility?• Similarly, the Dago Point camping area at Lake Sorell lies within the Interlaken Lakeside Reserve and is adjacent to a Ramsar site on Lake Crescent. Lake Crescent is open for trout fishing. The extensive toilet and other public facilities are gradually being destroyed through vandalism and neglect. The spread of gorse is rampant throughout the wider Dago Point area. What is the PWS position with this facility?We trust that you will be able to provide answers to these questions in order that we can communicate this information to our membership.Yours sincerely,Mike StevensChairmanAnglers Alliance Tasmania