Controversial Lake Malbena helicopter tourism proposal questionably changes hands following Federal Court wind up

A contentious tourism proposal within the boundaries of Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area has purportedly and controversially changed hands following the court-ordered wind up of the initial proponent in September.

Wild Drake, the original proponent for the “Halls Island Standing Camp” proposal, purportedly notified the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water that the proponent of the application should be changed to the personal name of the company’s director—Daniel Hackett. This occurred on 12 September, just the day before a Federal Court hearing regarding the solvency of Wild Drake. The purported change of proponents was made public by official notice from the Department on 27 September 2024.

On 13 September, the Federal Court ordered that Wild Drake be wound up because the company did not prove solvency. The court action was initiated by Wilderness Society Tasmania and the Tasmanian National Parks Association following the failure of Wild Drake to pay outstanding legal costs from earlier proceedings. This is an ongoing legal matter and is currently in the hands of the liquidator.

Additionally, just this week, Tasmania’s Environment Minister Nick Duigan has stated that the lease on Halls Island, inside the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area has been extended six months until the end of March 2025. This extension has been made in spite of the fact that the company is currently being wound up on the basis of insolvency and is under the control of a liquidator.

While the company has been placed into liquidation, the threat to Tasmania’s outstanding Wilderness World Heritage Area still lingers as the helicopter tourism proposal is still before the federal government for assessment.

For almost a decade, Wild Drake has sought to privately develop precious World Heritage wilderness at Lake Malbena, threatening the rich Aboriginal cultural heritage of the area, vital habitat for threatened species like the critically endangered Tasmanian Wedge tailed eagle, and world-class wilderness values.

At every turn, the proposal has faced sustained opposition from communities and the Palawa people.

Alice Hardinge, Campaigns Manager for the Wilderness Society Tasmania, said, “Corporations like Wild Drake must be held accountable to Australian and Tasmanian taxpayers for their role in nature destruction. But instead of taking responsibility, the proponent of the Halls Island helicopter tourism proposal is seemingly trying to outrun its legal obligations. It is not usually lawful for a director to move an asset out of a company when the company is in liquidation. This step should be investigated.”

“For a decade now, sustained community concern about Wild Drake’s proposal has highlighted the risks of inappropriate development in world-class world heritage places.

The outstanding universal values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area must be protected from the Lake Malbena development proposal and from the state government’s parks privatisation agenda.”