Active project record

Originally proposed: 2022
Last reviewed: 21 July 2026
Current status: Early planning and concept development; route, infrastructure and commercial model not yet finalised

This page records the development of the proposed Tyndall Ranges Traverse in western Tasmania and its status when last reviewed. It is not maintained in real time. Significant later developments may be covered through Keep It Wild Australia’s Protected Areas Tourism Watch reports.

The proposed project

The Tyndall Ranges Traverse is a proposed multi-day walking experience in western Tasmania, centred on the remote and rugged Tyndall Range landscape near Queenstown.

The concept forms part of a broader Tasmanian Government strategy to expand nature-based tourism opportunities and create new iconic walking experiences across the state.

The Tyndall Range is recognised for its dramatic alpine landscapes, glacial features, buttongrass plains, rainforest, lakes, exposed ridgelines and mining heritage. The area sits within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA), one of the world’s largest temperate wilderness areas.

The proposed traverse aims to create a new multi-day walking experience through this landscape, potentially connecting existing tracks, historic routes and new trail sections while providing opportunities for visitors to experience one of Tasmania’s more remote western landscapes.

Background and tourism opportunity

The Tyndall Ranges were identified through Tasmania’s broader investment in new and improved nature-based tourism experiences.

The Tasmanian Government has previously highlighted the potential for western Tasmania to develop further tourism products that complement existing destinations such as the Overland Track, Three Capes Track and other established wilderness experiences.

The Tyndall Ranges concept has been promoted as an opportunity to provide a new signature walking experience that could increase visitation in the West Coast region while dispersing visitors beyond more heavily used locations.

The proposal is particularly relevant because Tasmania has increasingly pursued premium walking tourism as part of its nature-based tourism strategy, with previous projects demonstrating models that combine public infrastructure, guided experiences and commercial opportunities.

Protected area setting

The proposed traverse is located within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The TWWHA is jointly managed by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and Aboriginal communities, with management guided by the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan.

The area contains some of Tasmania’s most remote landscapes, including alpine environments, Aboriginal cultural heritage places, threatened species habitat and landscapes valued for their wilderness character.

Any future trail construction, camps, huts or commercial tourism infrastructure would therefore need to be assessed against:

  • wilderness values;
  • natural and cultural heritage protection;
  • Aboriginal cultural values;
  • environmental impacts;
  • fire management requirements;
  • access and servicing requirements; and
  • the objectives of the TWWHA management framework.

At this stage, no final route or infrastructure footprint has been confirmed.

Proposed walking experience

The Tyndall Ranges Traverse has been discussed as a multi-day walk that would showcase the distinctive landscapes of western Tasmania.

The concept has included consideration of:

  • a long-distance walking route through the Tyndall Ranges;
  • new or upgraded walking tracks;
  • overnight camping or accommodation opportunities;
  • interpretation of natural and cultural values;
  • connections with existing tourism experiences in the West Coast region.

The final length, walking duration, difficulty, start and finish points and overnight arrangements have not been publicly confirmed.

It is therefore not yet possible to determine whether the final experience would resemble a self-sufficient wilderness walk, a hut-based experience, a guided premium product or a combination of these models.

Accommodation and commercial tourism potential

The potential for commercial tourism is one of the reasons the project is relevant to Protected Areas Tourism Watch.

Early descriptions of the concept have identified opportunities for nature-based tourism investment, including possible accommodation and guided experiences.

However, no final accommodation proposal has been announced.

There is currently no confirmed:

  • lodge proposal;
  • private hut network;
  • commercial lease;
  • tourism concession;
  • operator selection process;
  • accommodation design;
  • construction budget; or
  • opening timetable.

The project should therefore be distinguished from proposals such as Halls Island–Lake Malbena or the original Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail accommodation proposal, where specific commercial infrastructure designs were publicly advanced.

At this stage, the Tyndall Ranges project represents an opportunity being explored rather than an approved commercial development.

Regional economic objectives

The project is closely linked to broader efforts to support tourism and economic diversification on Tasmania’s west coast.

The West Coast region has a long association with mining, hydro-electricity, wilderness tourism and adventure recreation. Queenstown, Strahan and surrounding communities already provide access to significant natural and cultural attractions.

A new walking experience could provide economic benefits through:

  • guiding;
  • transport services;
  • accommodation outside protected areas;
  • hospitality;
  • interpretation;
  • Aboriginal tourism enterprises; and
  • regional employment.

The challenge will be balancing these opportunities with the protection of a landscape recognised internationally for its wilderness qualities.

Environmental and cultural considerations

Because the Tyndall Ranges are within the TWWHA, any future development would require detailed environmental and cultural assessment.

Potential considerations include:

  • impacts on alpine vegetation;
  • erosion and track durability;
  • impacts from increased visitation;
  • construction impacts associated with camps or shelters;
  • helicopter or vehicle access requirements;
  • protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage; and
  • maintaining opportunities for remote wilderness experiences.

The Tyndall Range contains landscapes that are valued partly because of their relative lack of infrastructure. Any future proposal will need to demonstrate how visitor access can be increased without substantially changing the character of the area.

Current status

The project remains at an early planning stage.

The Tasmanian Government has identified the Tyndall Ranges as having potential for a significant walking experience, but no final development proposal has been released.

No formal environmental approval process, development application, construction tender or commercial operator selection process has been identified.

The project therefore remains a concept requiring further investigation.

Why this project matters

The Tyndall Ranges Traverse is important because it represents the next stage in Tasmania’s ongoing expansion of premium walking tourism.

Projects such as the Three Capes Track demonstrated that governments and tourism operators see significant demand for higher-quality multi-day walking experiences. The Tyndall Ranges could become another major visitor experience within a World Heritage landscape.

However, the location also makes it a significant test of how Tasmania balances tourism growth with wilderness protection.

Unlike heavily modified visitor precincts, the Tyndall Ranges retain a strong sense of remoteness. Decisions about track design, accommodation, commercial access and visitor numbers will determine whether the project creates a carefully managed walking experience or changes the character of a relatively undeveloped wilderness landscape.

For Keep It Wild Australia, the key issues to monitor are:

  • whether private accommodation is proposed within the TWWHA;
  • whether commercial operators receive exclusive rights;
  • whether infrastructure remains low-impact and publicly accessible;
  • how Aboriginal communities participate in decision-making and benefit-sharing; and
  • whether wilderness values remain central to project design.

Confirmed

The Tasmanian Government has identified the Tyndall Ranges as having potential for a new nature-based tourism experience.

The proposed project is associated with a multi-day walking experience through the Tyndall Range landscape.

The area lies within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The project is intended to support regional tourism opportunities in western Tasmania.

No final route, accommodation design, operator, lease arrangement or construction timetable has been confirmed.

Not yet confirmed

The final walking route and distance.

Whether the route will use existing tracks, new tracks or a combination.

Whether overnight facilities will include huts, shelters, camping areas or commercial accommodation.

Whether private tourism operators will be involved and under what arrangements.

Whether any commercial lease or concession will be offered.

The level of public funding allocated.

The environmental assessment pathway.

The Aboriginal governance and benefit-sharing arrangements.

The expected visitor capacity.

The project timeline.

Sources and documents

  • Tasmanian Government nature-based tourism strategy documents
  • Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service TWWHA management documents
  • West Coast regional tourism planning documents
  • Tasmanian Government announcements regarding western Tasmania tourism investment