Lonely Planet should do a bit more research before they start making such claims.  Sure it is a beautiful area but the infastructure is not there (hope it stays this way) to handle hordes more tourists.  I’ll be a sad man when they start paving roads out there and the like.  Why not promote Bicheno/Swansea more which has accommodation etc already set up?

I am with you Dunk, currently the area cant even handle a long weekend local crowd.  I was at Swimcart on A-day and every beach in the area was packed right onto the fore dune with campers,vans etc. bins overflowing with rubbish and all sorts of environmental damage going on….

How about Government run, or at least subsidised, free or very cheap camping grounds in the towns.. with basic water, toilet and sheltered cooking area fascilities. this way tourists wouldn’t have to search out the fragile camp grounds in the area, would spend their money in the towns rather than interstate, international or local monoplising hotel chains….

u only have to spend time working in the industry and you quickly realise just how badly we actually cater to for interstate veichle based travelers on low to mid budgets… but if u analyse the satistics you will find these are the ones that actaully inject the most into local economies…

so true, there isn’t even a caravan park in binalong bay!

“u only have to spend time working in the industry and you quickly realise just how badly we actually cater to for interstate veichle based travelers on low to mid budgets… but if u analyse the satistics you will find these are the ones that actaully inject the most into local economies…”
I’m confused - surfers from interstate and overseas are travellors on low to medium budgets - they inject money into the local economies ( and therefore provide the impetus for us to drive to breaks, buy boards, wetties etc.) but you guys have been decrying their presence in other dialogues??? Now you want better infrastructure for ‘em…............not that I disagree. Better a small and healthy surfing and outdoors based economy than the like os the mill. Can’t have both fellas.

I welcome all tourism to the state, especially surfers and agree they are injecting money into local economies. I reckon arguments about crowds and jet skies and the like are kind of irrelevant. 

There is nothing to be confused about, my point here was simple: vehicle based tourists of all kinds (not just surfers)don’t have adequate facilities and this is having a direct consequence on fragile coastal environments when they choose to camp there.

In other posts I have argued only that surf based tourism on its own isn’t really economically feasible because its market would be too small.  Improve facilities for viechle based tourists of all kinds and this is good for surfers as well right?  The niche market of pros looking for big waves will look after itself.

A Smart state can have the best of both worlds if the marriage of economic and environmental sustainability is planned an managed properly. Wouldn’t we all agree on that?

Thanks Andrew

That clears it up for me and make sense -although a look at the blog titled ‘time for tassie to cash in on tourism’ would bring into question whether all would agree. Seems like localism is strong, that some don’t want any other surfers form anywhere else coming here (have they ever surfed anywhere else?) , that there’s a struggle acknowledging that some Tas surfers trash the seascape and that - whilst they don’t want surfing/eco tourism in this state - Zac will win.

you people dont realise how lucky you really are.cheap vegies,clean air and very nice and accomadating van parks.up here in qld they fine you if you park on the side off the road,van parks are crap.the best parks i have stayed at in tas are swansea van parks,probably the best in aus for the cost although streaky bay,s.a are good too.but swansea takes the cake and a very nice area too visit