A plot of land next to a national park on the Tasman Peninsula is up for sale, sparking concern from locals, conservationists and the Indigenous community that it could be bought by private developers and turned into luxury accommodation.
The 40-hectare waterfront block on Crescent Bay borders the Tasman National Park and includes a walking track that connects to large sand dunes popular for "surfing" down and is about a 40-minute walk from Remarkable Cave.
The plot is next to a large site electronics millionaire Dick Smith bought in 2008.
The well-known entrepreneur lodged an application to build a luxury lodge on his site, which was approved by the council, but after fierce opposition from locals and a lack of support from the state government, the project was abandoned.
In 2017, Mr Smith's daughter and son-in-law revealed plans to revive the project.
The Tasmanian government committed $1 million to boost the proposed $20 million tourism development, but no work has since been done.
With the neighbouring plot now listed for sale, a similar debate has been reignited over what should happen to the land.
Calls for government to buy the land
The Tasmanian National Parks Association (TNPA) says the land should be included in the Tasman National Park and that the state government should buy the land to make it happen.
"It's one of the great short walks," TNPA president Nick Sawyer said.
"If you choose to you can take to walk up to Mount Brown, or the easier walk down to Crescent Bay Beach.
"Many people who go there thinking they're going to the Tasman National Park wouldn't realise that the boundary actually stops basically at the top of those dunes."
Nick Sawyer said the state government needed to step in and protect the bay.
"It would greatly increase the likelihood of that natural view and natural feel of Crescent Bay being maintained forever if it was actually incorporated into the Tasman National Park."
At the time of the proposed development in 2008, investigations found the area to be of ecological significance.
The land includes a coastal dune system, woodlands and wetlands, as well as threatened flora and fauna, including the white-bellied sea eagle.
"There are a number of threatened species on that block of land, and that was identified during investigations for the Dick Smith proposal," Mr Sawyer said.
"National Parks exist for basically two reasons. They're for the protection of natural values and for people to experience nature."
Private Crescent Bay sale 'horrifying to think about'
Along with the natural significance of the site, the land also has a strong cultural significance to the Paredarerme Nation.
Historically, the local Aboriginal group lived and hunted on the Tasman Peninsula, which holds the traditional name Turrakana.
Secretary of the Parrdarrama Pungenna Aboriginal Corporation (PPAC) Elena MacDonald said it was upsetting that the land could be sold without consulting traditional custodians.
"Crescent Bay and the islands surrounding it, and the whole area including the dunes form a very critical part of our heritage and a very critical part of our country, which we cared for over thousands of years," she said.
"Regardless of whether it was a private commercial sale or whether it was sold to developers, it would be threatening to the ongoing existence of that country, let alone our ability to access and care for it."
State parliament is currently developing new Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation, but Ms MacDonald fears that it could be too late to protect Crescent Bay.
"Once it's sold, the ability to reclaim that land to restore it and care for it becomes that much harder."
Ms MacDonald also wants to see the government intervene and buy the land.
"It would mean the viable longevity of our cultural heritage and our access to country," she said.
"It's not just us. It's also the wider community who love our country as much as we do, and love the way this part of Turrakana at Crescent Bay is so un-impacted."
The Real Estate agent who is selling the land, Kate Storey, predicts the land will be sold privately for a single property.
"The level of interest that we've had in the property is for that," she said.
"You're attracting people that are longing to connect with nature, and that property does that for you. It's just amazing."
Ms Storey said she understood the public concern, but did not believe there would be a significant impact on the ecosystem.
"It will sell to someone who truly appreciates it for what it is and what it has to offer, and will be very sympathetic to the parcel of land," she said.
Other plot could still become eco-resort
Tasman Council Mayor Kelly Spaulding said while the new land sale would likely be for a private development, he would like to see luxury accommodation at Crescent Bay.
"One thing we've had in the Tasman is the lack of that investment," he said.
"There is certainly a demand for that high-end quality accommodation. Unfortunately, we just haven't seen any of the proposals go ahead at this stage.
"It's the one complaint I get from visitors personally."
Mr Spaulding would not mind the state government buying the land.
"If it goes into the national parks, I'm happy to see that happen, so long as it's properly resourced," he said.
Editor's note: The original version of this story incorrectly said the land for sale was also owned by Dick Smith's family. The ABC apologises for the error.
