A tourism video promoting Tasmania’s wilderness has been slammed by an expedition medicine specialist for failing to show the harsh reality of one of the state’s most dangerous bushwalks.
Tourism Australia recently shared an Instagram video featuring scenic duckboards along the Western Arthurs Traverse, with sweeping views across a lake and rugged mountain peaks.
The post was captioned: “A walk... but make it unforgettable. In Tassie, upping the daily step count could lead you to multi-day wilderness adventures you can't have anywhere else in the world.”
But Dr Nicole Anderson says the polished tourism pitch glosses over the extreme difficulty and danger of the trek, which is widely regarded as one of Tasmania’s most treacherous multi-day walks.
The former search and rescue volunteer questioned whether enough thought had been given to how the track was being marketed to the public.
“Honestly, where’s the due diligence in this?” Dr Anderson said.
She warned the video risked encouraging inexperienced hikers to attempt a traverse known for volatile weather, remote terrain and physically demanding conditions that can rapidly turn dangerous — even for seasoned bushwalkers.
“Who is this being pitched to and why?” she said. “And what accountability does tourism marketing take for when things do go wrong if we’re so inspired to do this?”
Speaking to Joel Rheinberger on Tasmania Afternoons, Dr Anderson said the reality of the Western Arthurs was far removed from the idyllic images shown in the promotional clip.