Tasmanian Aboriginal groups say they have been "sidelined" by both the state and federal governments' decision to greenlight a fly-in-fly-out luxury camp in the heart of Tasmania's remote World Heritage Area.

Key points: A controversial wilderness fishing development hoped to run visits to a sacred Aboriginal site

A controversial wilderness fishing development hoped to run visits to a sacred Aboriginal site Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre CEO says no Indigenous groups were consulted about the plan

Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre CEO says no Indigenous groups were consulted about the plan Proponent Daniel Hackett says he will be guided by the Aboriginal community

The proposal, which has been granted conditional approval, has ignited a furore of opposition from several community groups, among them is the Tasmanian Aboriginal community who hold particular fears for a sacred cultural site located just a few kilometres from the proposed camp.

The area is one of few remaining cultural sites in the state that features a rock overhang with Aboriginal petroglyphs believed to be more than 8,000 years old.

The engravings tell the story of the first Tasmanian Aboriginals who lived at the site while migrating from the west to the east coast centuries ago.

It is a place considered so sacred that many Tasmanian Aboriginals have never visited it themselves.

But the development's proponents, Daniel and Simone Hackett, planned to take guests on guided tours of the site — a suggestion that chief executive officer of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre Heather Sculthorpe finds both offensive and unacceptable.

"The whole thing is an outrage," she said.

"If that area is to be visited, it's to be under the control of the Aboriginal community, not by private developers."

Ms Sculthorpe said there was no formal consultation with any Aboriginal group in the state.

"It wasn't sought and it wasn't given, it was just a chat with an individual staff member way back in 2015," she said.

"It was a load of spin to say all the processes have been followed."

She said Aboriginal communities have again been "sidelined" and "completely left out" of the decision making.

"[The Government thinks] that our heritage is something to be trampled on in the interest of businesses that want to make a quid at our expense," she said.

The operation would run about 240 chopper flights into the Wilderness World Heritage Area. ( Greg French )

Proposal fits government plan to unlock wilderness

The development plans, which could see upwards of 240 helicopter flights per year flying in guests to "standing camps", are part of the Hodgman Government's "open for business" mantra, pushing to unlock Tasmania's wilderness to commercial tourism.

The proposal involves a helipad, luxury accommodation and communal dining area to be built on Lake Malbena, a decision based on assessments that several groups believe to be both incomplete and misleading.

It takes a solid eight hours of bushwalking through dense tea tree, pineapple grass and alpine eucalypts to arrive at the secluded Halls Island on Lake Malbena.

Located on the edge of some of the wildest, most remote country, Lake Malbena is one of hundreds of tranquil lakes found in the Central Highlands.

The area is one of three temperate wilderness locations in the southern hemisphere and one of a few in the world.

A map of the proposed camp at Hall's Island, showing camp footprint (pink), existing 1950s hut (aqua), walking path (green) and approximate helipad location, with vegetation protection areas (blue). ( Supplied: Dept Environment and Energy )

'Aboriginal heritage is our responsibility and no one else's'

Chairperson of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Heritage Council Rodney Dillon said the handing of the area to private developers would greatly undermine Tasmanian Aboriginal autonomy.

"Aboriginal heritage should be looked after by Aboriginal people, not others," he said.

"That's our responsibility and no one else's. It's a responsibility left to us by our ancestors.

"That's what self-determination is all about.

"There is very little of our history and culture left in this country, and this is a site that should be kept in pristine condition for our people and for our grandchildren and their children."

Mr Dillon said the "unfair" proposal would symbolise the further stripping of Tasmanian Aboriginal identity and that if left to those with a narrow appreciation of the land, it would be destroyed.

The Aboriginal site is so sacred only few Aboriginals have visited it. ( ABC News: Phoebe Hosier )

Doubt over proponent's sacred site plans

Fly-fishing businessman and tourism operator Daniel Hackett has since backed down on plans to visit the ancient site.

He said discussions with the Aboriginal community were in early stages and that he was consulting widely.

"We've talked to a number of Aboriginal individuals and a couple of Aboriginal groups," he said.

"By the sounds of it [site visits] might not be something they want to do, and that's fair enough but we have to go through the process to see.

"We've been guided by the Aboriginal community on this one, so if they say they would not like us to involve a site visit then that's absolutely okay."

Mr Hackett said he would respect the Aboriginal community's wishes to control the site themselves and suggested guests might visit the site via virtual reality tours.

Government minister Michael Ferguson gave no indication that Aboriginal groups would get the final say on access to Aboriginal sites.

"We talk to everybody but we support all Tasmanians to get good access but also looking after our wilderness areas," he said.

The Government said the proponent was responsible for mitigating any impact on Aboriginal heritage and that the Aboriginal community would be able to put their point of view forward when the Aboriginal Heritage Act is reviewed.

The Tasmanian Wilderness Society is challenging the Federal Government's decision — a directions hearing will be before the Federal court in Melbourne on March 26th.