Further access to the lake

Federal Forests buy property: public from 2025

In the municipality of Techelsberg am Wörthersee, the Austrian Federal Forests are purchasing 550 square meters of land - located on the lake.

(Bild: Vermessung Hrastnig/Maletz )

A 400-metre-long stretch of shoreline is being transferred from private to public ownership: the Federal Forestry Office wants to open up parts of the land in Techelsberg am Wörthersee for short recreational trips to the lake next year.

The fact that there is hardly any free access to Lake Wörthersee is a constant source of criticism. Many areas are built up. The state is constantly trying to create such access points for a quick dip in the water.

Now the Federal Forests are buying 550 square meters of land to preserve nature for the public. The elongated, slightly triangular strip of land is located on the Wörthersee main road in the municipality of Techelsberg between Velden and Pörtschach. Together with the upstream land areas, which already belong to the lake property of the Federal Forests, the section is a natural unit of around 940 square meters. A 400-metre-long shore area will then be publicly owned. The property adjoins the one acquired in 2019, on which a reed fence was erected to promote biodiversity.

The handover from the private owner to the federal forestry company is due to take place at the end of this year's bathing season. "There is a possibility that we could make a small part of the strip of land available to the public as a simple recreational area with lake access from the 2025 summer season - it could be possible to take a break from cycling by the lake or cool off in the water there in the future. We are already in contact with the state of Carinthia and the municipality of Techelsberg for this purpose," explains Georg Schöppl, CEO of Austrian Federal Forests. 

The trees and shrubs are to be largely preserved, as is the natural character of the bank section.