Parks For Communities |
New BIODIVERSITY Report by VEAC |
Great Forest National Park an economic boon
• Proposed national park could attract extra 400,000 visitors annually • Add more than $70 million to local economy annually • Create 750 full-time jobs The Brief can be found here - NOUS GFNP Brief The Full Report can be found here NOUS GFNP report Victoria’s proposed Great Forest National Park could draw almost 380,000 extra visitors a year to the Central Highlands, add $71 million annually to the local economy and generate 750 jobs with a little private investment, according to a new report by the Nous Group, commissioned by the Wilderness Society. Even without private investment, simply declaring the national park, improving park infrastructure and visitor management, and establishing the Healesville-to-Eildon hiking trail could generate 520 jobs, attract an extra 242,000 visitors a year and add $48 million annually to the economy in 10 years’ time and growing. “This analysis shows that the Great Forest National Park would be a huge tourism drawcard, would create hundreds of jobs and add millions of dollars to the local economy,” said Wilderness Society Victorian Campaign Manager Amelia Young. “Increased visitation by domestic and international tourists and investment by governments would drive opportunities in ecotourism, hospitality and accommodation, and forest and park management. Additional spending by visitors would go to local goods and service providers in towns around and on the way to the new park.” Sarah Rees, Director of conservation group MyEnvironment, said: “The Great Forest National Park would be a boon for the region. Investment in nature tourism is the next big thing for growing centres such as Healesville and Warburton, and will invigorate smaller towns such as Toolangi, Noojee and Rawson.” Steve Meacher, the President of Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum, said: “The Great Forest National Park would also help save Victoria’s rapidly disappearing Mountain Ash forests, the tallest flowering trees in the world, and the state’s animal emblem that calls them home, the Leadbeater’s Possum, which is teetering on the brink of extinction. It would help keep secure Melbourne’s vital drinking water supplies.” Ms Young said: “Just an hour’s drive from Melbourne, the Great Forest National Park could grow to rival Sydney’s world-famous tourist drawcard, the Blue Mountains National Park. The results of this analysis are conservative as it did not take into account the proposed park’s close proximity to Melbourne.” After the Grampians was declared a national park in 1985, average annual visitor days increased 30 per cent from 1.12 million to 1.5 million. After the Murray-Sunset National Park was declared in 1991, annual visits more than doubled, from 12,000 to 27,200. If the government created the park, upgraded facilities and visitor management and established the proposed hiking trail from Healesville through Marysville to Eildon, the park would add another $48.6 million a year to the local economy in a decade on the back of just $26 million in investment, attract another 218,000 visitors and create 520 new jobs. The report looked at various scenarios including private enterprise building the already proposed tree-top walk at Cambarville and zip-line at Toolangi as well as an eco-lodge at a cost of $19.2 million. This with the major upgrades including the hiking trail from Healesville through Marysville to Eildon would add another $71.1 million a year to the local economy in a decade, generate 760 jobs and attract another 379,000 visitors annually, including 277,000 day trippers and 102,000 overnight visitors. The Brief can be found here - NOUS GFNP Brief The Full Report can be found here NOUS GFNP report 
The Great Forest National Park proposes the amalgamation of more than 10 smaller parks in a world-class reserve system that will complete a biolinks plan to cradle Melbourne and safeguard Melbourne's key ecological assets and social values; water, food bowl security, regional jobs, recreational opportunities and wildlife sanctuaries.
An eastern growth plan for Melbourne - Great Forest National Park Key features of the plan include: Scale: Reserving 355,000 hectares of state forest additional to the 180,000 hectares currently in reserve. Context: (Map) Melbourne contains approximately 168,891 hectares of protected reserve around the city. Sydney enjoys 1,094,207 hectares in reserve (refer to report). Fire safety: Building fire resilience back into the landscape. Science Water safety: Protecting and enhancing Victoria’s (Melbourne’s) primary water supplies. Science Climate safety: Building and storing green carbon in soils and forest under a Commonwealth carbon/conservation trade program. Science Species resilience: Extinction prevention by restoring ecosystems and implementing the new ‘old growth’ plan. Science Science program: Real-time monitoring informing ecosystem management (water, wildlife, carbon, forest health). Jobs: Growing and diversifying the region’s economy by taking advantage of value-adding opportunities in forest eco-tourism, boutique/delicatessen agriculture, a world-class wine region and the arts; Education and Training: Re-establishing a training centre in Lilydale; agriculture, wine, food, hospitality, eco-tourism, arts/design (could include a timber design program).
Science and eco-tourism development programs in local secondary schools to connect students into regional study, training and career opportunities (parks, tourism, water, carbon, fire, forest, agriculture and wildlife management). The next training levels promoted through regional and peri-urban TAFE institutions and Outdoor Education and Education Outdoor programs. |
A new report by VEAC, commissioned by the Forest Industry Taskforce has revealed that the most intense logging damage is happening to the most biodiverse regions in Victoria. Read more
Tourism
Did you know that twice the number of tourists come to the Yarra Ranges to experience the forests than they do to enjoy our wine region yet there has never been a specific budget to promote the majesty of our forests. Imagine if we developed the brand? Link to Tourism Victoria statistics. The Value of Parks
The human species has evolved from, and been nurtured by, the natural environment – we are a biological product of the Earth itself. This deep connection is one that we must all remember. Our parks are the storehouse of our past and, more importantly, of our future.
John Landy AC CVO MBE The Easy Map of the GFNP
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New regional ecotourism proposals submitted
Infrastructure: Promoting Healesville as a regional hub and revitalising growth in and around regional communities such as Kinglake, Toolangi, Eildon, Taggerty, Buxton, Narbethong, Marysville, Alexandra, Woods Point, Reefton, Yea, Castella, Warburton, Yarra Junction, Noojee, and Powelltown to improve retail, hospitality and support new eco-tourism infrastructure;
Culture: Protecting and improving the region’s environmental and cultural heritage assets to achieve the best outcome for the environment, economy and community;
Acknowledging Aboriginal custodianship by building indigenous roles into park management, adopting traditional names for iconic places and enhancing interpretation signage with traditional history and knowledge.
Accessibility:
- Encouraging flexible and adaptable public transport to the region and within the region.
- Enable greater wheelchair access and accommodate visitors with special needs, and
- promote safe and family friendly natural places.
Infrastructure: Promoting Healesville as a regional hub and revitalising growth in and around regional communities such as Kinglake, Toolangi, Eildon, Taggerty, Buxton, Narbethong, Marysville, Alexandra, Woods Point, Reefton, Yea, Castella, Warburton, Yarra Junction, Noojee, and Powelltown to improve retail, hospitality and support new eco-tourism infrastructure;
- A zipline tour in Toolangi - a canopy line (investment secured)
- A world-class 5 day overland track from Healesville -Marysville -Eildon (shorter walks within)
- A skywalk (tree-tops walk) in Cambarville adjacent to Lake Mountain to enhance all season low alpine visitation
- The Warburton to Walhalla trail - a 5 day track with huts (already planned and approved)
- Greater signage and interpretation sites across whole region
- Greater accessibility in the mountains for ‘grey nomads’
- More day picnic sites
- More listed and designated camp sites
- Properly serviced, managed and funded four-wheel driving tracks
- Responsible hunting programs
- Trail bike riding, rider training and track management
Culture: Protecting and improving the region’s environmental and cultural heritage assets to achieve the best outcome for the environment, economy and community;
Acknowledging Aboriginal custodianship by building indigenous roles into park management, adopting traditional names for iconic places and enhancing interpretation signage with traditional history and knowledge.
Accessibility:
- Encouraging flexible and adaptable public transport to the region and within the region.
- Enable greater wheelchair access and accommodate visitors with special needs, and
- promote safe and family friendly natural places.
