Page 3281 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 23 August 2017
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In July 2006 the ACT Standing Committee on Planning and Environment—the chair of which I note was the current minister, Mr Gentleman—published an issues paper to assist the committee’s inquiry into the proposed nomination of the ACT as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. In 2011 the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and Water undertook an inquiry into current and potential ecotourism in the ACT and made various recommendations, including that the ACT government develop a strategic plan for the development of nature-based tourism in ACT national parks. Yet again in 2017 another call has been made—this time by Ms Orr—to implement such a policy.
In February this year the Chief Minister invited businesses to collaborate on a range of nature-based tourism opportunities to boost Canberra’s ecotourism. Tenders opened in February and closed in March, so we await the outcome of this call with interest. However, I note that only yesterday the Chief Minister, when I asked a direct question about the ACT government’s work on ecotourism, acknowledged that it is an important aspect but went on to say it was not a significant part of the total territory tourism offering.
This year’s budget has an allocation of $4.1 million to support Canberra’s tourism industry, which is currently attracting the highest number of visitors to the territory in our history, but only $162,000 was identified for ecotourism, being for design work for the Mulligans Flat ecotourism visitors centre. In this regard, I acknowledge the significant funding contribution made by the federal government for the expansion of Mulligans Flat. On that basis, I doubt the development of an ecotourism policy that Ms Orr is calling for will be the high priority of the current government.
Despite this, it would be interesting to know just how many people, both local and international, visit our many nature parks and reserves. An ACT government 2004 publication, Shaping our Territory: the Business Case and Master Plan for the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, reported that, despite the popularity of Tidbinbilla and its unique features, visitor numbers had been static in recent years despite the growth in the ACT’s population. A later report suggests that in the year ending December 2012 the ACT welcomed 1,955,000 domestic overnight visitors. Of these, an estimated 12 per cent took part in outdoor and nature-based activities during their visit. The ACT also welcomed 163,462 international visitors in the year ending December 2012. Of these, 77 per cent took part in outdoor and nature-based activities during their trip to Australia. One can only speculate on whether the existence of a specific ecotourism policy will increase those numbers; one can only speculate.
The story of Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo nature reserves are examples of what the ACT does well in managing the local natural environment and what is potentially a great international tourism story. Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo are two of the 30 reserves that make up Canberra Nature Park, which provides Canberrans and visitors alike with easy access to enjoy the best of nature on their doorstep.
Mulligans Flat is home to about 150 species of wildflowers which grow among red gum and yellow box trees, making it one of the most significant nature reserves in the
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