A state-of-the-art lookout over the Southern Ocean and a large-scale visitor centre to help manage the millions of annual visitors are among the projects that should finally become reality thanks to a record investment in the Shipwreck Coast Masterplan.
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After years of lobbying for better visitor infrastructure, local government officials and tourism leaders gathered at the Twelve Apostles on Wednesday to hear details of the state government’s $153-million budget promise.
The commitment is part of the Geelong City Deal, with plans to build a convention centre there. The Twelve Apostles region is likely to see about one third, and hoped-for federal funding would bring the share to about $100 million.
That would allow for stage two of the Shipwreck Coast Masterplan, which includes a major visitor centre at Glenample, a shuttle service from there to key sites, and a cantilevered lookout, and potential cafe, to take in the Apostles.
Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford said negotiations with Canberra to match the funding had been positive.
“We need that to happen to deliver all the components of the deal,” she said.
”I don’t know if we’ll get an announcement from them in next week’s budget, but they are certainly not talking about long, long-term so we’ll continue our push. But our $150-million is locked in.”
Ms Pulford said the masterplan projects would improve infrastructure, encourage private investment and drive economic growth across the region, including by encouraging increased length of stay.
“The economic benefit is when visitors stay and that’s long been the cry from these communities that you’ve got the third most visited tourist attraction in the country and people are popping in for 20 minutes and spending cents, not dollars,” she said.
“The visitor economy is the second largest source of economic activity in regional Victoria, one in six people in our regions work in the visitor economy… and it’s growing and it’s growing fast.
“We know when we’re competing in a global industry like tourism we’ve got to be on the top of our game.”
Corangamite Shire mayor Jo Beard joked that she was looking forward to no longer having to carry a copy of the masterplan after years of lobbying. Cr Beard said the funding would have far-reaching effects across the region and would boost the visitor experience.
“I want visitors to go away with great memories and that ‘wow’ feeling this natural icon deserves, rather than feeling underwhelmed after battling traffic and crowds to get a view,” she said.
Warrnambool City Council chief executive officer Bruce Anson said the investment would help slow visitors down and explore more of the region, rather than just the internationally-renowned Apostles.
“They can hop on the shuttle bus that takes them to here (Twelve Apostles), then to Loch Ard Gorge, then to Port Campbell. Perhaps you could get a bike, an electric bike and ride one way and come back, so the length of stay stretches,” he said.
“People are coming here for this (the Twelve Apostles), it’s our job to spread them out.”