High Country Tourism Double Talk

qgxuksoaxeiabcSource: Sykes Media Release 18.09.08

The Brumby Government is sending out confusing, mixed messages on the future of regional tourism in Victoria according to Nationals MP for Benalla, Bill Sykes.

Dr Sykes said, “Over the past few weeks, three separate reports* on regional tourism have been released and this week the Minister for the Environment finally made a public comment on the future of Mt Buffalo Chalet.

“The reports contain some consistent themes eg there has been a significant drop off in regional tourism and more needs to be done (a much used phrase by the Brumby Government).

“However there are also major gaps, inconsistencies and blame shifting.

“In relation to Mt Buffalo Chalet, the Environment Minister has made his first comment over eight months after reports on future options for its development were given to him.

And what did he say – he has blamed the current leaseholders for failing to progress negotiations regarding the future of the Chalet.

Dr Sykes continued, “I question the justification for this blame game by Mr Jennings. Look at the report released last week – Victoria’s Nature-Based Tourism Strategy - on pg 7 it states, “Direction 1 – Creating supportive frameworks and partnerships. Initiatives include ‘providing for longer term leases of up to 65 years that match tenure to return on investment, excluding national parks’ ”

“The Chalet is in Mt Buffalo National Park so whose word do you take – the Government negotiators who promise up to 65 years or the written word in the draft strategy?

“I do acknowledge that on pg 39 there is provision for new tourism facilities in National Parks “where the ‘principles’ are met” with some of these principles being listed in the report and clearly being very stringent.

“What confidence would a potential developer have in being able to satisfy all of these ‘principles’?

“On the issue of the development of tourism facilities on private land, pg 39 of the report also acknowledges the negative impact of the transition of old farming zones to new rural zones which prevent the construction of tourism facilities on land adjoining the National Park as most of the private land adjoining National Parks is now zoned rural.

“The report fails to state that this transition was forced upon councils by the ‘bully boy’ tactics of the then Minister for Planning, Rob Hulls.

“The report (pg 39) then says, “The Government has funded the Rural Land-Use Planning Program so that councils can advance necessary strategic planning work to better apply the new rural zones, and hence facilitate nature-based tourism developments.”

“To the best of my knowledge the Alpine Shire has received no such funding to undertake this work and given that 92% of Alpine Shire is Crown Land it would be reasonable to expect that they would benefit from accessing funds to help advance nature-based tourism.”

Dr Sykes then noted that whilst several references are made in the report to the High Country being “Phase 3 of planning and managing sustainable destinations”, very few specific actions are actually nominated.

Dr Sykes concluded, “Tourism operators and others will have their chance to have their say at Tourism Victoria sessions to be held at

Mansfield, Wednesday September 24, 9.30am-11.30am at the Mansfield Council Chambers
Bright, Thursday September 25, 10am-12noon at the Bright Council Chambers

“I encourage local people to attend and have a say in our future.”