Bogong High Plains Road open

source: Sykes Media

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, attended the opening of the newly sealed Bogong High Plains Road on Friday, 24 April and said the magnificent drive is a welcome addition to North East Victoria’s year-round tourism.

The road, which runs 36 kilometres between Falls Creek to the Omeo Highway, was completed one month ahead of schedule and creates a key link between North East Victoria and Gippsland.

“The road is an important tourist loop between Falls Creek and Omeo,” Bill Sykes said. “Visitors now have year round access to the spectacular scenery of the Alpine National Park. The sealing of the road also opens up tourism opportunities to local business operators.”

The project is the culmination of ongoing collaboration and commitment between State and Federal Governments, local government and business organisations.

“The surfacing of the road has not come about by chance,” Bill Sykes said. “It is the result of the persistence and determination of the Alpine Shire, in particular previous Mayor Julie Carroll and CEO Doug Sharp. The Falls Creek Resort Management Board and Falls Creek Ski Lifts Pty Ltd were quick to contribute as was the Shire of East Gippsland.

“AGL’s donation of in excess of $3 million of rock spoil from its Hydro tunnelling project is what made it all possible,” Bill Sykes continued.

In attending the opening Bill Sykes said he was pleased to have been instrumental in the lobbying process which has had such a positive outcome.

Bill Sykes also welcomed the important contribution the new road will make toward tourism in the region.

“The all weather road opens up the area for tourism and provides another foundation for local businesses to grow their tourist based income,” Bill Sykes said. “I met with the Mt Beauty Chamber of Commerce last week who expressed their concerns in relation to ongoing tourism in the area. Something like the Bogong High Plains road should provide year round benefits for the tourism industry.”

“The weather on Friday may have been wet but that not dampen the beauty of this pristine landscape. I encourage everyone in the Benalla electorate to take time out and witness for themselves this impressive region of Victoria,” he concluded.

An audio tour can be downloaded from www.parkweb.vic.gov.au onto a CD or MP3 player and listened to on a car stereo. Audio tours are available in Visitor Centres around the Victorian Alps. The audio tour takes in the Bogong High Plains and Mount Hotham as well as smaller townships.