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TOURISM ·IN EAST GIPPSLAND
Report prepared for the Ministry for Planning and Environment
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. ·.' .·. ' .. I • • Deni Greerie · 15 April .. 1987
\ I I I I I I I 1 ~ I I I I I I I I I I I I r. ~l ;I I ')I. I 1· ~I I :. .. i .. I TOURISM IN EAST GIPPSLAND Report prepared for the Ministry for Planning .1 and Environment :Ii"" - - I ·1
Deni Greene ·1 15 April 1987 I I I I I
. ·---" ,, .MINISTRY FO!? PLANNINei · AND ENViRONMmT LIBRARY I !i'J ., .. --·--···--.-.. ------· ..... __ ...... ·- I I e TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I Pref ace 1 Introduction 2 I Current and Projected Levels of Tourism 4 East Gippsland as a Tourist Attraction 6 I Tourist Markets Origin of Visitors 9 .,.·:··. Approaches to Increasing Tourism 10 ,:~ : /" I Banks Research on Market Segments 11 Tourist Facilities and Services Introduction 12 I Information 13 Maintenance 17 Access 18 I Accommodation 19 Tourist Facilities 21 Activities 22 I Future Planning for East Gippsland Private Land Issues 25 Towns of East Gippsland 26 I Multiple Use Conflicts 28 Future Development Opportunities 31 I Conclusion 34 Appendix 1. Traffic Counts for East Gippsland Roads Appendix 2. Victorian Tourism Commission Analysis of Target Markets I for Gippsland Lakes Tourism Appendix 3. Tourist Materials for East Gippsland I Appendix 4.·south Australian Brochures on Parks I Appendix 5. Wilderness Society Brochure on Lyell Highway, Tasmania Appendix 6. Concern about Bairnsdale ~ Orbost Rail Service I I I I I .I I ••••• , •• •.·-~·..- • •• •- - '- • •"•"• - - ~·r • - " •"• .,._ "•·•·'•". • .._._._
I 1 I PREFACE I The information in this report was gathered through personal interviews and review of printed material during the six weeks from 1 March to 15 April, 1987. This I period coincides with the initial stages of work toward a Far East Gippsland Tourism Strategy by the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, the Department of I Industry, Technology and Resources and the Ministry for Planning and Environment. As the development of a Tourism Strategy is not intended to be complete until · I August 1987, the information in the attached report :. " should be considered as an input· to the Tourism Strategy, I not as a definitive document in its.own right. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 2 I INTRODUCTION I The Government has committed itself to a number of activities related to economic development and employment creation in East Gippsland. This commitment responds to the need for broadening the economic base of the area and I for replacing jobs that will be . lost in the timber industry as a result of reducing timber harvesting to I sustainable levels and of creating new parks.
The Ea,st Gippsland Regional Employment and Economic i: Development Committee, based in Orbost, was established I in 1986 to look at the full range of economic development possibilities. It has recently prepared a draft tourism framework, which will be available for public review for I a period of two months. More recently, work was begun on a Tourism Strategy by a project team involving the Department of Conservation, I Forests and Lands ( CFL), the Department of Industry, Technology and Resources (DITR) and the Ministry for Planning and Environment (MPE). The CFL representative I has been Eddie Beacham, DITR representatives are Bernie Ebbs from the Victorian .Tourism Commission and Tony Claridge from the South East Coast Tourism Corporation, and MPE representative has been Deni Greene. The project I team has hired a ·research officer, Jenny Cristofaro to work in Orbost gathering data for the Tourism. Strategy. I The Tourism Strategy for East Gippsland will cover an area somewhat larger than the LCC Study Area. The western boundary for the Strategy · area runs from Lake I Tyers to the New South Wales border. It therefore includes the towns of Nowa Nowa and Buchan. The Project Team currently refers to the effort as the Far East Gippsland Tourism .Study, but in this report, I have used I the simpler designation of East Gippsland. Initial work has involved preparation of an inventory of I tourist facilities, services and points of attraction in the area. Scheduled completion date for the Tourism Strategy is August 1987. By this date, the project team I intends to have identified several specific projec~s·for implementation in both the short and medium (up to 5 years) term. I This report is therefore being prepared at a very early stage in the work of the project team. I I I I -I e 3 I The recommendations and suggestions in the report have not been discussed or evaluated by the project team. The information about East Gippsland sites and facilities has I been gathered . through . interviews with · persons knowledgeable about the area and is, hopefully, accurate, but there has been insufficient time for personal verification or evaluation of many of the sites. i\Juch I more thorough inspection of the areas should be ·I undertake.Ii before any final recommendations are made. I I I : .. : l .. I I I I I I I ·I I I I I ·.· ·. ·.: . ·.· ...· ...... I 4 I CURRENT AND PROJECTED LEVELS OF TOURISM I As part of its review of public land in East Gippsland, the Land Conservation Council (LCC) conunissioned the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research I (NIEIR) to undertake a socio-economic study of the area, which was completed in· August 1985, and to evaluate the effect of the LCC's Proposed Reconunendations on economic and employment conditions. The report on the latter I study was published in June 1986. A subordinate report entitled "Aspects of the East Gippsland Tourism ; : I Industry", was prepared in March 1986. The NIEIR studies identified tourism as the third most important industry in East Gippsland, after timber and I agriculture/fishing. They estimated that in 1985 ·there were a total of 120 to 130 fulltime annual equivalent jobs in the tourism industry out of a total employment of 1108 to 1118 full time annual equivalent jobs in E.ast I The tourism industry employment figure Gippsland. ! . includes relevant government employees (26 full time I annual equivalent jobs). NIEIR estimated that tourism in East Gippsland is growing at about 4 to 5 percent per year with a higher growth I rate ( 7 to 8 percent) in coastal areas. It conditioned its projections for future growth on development of further tourism facilities. I In the 1986 report evaluating the LCC Proposed Reconunendations, NIEIR stated, "This figure could be exceeded as the proposed Errinundra National Park and I Snowy River National Park extensions could prove to be substantial attractions (particularly if well promoted and with improved access and facilities)". The report I also states, "The LCC proposals are necessary to the achievement of this growth, though they are not the only necessary element in its achievement (e.g. promotion, further subdivision, appropriate. infrastructure works, I such as water supply and r_oads, are also needed). Considerable data exists on some of the indices of I tourism in East Gippsland, namely visits to National Par.ks and use of campgrounds. NIEIR published some of this data, but it is expected that as part of the research for the Tourism Strategy, a more comprehensive I suinmary will be prepared. Some traffic counts have been · undertaken by the Road I Construction Authority, and those for the years 1984, 1985 and 1986 are included in Appendix 1 to this report. As the bulk of the counts occurred in March, with most of I the rest in June or July, they are of limited value in estimating tourist traffic during prime holiday periods. I I ·:-.·.·.-...... ~ .· ...... •..... ' ...·.··. • -·~ "">.•:· .·-:-. ".'. ·. _.,. · ..· ... -:-· ;·>: --:- .... .·-:·· :.· ·:-' ·.,._ • ·-·· -...... ·.·.~.· ..· ·...... - ·.. I e 5 I The report from a stationary counter located on the Princes Highway_ East at Cann River from September 1985 until June 1986 is somewhat more useful, except that it I omits. the key Christmas period . from 10 December to 16 January. As ·would be expected, traffic is greatest during the months of January and February. The peak day I measured was Saturday, 18 January, when 4220 cars were counted during the 24 hours from midnight to midnight~ Outside of January and February, there is a smaller peak I in May. It would obviously be useful to have con~istent traffic counts measured at key locations during the times which I correspond to holiday periods. As part of the Tourism Strategy wor·k, a program for such monitoring should be designed in co-operation with the Road Cons~ruction I Authority. I !·.: ! .. I I I I I I I I I I ·I . , I ·.,• .. ·:···:···:··.: .·. ·.·. :·········::· .. .~:-··:- ... . ·.:-:····. ··.·. :-: ...... ·. -.-:·.· ~ ::··~ .... ·::-=··· ...... -~-.- -.-.-.. -... ·-:-·- .. ·:·:- ··:·· . .,:-·: I 6 I EAST GIPPSLJ.ND AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION The main attractions of the East Gippsland area are the I natural features of the area: coastlines, forests, mountains, rivers and waterfalls. Clearly, any tourism strategy for· the area has to be built around these I features. Many aspects of the natural attractions of East Gippsland are very sensitive and require very careful treatment. Some areas, such as the wilderness I areas of Coopracambra, parts of the Snowy River region, and sections of the coast, would lose much of their value '• lj large numbers of visitors began to use I, as wilderness if ,·t·,. them. Some areas couid be vulnerable to environmental I destruction. Insensitive development could easily reduce the attractiveness of most of the natural areas of East Gippsland. The need for careful and integrated planning I of both public and private land cannot be stressed too strongly. More discussion of this subject is included in the section of this report covering Future Planning for I East Gippsland. Because most people will want to come to East Gippsland to visit the natural attractions of the area, the I activities planned for visitors should be based on seeing and enjoying those natural features. A number of these· are outlined in the Activities section of this report. I Activities such as casinos or amusement parks would detract from the impression of East Gippsland as an · uncommercialised place of natural beauty and should be I actively discouraged. East Gippsland possesses one resource wilderness which is diminishing in availability in .Victoria, in I Australia, and in the world. Already tourists all over the world are placing high value on t~e areas of remaining wilderness. In coming years, as wilderness I worldwide continues to disappear, the wilderness areas of East Gippsland will, if preserved, gain value in economic I terms as well as in conservation ones. The major economic activity in East Gippsland - timber production can at times be in competition with encouragement of tourism. A great many of the roads in I East Gippsland are · heavily used by log trucks, which sometimes leads to dangerous conditions for conventional vehicles because of high levels of dust . and poor I visibility. Areas that have recently been logged and burned are generally quite unattractive to tourists .. Further discussion of this problem is included in the I section on Future Planning. In developing tourism in East Gippsland, it is necessary I to pose a series of questions: What are· the reasons people would want to come to I East Gippsland? What would th~y want to see when they were there? I -..-----.- .~ ...... ~-; ... :· - ...... I 7 .1 e What is it necessary to do to let people know about I the attractions of the area? What is it necessary to do or provide so that people I can e~joy or appreciate those attractions? How can the necessary pre-requisites .for knowing about or enjoying the area _be provided without I damaging the attractions that are the basic reason for visiting the area? :t ':. ·'~ . Roads and facilities for accommodation, car parking, I eating and other activities must be planned, located, and designed to create minimum impact on the natural attributes of the area, or they will detract from the I I I main tourist attraction of East Gippsland. I Another important aspect of developing East Gippsland as I a tourist attraction is the way it is promoted to potential visitors. The image promoted outside will probably also be reflected in the view people in East Gippsland have of the area and the kind of development I they see as necessary or desirable. In the past few years, East Gippsland has been promoted I as part of the Victorian Riviera, an image that promises things the area can't deliver and doesn't convey the I things it really has to offer. Cleminger Harvie, the adv~rtising agency. developing an East Gippsland promotion campaign for the Shire of Orbost, suggested that the area be called the Wilderness I Coast. That slogan certainly comes closer to describing East Gippsland than "The Victorian Riviera" and it would also provide some guidance about the type of development I that would fit with such an image. One concern I have about that slogan, though, is that the focus is on the coast, when, ·in my view, the most important selling points for East Gippsland are its forests, mountains and I rivers. East Gippsland' s most widely known natural feature must I certainly be the Snowy River. Many of the people who are familiar with the river may, however, never have heard of East Gippsland or may not associate the river with the I area. It would seem advantageous to capitalise on the fame of the Snowy River (which will undoubtedly increase overseas this year with the release of the film "The Man from Snowy River II"). A name such as "The Land of the I Snowy River" or "East Gippsland - The Land Beyond the Snowy River", would do that, although it might undervalue I some of the other attractions of the area. I I I 8
I A tourist newspaper published by the Orbost and District Tourist Association during the Christmas holiday period was . called, "The ·Snowy River Country News'.', and it I invited visitors to come to "The Snowy River Country and Far East Gippsland Shores". If the Government is going to undertake promotion of East I Gippsland, the.n the slogan or theme that is chosen for promotion should be broadly discussed among the various government agencies concerned about East Gippsland. Such I discussion would, hopefully, lead to Government promotion based on a theme that reflects the ~arying perspectives ·.;-·:··. ,{ ~ . of the different agencies. In a place like East ,· I Gippsland, which currently has very little tourist infrastructure outside the towns, the image put forward in a Government promotional campaign is likely to set the I direction for future tourism development. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 9 I TOURIST MARKETS I Origin of Visitors The 1986 NIEIR report on the tourism industry contains data on the place of residence of visitors to specific I East Gippsland camping grounds during the Christmas holiday period in 1985/86. The camping grounds included three operated by the Shire of Orbost at Marlo, Bemm I River and Mallacoota and four camping grounds managed by CFL in the Croajingolong National Park. The areas surveyed are biased toward coastal locations and all are 1. south of the Princes Highway, and they therefore omit a large area of East Gippsland. Further, a survey of people who use camping grounds does not provide I information about people who stay in hotels or motels. The NIEIR survey found that the majority of the people. staying in the camping grounds lived in metropolitan I Melbourne. In the Croajingolong camps, between 70 and 85 percent of visitors came from Melbourne~ In ·the Mallacoota campground, both booking records and receipts I were examined: the booking records showed 65 percent of the visitors from Melbourne, the receipts showed 51 percent were .Melbourne visitors. The receipts also showed 26 percent from other areas of Victoria and 11 I percent from New South Wales. The figures for the Marlo camping ground showed 49 percent of visitors from I Melbourne and 40 percent from the Latrobe Valley. The average duration of visit for the Croajingolong camps was 1.5 weeks. For Mallacoota, the figure was 12 days on the basis of booking records and 8 days on the basis of I receipts. · I was unable to locate any compiled data on origin of I people who stayed in motels, hotels or other campgrounds. I This data I particularly on users of hotels and motels I will have to be assembled for the Tourism Strategy. There has been virtually no tourist promotion of East Gippsland. Most visitors, therefore, presumably come because they know about the area or have been told about I it . by someone else. It is therefore impossible to predict what effect tourist promotions would have on attracting visitors. from other locations. The Shire of I Orbost has allocated $20, 000 for advertising aimed at Canberra residents. The intent is to attract visitors during the September-October period. Further. discussion I of promotion is included in the section on Information, under TourLst Facilities and Services. I I I I 10
I Approaches to Increasing Tourism To increase tourism in East Gippslahd, it is necessary to I adopt any or all of the following five approaches: first, to encourage Victorians who now drive through East Gippsland to and from New South Wales to stop for a day or two (and perhaps on future visits, to change their I destination to East Gippsland); second, to encourage people (mostly Victorians) who now visit East Gippsland for a brief time to stay longer; third, to encourage I people who holiday in the Gippsland Lakes area (predominantly Victorians) and those who holiday on the South Coast of NSW to spend some time visiting areas or I sites in East Gippsland; fourth, to attract Victorians who currently do not visit East Gippsland; and fifth, to attract visitors from interstate and overseas. I To encourage visits by Victorians who now drive through East Gippsland to or from New South Wales, the primary requirements would seem to be the preparation, ready I availability and promotion of better information. East Gippsland must be promoted as a· place to visit not just to pass through. Some of the many activities to attract I this sort of visitor are outlined in the Activities section of this report. Discussions of tourist information (and road signs) are included in the section I on Tourist Facilities and Services. Encouraging people who now visit East Gippsland for a brief stay to remain longer or to return for a longer I visit again involves better provision of information about activities and facilities and probably involves provision of facilities and services that currently do I not exist. Both are discussed in the following sections of this report. Encouraging people who are holidaying in the Gippsland I Lakes or on the NSW Coast to visit some of the attractions of East Gippsland on day trips is similar to encouraging travellers on the Princes Highway to stop in I East Gippsland. Again, the major requirement is better access to informative material. I In determining how to attract · Victorians who do not currently visit East Gippsland, there would be a need to undertake market research to determine who these people are and why they don't visit. Assuming that the research I indicated some merit in attracting this group, promotion campaigns would be necessary to encourage visits to East Gippsland. The information requirement that exists for I the groups described in previous paragraphs would, of course, also exist for this group. Again, too, there would likely be a need for provision of some facilities I and services that do not now exist. I I I 11
I Attracting interstate and overseas visitors is clearly more difficult than encouraging someone to .make a stop during a drive along the Princes Highway. The financial I return is also much greater. The Banks Research Group, which was commissioned by the Victorian Tourist Commission to carry out a study of Victoria's holiday market, found that Victorians travelling in Victoria I spend an average of $74 per person per trip (Melbourne residents spend less than the state average or $63 per person per trip). Interstate visitors, on average, spend I $193 per person per trip, though New South Wales residents spend $154 per person per trip. . International visitors average $622 per person per trip. Of these I Asian visitors spend ari average of $1092 per person per trip, and Japanese visitors, who inexplicably are not considered Asian, spend $507 per person per trip. Thus one "Asian" visitor spends as much as 18 Melbourne I visitors or 7 New South Wales visitors. The requirements for attracting international and overseas visitors are discussed in the sections of the report on Future I Development Opportunities. I Banks Research on Market Segments The marketing strategies of the Victorian Tourism Commission (VTC) are largely based on targeting certain segments of the tourist market as identified by the Banks I Research Group. It therefore seems worthwhile to summarise very briefly the Banks' findings and the key I target groups as seen by the VTC. The Banks Research Group divided the Australian holiday market into six segments as shown on the chart on the next page. VTC sees the key segments to aim at in I marketing East Gippsland as the New Enthusiasts and the Anti Tourists. I Although VTC's marketing strategy has not yet been developed for East Gippsland, some idea of the thinking can be gained from the approach taken in the "Gippsland I Lakes Tourist Development Program", which is also targeted at the same market segments. The VTC description of these target markets in relation to I Gippsland Lakes tourism is contained in Appendix 2. I .I I I I ~s--Ei.-N~ro VANT TO G£T AWAYFROM OR ESCAPE HASSLESAN> STRESSES ""' A~J!lllCTIV~SEE~.-G - CHALLENGINGHOLIDAYS. ENJOY MEETINGPEOPLE AND ENGAGING OF EVERVOAYLIFE INTO EXOTIC 'WORLDOF PAl"'PERING ANO ATTITUDINAL SEGMENTS -:·· - IN SOCIAL ACTIVITY. PREFER Sl~LEDESTINATION WITH RANGE l~Y. SEEK DIFFERENT OR LNUSUAL ATTRACTIONS OR ------Of EXCITING ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE, DAV "1-0 NIGHT - FOR EXPERIENCES. PREFER COMPLETEPACKAGE HOLIDAYSAT NE'W EXAl"'PLE, HORSERIDING,SAILING, SAILBOARDING, GOLF, AND LOCATIONS.PREF£R. SINGl.£ DESTINATICNS.Will SPENOLOTS OF e TENNISDURI~ DAY, ANO PAATIES, DRINKS,OA~I~ AT NIGHT. IO.IDAYS, PROVIDINGIT IS "BEST YOUCAN GET". LIKE KEEN ON ADVENTURING, EXPLORING AND DISCOVERING IM ::: ~ON ENTHUSIASTIC, HIGI\.V MOTIVATEO ,t.NO ENJOY PHYSICAL EFFORTLESSLU>CURY, OPU..ENT St.ARCJ.H>S, FIRST CLASS FOOD, AUTHENTIC ENVIRONMENT . SEEK SURPRISE, NEwr-t:SS, ACTIVITY- WILL TRY NEW THINGS ANO BREAK NE'f.' GRQUrlU IN WINE AND SERVICE, TOP QUALITY ACCOMMODATION.TASTES CHALLENGE.HATE 'TOURIST TRAPS' ANO PLACES CR()\l(OEQ WITH HC\.IDAYEXPERIENCES. EN..XJY NIGHTLIFE, 5 ST AR RESTAURANTS, VERY MUCH 'UP-MARKEr. INTEGRATEDRESOP.TS OFFERINGTHE TOURISTS. LOVETO .GETAWAY FROM IT All'. INCE>ENDENT,SELF SU1MER tfJLIOAYS, POSSIBLY IN LAKES ~ CO,t.STAl ABOVEWOl.l.D APPEAL. OFTENTRAVEL BY AIR ANOHIRE CAR AT MOTIVATED, PREFER PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES. SEEK Dll=FERENT, ENVIRONMENT.VICTORIA ~T ESPECIALLYAPPEALING - IMAGEIS DESTINATICJ-1. PREFER SUt1'1ER HOLIDAVS. sm< EXCELLENT EXCITI~HOLIDAY IN AUTHENTIC (OFTEN NAlURAL) TOO QUIET, CONSERV,t.TIVE,STAID ANO BORING. THIS IMAGEIS SHOPJ'ING,LOVE 'STYLE'. VICTORl,t.NHOLIDAYS GENERALLY H,t.VE ENVIRONMENT.ENJOY FRESH AIR, SUNSHINE,GREAT OUTDOORS. 00t11NATEO BY MELB~NE.HA VE LITILE PERCEPTIONOF WHAT LITTLE APPEAL SEEN AS M M,\N'S HOLIDAY SEE VICTORIA AS "PRETTY BUT FAIRLY PASSIVE AND STATIC - ·~ ELSE VICTORl,t. HAS TO OFFER. WOULD BE ATIRACTEO BY DESTIN,t.TICN'. WEATHERNOT SEEN,t.S APPEAL.ING!TOO COLO, ALSO CROWDEDWITH TOURISTS ESPECIALLYIN SUMMER.• FEEL INTEGRATEDRESORTS - VICTORIA GENERALLYLACKS THESE. VET, AN> CHANGEABLE). PREFER MORE EXOTIC, TROPICAL AUTl-ENTICVICTORl,t.N ENVIRONMENT HAS BEENSPOILED BY MAN. ALPINE RESORTS IN WINTER HAVE SOME APPEAL. NOST ENVIRONS. OVERSEAS HOLIDAYS!"()RE LIKELYTO APPEAL AND SEE LOCAL ACCOMMOOATION AS BORI~.l.NIMAGINA TIVE ANO EXPERIENTIALANO INNOVATIVEOf All GROUPS - WOULDTRY Fut.Fil THEIR.FANTASIES. VICTORIA WOUlD HAVE TO PROVIDE PLASTIC OR "CHEAP.Af-0 NASTY". TRADITl~ALACCOMM'.){)ATION HOTAIR BALLOONING,PARASAILING, CAVING, ETC. SOt1E VERY DIFFERENTAN> SPECIFIC DESTIN,\TIONS TO APPEAL. IN ~ST HOUSESOR HOMESTEADSNEAR SMALL COUNTRY TOWNS PLACESSUCH AS l'f;MILLANHOLIDAY VILLAGE, FRASER ISLAND OR PREFERRED- ENABLESMIXI~ WITH LOCALS ANO EXPERIENCING NEW HORIZONS STAR ON GIPPSLAND LAKES MAY APPEAL ·~EAL"".AUTHENTIC" VICTORIA AND GETTING AWAY F'ROH EXPERIENTIAL,BUT El
PREFER HCl.IDAY ~STINATIONSTHAT ARE '1
I TOURIST FACILITIES Mm SERVICES . . ·.~ ... ..,, Introduction . '" i ;. I ·1 The most succinct summary I was given of existing tourist I I facilities in East Gippsland was: "North of the Princes Highway in East Gippsland*, there are: I l I no showers 1 pub (in Bendoc) l ': no accommodation I 2 shops 1 refuelling place no caravan parks I 1 National Park Camping Area near McKillop's Bridge 2 foot tracks." is That summary was provided by Grant Da Costa, who I preparing a Car Touring and Bushwalking Guide for East (scheduled for publication by the Australian Gippsland the Conservation Foundation in November). Like most of I interviewed, he saw the tremendous potential for I people of tourism in East Gippsland, and was frustrated by lack to many of the basic pre-requisites, especially attention and I signs, information, maintenance of roads and tracks, provision of essential facilities. that The overall picture one acquires very quickly is I tourism in East Gippsland has been a very low priority Government expenditure. If Government seriously for the intends to promote tourism in East Gippsland in it will have to spend some money. The basic I future, it requirements for tourism must be Government-provided; is unreasonable to expect private entrepreneurs to invest I in East Gippsland unless some of the essential government services are at least adequate. the The following sections of this chapter outline I fundamental requirements for. tourism: information, maintenance, access, accommodation, and basic tourist I facilities. The informa ti on presented is by no means comprehensive, it would be most useful to regard it as indicative of the I needs and opportunities of the area. As data on many of the i terns discussed in this chapter has not yet been much of the information is presented in compiled, be I anecdotal form. I believe the anecdotes to I
I *The area described excludes Orbost, although to be precise, Orbost is north of the Highway. I : ...... ~ ...... ·- .·.· .· .. I e 13 but it is I illustrative of general conditions in the area, circumstances. possible that some may represent isolated on the Tourism Strategy for East Gippsland The work of the provide a more thorough analysis of each I should of further subjects. Specific suggestions for some areas I work are identified throughout the- various sections. I Information to an area is. The most basic need for attracting visitors People cannot go to areas they have never information. and of, cannot visit sites that are unmarked, I heard about. In cannot use services they' are never told the myriad of travel possibilities facing addition, with of person going on a holiday, the quality I every criterion in information provided becomes an important determining the choices. people make. about East I The extent and accessibility of information is largely inadequate to attract tourists. Gippsland promotional This is true of all forms of information: I materials, signs and descriptive material. Slab of printed material were collected at the Samples one of the Hut - Tourist Information Centre in Orbost, I where a broad range of materials is few locations would not, available. Most visitors to East Gippsland that the hut exists; it is not visible from however, know directs I the Princes Highway, and no sign on the highway Information Centre. The construction travellers to the at Information Centres on the Princes Highway of Tourist should be I strategic locations entering East Gippsland Appropriate locations would seem to be investigated. on on the west and near Genoa on the NSW border Nowa Nowa information the east. In addition, locations for tourist I in each of the major towns: Mallacoota, should .exist Entrance River, Marlo, Orbost, as well as in Lakes Cann and other key and Bairnsdale. All the motels, hotels I region (on both sides of the· NSW border) spots in the Where should be provided with tourist information. for tourist information are not visible from locations visitors. I the highway, signs on the highway should direct I I I I I- I 14
I CFL has indicated its intention to establish visitor information centres at Orbost and Mallacoota and to provide interpretative facilities associated with I rainforest in or near ·the proposed Errinundra National Park and the Bemm River Scenic Reserve. Some of the funding for these facilities would be provided through the National Rainforest Conservation Program. The I current status of each of these, proposals is not completely clear to me, and progress may depend on the outcome of the budget process as well as determination of I appropriate location. There is probably a need for coordinated activity among the departments irwolved in the Tourism Strategy to ensure that necessary information I centres are established at appropriate locations. At the present time,· the information that does exist is difficult to find. One motel owner in Bombala indicated I that he would like to provide information on East Gippsland (in addition to the NSW forestry information he now has), but he has been unable to obtain any. A I volunteer at Orbost's Slab Hut Tourist Information Centre reported that an officer of the CFL Orbost Regional Off ice told her that supplies of information on I East Gippsland National Parks had run out. If she wanted additional copies, she would have to supply the paper for Xerox copies. (This advice was later indicated to be incorrect by the Regional Manager, but it probably would I never have been brought to his attention if it had not been told to a member of the Tourism Project Team)., At motels, pubs and other tourist locations in East I Gippsland, there was no evidence of tourist information. In subsequently attempting to obtain the information I sheets on East Gippsland National Parks from CFL Headquarters in East Melbourne, I found that the only sheets in print are those on Buchan Caves and Croajingolong National park. The sheets on Snowy River I National Park and Cobberas Tingaring National Park· are unavailable because they are currently being reprinted. Others, for example, on Lind, Alfred, on features within I the larger parks and on some of the scenic drives in East Gippsland, are out· of ·print and no information could be I obtained on future availability. Existing tourist materials (Appendix 3), · although we11:... intentioned, are generally of poor quality. The appropriate information may be contained in the brochures I that exist, but the brochures are on poor paper, a.re illustrated only with maps (some of which are difficult to use) and would certainly not attract visitors to the I region. This material appears to be locally produced. CFL information on National Parks is also inadequate. It I is not attractive enough to encourage visits by people who are unfamiliar with the areas, and it is not detailed the Park. I enough to use as a guide to I 15
An example of the type of high quality information that should be available is contained in Appendix 4. -South Aust·ralia produces glossy brochures on the parks of the I various regions of the state. They are attractively illustrated and contain complete information· on facilities available in· the parks. Such a regional brochure could be prepared for the Parks of East I Gippsland. In addition, more· detailed brochures should be available for each park or major reserve.
Brochures can also be effectively used to identify interesting points along a scenic drive. (See Appendix 5 I for an ,example of how this was done in Tasmania.) Another obvious fundamental requirement for tourism is adequate signposting to direct people t.o features they might want to visit. In much of East Gippsland, I signposting for tourist attractions is totally inadequate. Most locations are not signposted at all, some signs that do exist are too small to be visible, and I some signs are misleading. Examples of opportunities missed can be demonstrated by Lind and Alfred National Parks. Both are located right on the Princes Highway, I yet no sign indicates the presence of Lind, and the sign for Alfred is inadequate.
The scenic Euchre Valley Nature Drive through Lind I National Park actually runs into Princes Highway, yet it is difficult to locate from the highway even if one knows it is there. A pleasant break for drivers along the I Princes Highway would be to· turn off on to the Old Princes Highway to Club Terrace, then drive the Euchre Valley Nature Drive, which follows Euchre Creek back I toward the Pr inc es Highway. Signs could direct the driver, and much smaller signs could identify tree ferns, rainforest, and significant vegetation such as eucalypt I species, waratah and wildcherry. Signs within Alfred National Park are even more I inadequate than in Lind. A systematic survey should be made of the signposting requirements for parks and natural features of East I Gippsland. An absolute minimum requirement is the id~ntification of parks and major tracks, direction signs from the Princes Highway or other major tourist roads, and identification of key natural and historic features. I As· indicated above~ it is also extremely helpful to have signs to tell people what they are looking at I vegetation, geological features, etc. I I
·M1NISTRY FOR PLANNING I AND ENVIRONMENT LIBRARY ...... - .... - -·-- --- . ·.·.---,' ·.· ..... , -.. ,~: ...... , ...... ·--·· ··-.. - ..... -... ·-· ···-·-· -·--· -
I 16 .. · '. I Given the current primitive state of information provision in East Gippsland, it may seem foolish to suggest anything as sophisticated · as · taped self guided I tours. Nevertheless, in many of the areas of East Gippsland, a visitor would find it extremely helpful to have someone explain what he or she is looking at. A cassette tape or a series of tapes, which would be rented I at an information centre and returned at another centre, could make a drive through the area far more interesting. A series of numbered roadside markers would make it I to find the appropriate place on the tape. possible '. be provided to supplement ·1'<1"• Printed information could also .'t' the material on the tape. It would also be possible to /i{:,. . I sell the tapes as souvenirs. · Although novel for Victoria, this approach has · been used successfully I overseas. I ; . ' I I I I I I I I I I I I I 17 I Maintenance I One obvious requirement for even minimal amounts of tourism is maintenance of facilities, roads and tracks. In many parts of .East Gippsland, this is currently not I occurring. I received reports of roads and tracks eroding to the point where they are unsafe 1 and other facilities or sites deteriorating. I Alfred National Park provides a clear example of currently inadequate maintenance and facilities. There ·; ·f· ,.{: are again inadequate signs to direct tourists, for ,· I example, the walk up Mt. Drummer is not signposted, but even more important, the area has apparently been left completely untouched since it burned in 1983. Visitor facilities have not been replaced. The nature walk that I did exist has become grown over and the picnic facilities at Governors Bend are now non-existent. Alfred National Park contains warm temperate rainforest and is worth I visiting, even four yea;rs after a fire (not all of the park was burned). But in its present state, there is I little to attract a tourist to stop. There is a clear need to identify the resources needed to maintain tourist facilities in a safe and attractive c.ondi tion. If existing resources are inadequate, I provision of appropriate levels of resources must be a part of any Tourism Strategy. I I I I I I .I
I '·< I I I 18
I Access
Although remoteness from urban crowds and polluti.on is I part of. the attraction of East Gippsland, the time consumed in driving· to the area represents a. barrier to increased tourism, particularly for interstate and I overseas visitors. A new airplane service between Canberra and Bairnsdale has just begun operating twice weekly. The Promair I flights,· which take one hour, cost · $120. They connect with a Canberra Sydney flight, which costs an I additional $62. . ~ ' At present, only charter flights are available from Sydney and Melbourne.. It would be highly desirable to investigate the possibility of providing regular service I from those cities to the ·major airstrips at Mallacoota and Orbost (Marlo), even if initially, the service were only available at certain times of the year. .A . rental I car outlet has just opened in Orbost, making it feasible to fly in and then drive. 1. Passenger train service to East Gippsland now terminates in Bairnsdale, with a bus service to Orbost. The possibility of using the tracks from Bairtisdale to Orbost for some form of tourist railway is worth investigating, I either to provide . better access or merely as a tourist attraction. ·
I There is apparently local concern about the uncertain future of continued rail freight operations serving Orbost. Criticism of suspected Government plans to shut I down service was reported in the East . Gippsland newspapers (See Appendix 6).
Bus · travel is also available from Melbourne and Sydney, I but at 8 hours from Melbourne and 11 hours from Sydney, it would seem to have limited appeal, except to those on I a tight budget. · Many of the roads that provide access to major features of East Gippsland are primarily logging roads and are I extremely rough and frequently dusty in dry weather. Al though it is theoretically possible to visit a large portion of the key tourist sites and parks with conventional automobiles, many of the roads seem more I suitable for· 4-wheel drive, and a number are not for timid drivers. Any tourist information should clearly identify the quality of the road access and should I provide warnings about the effect of wet· or dry weather on road conditions. I I I I 19
I In a few locations, roads will need improvement to provide access to certain sites or campgrounds. Upgrading of roads· should be done very sparingly. In I some cases, a more desirable alternative is to close to the public some roads or tracks that would create excessive traffic in extremely sensitive. environments. I Most of the road closures are .likely to be investigated as part of the management plan process for new National Park areas. I Accommodation As stated earlier, there are no tourist beds north of the I Princes Highway in East Gippsland and the only National Parks campground is at McKillops Bridge. Peopl~ who want to visit the Rodger River or the Errinundra Plateau have I to camp in the bush or stay in Bombala (NSW) or Orbost and make long day trips to the area. The absence of campgrounds is leading to camping in inappropriate locations. For example, in the Rodger River area, I camping is occurring at Waratah Flat on the banks of the river. The area is environmentally sensitive and could be damaged by excessive use; in the absence of toilet I facilities the river is likely to become polluted. Another inappropriate camping area is Big Tree Camp. Campers face the real danger of being injured by falling I tree limbs. To reduce the incidence of camping in inappropriate locations, a small campground should be established, perhaps near the Waratah Road, but away from I the river. Another area being used for camping is at Hick's property on Varney' s track near the Rodger River. This is a I reasonable location for a campground, but the road to it needs improvement to provide reasonable access. The only· feasible camping area on the east side of I Cobberas-Tingaringy National Park is at an area called Roaring Camp. Camping is occurring there now, although · the area is private land. The land is currently for I sale, and Government purchase seems sensible. Apparently this was explored some time ago, but the land was not purchased. Given the strategic nature of this land for I campers visiting the park, the possibility of purchase should be pursued again. A question exists about camping near Raymond Creek Falls. I Printed material states that camping is not permitted, but a sign at the picnic area says camping is allowed. There are, however, no fac·ilities for campers. A I decision about camping should be taken and consistent information provided. If camping is to be permitted, I then appropriate facilities should be made available. I I ·.····. ··.. ·.. ··.·.· ...... ·.············-·'-·••"•"•··········· .... .
I 20
I Although the proposed Coopracambra-Kaye National Park is expected to be managed for low intensity use, there could be a need for a basic camping area to serve as a base I· camp for people climbing Mt. Denmarsh, Mt. Kaye, and Mt. Coopracambra. A location near the WB Line and the Yamballa Peak Track was suggested as suitable for such a · I camp. In the proposed Errinundra National Park, campers are currently using an area called Frosty Hollow. This area I is not suitable for intensive use by large numbers of Hollow would be campers because the vegetation in the '• ·r likely to suffer extensive damage. In addition, the area .. {· I has no water, and the track to it is quite steep. An alternative area for camping should be identified· as soon as possible and information disseminated by CFL. I As previously stated, there is no accommodation for non campers in or near the proposed Errinundra and Rodger River park areas. CFL has ~ad~ a budget bid for funds to I construct low cost accommodation near Bonang. The proposal iricludes 10 four-person c~bins, 2 six-person cabins, a common room, accommodation for a ranger-manager I and an ablutions block. Bonang provides ready access to both the Errinundra and the Rodger River areas as well as to Cobberas-Tingaringy National Park and other areas west of McKillop Bridge. It is therefore a logical place for I providing accommodation. The ·success of the CFL proposal in the budget process is not yet known. I There is a clear need for some accommodation in the area. One of the people interviewed felt that Bendoc was a better location than Bonang because it provides access to I the historical Bendoc goldf ields areas as well as the parks. Goongerah was also suggested as a possibility because it is at a lower altitude than Bendoc or Bonang. There was at one time a guest house at Goongerah, and a I small community currently exists there. If the CFL budget bid is unsuccessful, then some other means should be sought to build accommodation in the area because it I seems to be a fundamental requisite for increasing tourism based on the attractions of the Errinundra and I Rodger River areas. The possibility of higher quality accommodation in this area will be discussed later ip this report in the I section on Future Development Opportunities. Combienbar on the east side of Errinundra was also suggested as a possible location . for accommodation. I There is a community at Combienbar and available private land. Combienbar seems less suitable than the areas previously discussed because it would provide access only I to Errinundra, not to the Ro.dger River area. The possibility of providing accommodation somewhere on the west side of the Snowy River will· .be discussed in the I section on Future Development Opportunities. I I 21 I In the area south of Princes Highway, acconunodation (with beds) is available at Marlo, Orbost, Benun River, Cann I River, Mallacoota; and Genoa. CFL is planning to build a number of cabins in the Cape Conran area. Camping and. caravan facilities are operated by the Shire of Orbost at six locations and by CFL within Croajingalong National I Park. There are periodic suggestions for "opening up" I additional coastal areas for tourism through provision of acconunodation, holiday home development or other facilities. This does not seem like a good idea because "·' I of the environmental sensi ti vi ty of the coast and the desirability of maintaining the essentially undeveloped character of much of the East Gippsland Coast. Any growth should occur around the existing conununities, I primarily Marlo and Mallacoota, so that the environmental effects of development are concentrated in a few areas I and others are left undisturbed. One area that will need further attention is the Conunonwealth land at Point Hicks. Apparently this land I is to be given or sold to the State in the near future. The area is easily accessible by road, and the lighthouse will continue to be an attraction. Some of the people I 1-· interviewed thought a certain amount of acconunodation could be provided in the area now occupied by Conunonwealth facilities, others thought this was impractical and inappropriate. There will therefore need I to be discussion about ·future use of the land and facilities at the site. I Tourist Facilities In addition to acconunodation, information centres and signs, some other basic tourist facilities are required I for any tourism in East Gippsland. Examples include toilets, walking tracks and picnic sites. At present, there are none of _these in the Rodger River and I Errinundra areas, and they will have to be provided. In the proposed Benun River Scenic Reserve, which is an I area of rainforest . adjacent to the highway, the current absence of toilets is reportedly creating unpleasant conditions in the rainforest. CFL should consider providing temporary facilities nearby until permanent I ones are provided. Picnic sites should be provided along major roads to I encourage people to get out of their cars and see a bit more of the area. Walking tracks will be needed in a number of locations in I East Gippsland. I I I 22 I Activities
' I It is clearly impractical to list all the possible activities for tourists in an area as large and diverse as East Gippsland. The following $ection will therefore highlight some examples of the range of possibilities I that exist.
Although the amount of tourism in East Gippsland is well I below the level the Government would like to encourage in the - future, a surprising number of commercial tourist ventures have begun. It seems likely that they are still I quite small, but it is encouraging that such investment is occurring. · One example is Snowy River Outriders, based in Newmerella ,· which conducts six and eight day safari-type tours of the region. Another is Snowy River I Expeditions, located in Buchan, which runs white water rafting trips on the Snowy River.
I Cruises up the Mallacoota Inlet to Gipsy Point operate regularly during holiday periods. ·There are a variety of enterprises serving the needs of fishermen. Other I activities suggested as commercial opportunities include gentle family-style rafting on the .lower parts · of the Snowy and Genoa Rivers, a model sawmill, craftwork, producing products made of · local woods, organised I horseback trips to appropriate locations, trips for bird watchers and other. specialised groups of tourists, and scenic flights from the Orbost (Marlo) or Mallacoota I airstrips . Obviously the major activities in the area are and should .I continue to be based on the historic and natural features of the area. The car touring and bush walking guide to be published later this year will contain dozens of sites I to visit and walks ranging from one hour to five days. The most notable of the natural features 0£ East I Gippsland are: magnificent mature and complex eucalypt forests of the Rodger River I majestic scenery of the Snowy River valley rainforests and mixed forests of Errinundra wilderness areas of the majdr parks spectacular coastal scenery of Croajingolong I National Park scenic views from vantage points _such as Mt. Tingaringy. I The peaceful and scenic waterways of the Mallacoota Inlet.
Everyone who has spent much time in East Gippsland can I cite places that should be on a "most notable" list. In addition, there are many spots that may be les.s I spectacular but are well worth visiting. I I e 23 I One of the more interesting historical sites in the area deserves mention because some government action is needed. Near Combienbar in Golden Gully is a restored I six head stamping battery powered by a water wheel. For some reason, DITR sold the water wheel to the Shire of Orbost for $20. The Shire now proposes to move the water I wheel to the grounds of -the Slab Hut-Tourist Information Centre in Orbost. 'The Minister for Conservation, Forests and Lands has written to the Shire requesting that the water wheel be left at Golden Gully~ In the two years I since the water wheel was sold, the area has been allowed to deteriorate, so that now the road has collapsed, the track is overgrown, the dam is breached, and the gears I between the water wheel and the crusher no longer mesh. This, by report, was an attractive and interesting spot to visit, and it merits proper maintenance. Clearly the water. wheel is of far more tourist interest in its I present location than it would be, out of context, in the cent~e of Orbost, and it should remain where it is. (There may be other stamping batteries available for the I Shire to display at Orbost, according to the Manager of the Heritage Branch of MPE). I There are a variety of old gold mining sites in the Bendoc area, including the site of the Victoria Star Mine, the Back Creek · ~lluvial Goldfield, and Bonanza Gully. Old machinery relics and tin shacks -are .still I present. ·Close to Orbost, the Young's Creek Picnic Ground is I located on the site of an old sawmill, and the steam engine that powered the mill is still on site. Nearby is I 13 meter high waterfall and a ferny gully. When Aboriginal Cultural Centres are completed in Bairnsdale and Cann River, they should be important I tourist attractions for East Gippsland. Waterfalls, some of them quite spectacular, exist in many locations in East Gippsland. A number of them are I readily accessible if one knows where to look. As described earlier in this report, the need exists for I better information and adequate signposting. In addition, to the major attractions in the existing and proposed National Parks, there are a number of smaller reserves that are interesting places for tourists to I visit. The most well known is probably the Buchan Caves Reserve, which contains some of the best limestone formations in Australia. Guided tours of the caves are I conducted five times a day every day of the year. During the Easter holiday this year, over 4000 visitors to Buchan Caves were recorded on a single day. Camping and I other accommodation is also available at the Reserve, which provides an opportunity. for visitors to see the - many nocturnal animals that inhabit the Reserve. There are bush walks as well as tourist facilities such as a I swimming pool and tennis courts. I I 24 DEPT. r~ !"\,l f'~·~._;,~!'l:~G AND I URBAN uAOWni .LiBRARY Flora reserves are established to protect an interesting or important plant species. Two easily accessible flora I reserves are ·the Cabbage Tree Reserve, home of the Cabbage Tree Palm, and the Mottle Gum Reserve, which is the only known occurrence in Victoria of the Mottle Gum I or Spott_ed Gum. - Areas of rainforest should be of broad tourist interest, particularly once the Rainforest Information Centre is I established in Orbost, and visitors are encouraged to experience rainforest areas firsthand. A number of rainforest areas are quite accessible from major roads, I for example, Bemm ·River· Scenic Reserve on the Princes Highway and the Martins Creek Scenic Reserve on the Bonang Highway. As part of the National Rainforest Conservation Program, CFL will be providing visitor I information at the Bemm River Scenic Reserve and at a site in the Errinundra area. I Opportunities exist for a number of scenic drives to locations offering broad and sometimes spectacular views of the a~ea. The road from Wulgulmerang to McKillops I Bridge provides magnificent views of the Little River Falls and Gorge and the surrounding country. Views exist from many of the mountains in the area and from the top I of firetowers. Fishing is probably the most widespread tourist activity in East Gippsland. Boat hire operators exist in most of I the coastal communities. Many fishermen however, prefer to find a secluded spot on a river and spend an hour, a I day or a week attempting to catch fish. One of the important attractions of East Gippsland is, and should continue to be, the opportunity to get ·1 completely away from other people. The wilderness areas of the proposed Coopracambra-Kaye National Park, extended Snowy River National Park and stretches of coastline should continue to be areas that are difficult to reach I and that attract those in search of solitude. East Gippsland provides some of the best opportunities in the. I state for tis type of experience. I I I I I ---~ ., ·-~ ... .-. - . -.- .... ·. . ·- ... ·.. -...... · ...... I e 25 I EAST GIPPSLAND I FUTURE PLANNING FOR Private Land Issues I Although almost all the land in East Gippsland ·is held by the Crown, there are strategic blocks of private land scattered throughout the area. Some of the private land has been cleared, but other blocks are still forested. I The LCC has recommended purchase of several of the areas of private land, but this frequently takes many years to I occur. Proper planning of the scattered private land in East Gippsland is critical, as the use of the land can I dramatically af feet the appearance and character of the whole area. Some of the areas of private land are so intimately connected with existing or proposed National Parks that they must be taken · into consideration in I developing management plans for the parks. Except for a few small areas with planning schemes, most I of East Gippsland is covereq by Interim Development Orders administered by the Shires of Tambe or Orbost. This does not seem a very satisfactory arrangement for· I the future, because there should be a regional and statewide perspective considered when making decisions about future uses of the private land. I As a first step, it would be helpful to have the private land in East Gippsland examined and mapped, to identify current land uses and conditions as well as ·capability I for other uses. Although the LCC performed this function for the Crown land, the private land has not been similarly classified. The exercise would be similar to I the rural land mapping which MPE has undertaken in many areas of the State. It is also important to develop and put in place I appropriate planning and approval structures for the private land. In the absence of such structures, there will undoubtedly arise situations where a proposal for a I highly inappropriate development will require the intervention of the Minister for Planning arid Environment to prevent it from proceeding. Such interventions almost always lead to local bad feeling and could counteract I much of the positive effort the Government is undertaking development in the area. I to stimulate economic I I I ~.:--.· ·.· .. , .···. . . ·.·.·.· .. ·.· .....· .. -.·.·.· ·. ·.... -.- -... _._;-.-....·.· -.-.--~~-... ·.;.·.·. · .. -.- .· .. .-.- ·-. -· . ' -._ .. -.~. ._. -. ·.. · .- .· .· .. · .·... ·.· .... - I e 26 I Models that should be looked at and perhaps adapted for use in East Gippsland are those used in the Lakes District of England) the Cape Cod and Fire Island I National Seashores, Adirondack Park and the Santa Monica Mountains· in the United States. Each of these areas contains both public and private land, but it is .1 administered as an entity. Controls on the private land are designed to ensure that the unique character of the area is maintained. I In some of the overseas examples cited above, a new planning body was created to administer the area. Local as well as state/federal inter.ests ·are represented. In I some of the other examples, the area is administered as a "park", by the agency charged with overseeing parks. The .British system of National Parks includes extensive areas of private land as well as public. The American system I ·is more like Australia's, except that National Parks are administered federally, so administration of the National Seashores by the U.S. National Park Service may be be a I simpler model to adapt to East Gippsland. To avoid any confusion with National Parks as they are understood in Australia, areas of mixed public and private ownership I should be given a new name, such as Areas of Natural Significance, iri all discussions of the subject. Other appropriate models may exist and should be I examined. The flexibility of the proposed new Planning and Environment Act should allow an appropriate and I workable system to be developed for East Gippsland. As stated earlier, it is. important that attention be given to this issue in the very near future, before I confrontations occur over inappropriate development proposals. I Towns of East Gippsland The main towns in East Gippsland are all located on or near the coast, and any focus on tourism has largely been I oriented toward coastal activities. Although the major focus of the proposed new park areas is well away from the coast, the absence of facilities in the region north I of Princes Highway means that the existing towns will inevitably benefit from increased tourist activity I anywhere in East Gippsland. I I I I ~ ...... - ' .-- . . . . . ·. ·. .. .. ·.·.· .. - - . - - -.-. -... -..- -·.•:.• . .o;·.--;:--:--- I 27
I Each of the major towns had a different image for the people I interviewed. Marlo was generally seen as a rather sleepy low-key family summer resort. Orbost was· I perceived to be a country town with little attraction for the tourist. Cann River was seen as a small service centre. Mallacoota is considered charming but remote and I is primarily associated with fishing. Although considered to have more appeal to the discriminating tourist than Marlo or Orbost, it is generally considered less desirable a destination than the towns on th~ South I Coast of New South Wales. Mallacoota is, however, a major tourist town in the summer. -I In planning for the expansion of tourism in East Gippsland, an effort- should be made to broaden the appeal of the towns in the area. This would certainly involve I .improving the environmental quality of the towns, particularly focusing on the visual appearance. An important action in the Tourism Strategy . should be the development of broad townscape plans for each of the I towns. In looking at strategies for broadening the appeal 6f the I towns, it is probably important to determine the reasons why people currently visit them. Impro.vements should be of the sort that will attract new people, noi ones that :1 would drive out existing visitors. Marlo, for example, is currently perceived as a holiday destination for working class people. If changes to the town were designed to make Marlo appeal to more affluent visitors, I they could have the effect of pushing · out existing visitors. The desirability of such a move should be closely examined for several reasons. First, for equity I reasons, such a change may not be ·desirable. Second, even if a change to attract more affluent visitors was seen as economically justified, it would be important to I determine whether . existing businesses would still have markets among the new visitors. Finally, it would obviously be unwise to adopt a strategy that discourages existing visitors before there are ·sufficient new I visitors to take their place. Orbost, -despite its lack of appeal to visitors from I Melbourne, is not without a certain charm for some visitors from outside the area. Volunteers at the Slab Hut Tourist Information Centre _in Orbost report tourists coming in to describe how they reacted I negatively to the · commercialism of Lakes Entrance and were attracted by the quiet. low key nature of Orbost. This is not to say that, for example, an establishment I ·serving . good quality meals would be out of place ·in Orbost. Since Orbost is likely to be the center of much of the activity associated with the new park areas, at I least in the short term, careful attention should be paid to the needs and . opportunities presented by increased I tourism. I I '9 28 I Cann River appears to lack much "personality", according to those I spoke to. The Aboriginal Centre and the art of the Mongta family could make it a popular stop, but I some other efforts to increase its appeal will probably also need to occu~. I Mallacoota may have a more serious ~roblem than the imag~ questions facing the other towns. There were a number of comments made to me about constraints imposed by the water supply and ·the inadequacy of the sewage system. I Unverified information reported on illness caused by runoff from camping areas and caravan parks polluting I water used for swimming. Inadequate sewage treatment facilities could prevent growth of tourism in Mallacoota unless corrected, so the I situation should be investigated. Local commercial interests are likely to be sensitive to questions being raised about incidence of illness, because it could jeopardise existing tourism, so this would need to be· I handled carefully. If problems are found, particularly if they affect existing visitors or residents, then appropriate solutions and financing mechanisms will have I to be developed. · The inadequacy of the water supply to meet an increased I demand has been more widely discussed and is acknowledged to be a problem. Apparently solutions that have been proposed in the past are generally unacceptable because they involve .construction of dams on scenic rivers or in I parks. Since Mallacoota seems to offer the opportunity for absorbing a certain amount of increased tourist activity,· serious attention should be given to finding an I acceptable solution to water supply problems. Any development in Mallacoota would, of course, have to be handled with sensitivity to 'preserve the character of the town, but there appears, to be some opportunity for I growth. I Multiple Use Conflic'1:s Although the LCC has recommended the creation of a number of new park areas in East Gippsland, the majority of the I public larid will be designated as State Forest, available for logging and other intensive uses. · I I ~1 I I .-, -..· ··.·· ..... -.. -. ·.· .. I '9 29 I As greater efforts are made to promote tourism in East Gippsland, there is likely to be increased conflict between the industrial nature of activities in the State I Forest and the recreation and aesthetic desires of those who visit the area primarily because of its natural beauty. Already this conflict can be seen by those who I drive the Yalmy Road to the Rodger River area, only to be confronted by recent logging at the point where the road reaches the proposed park area. Similarly, people who go to the top of Mt. Ellery for its panoramic view, first I encounter an area logged this season, at the point where they turn off the road to the mountain. They also i: discover as they ·look out from .the top of the mountain I that the vista includes many areas that have been clear felled and burned. I The practice of controlled burning of areas to prevent bus hf ires also poses possible conflicts and dangers to tourists. One of the people I interviewed described the experience a month ago (March 1987} of being on Mt. I Denmarsh in the proposed Coopracambra-Kaye National Park and having aircraft drop incendiary bombs in the area around him. In that circumstance, the area being bombed I had burned in the i983 fires, and the controlled burn was slow to take hold (which raises a question why the area was being controlled burned at all}. Unless warnings are .1 given to tourists entering an area, a fast burning fire could pose a r~al danger. Many of the roads in East Gippsland are primarily logging I roads which are of ten rough, narrow and dusty. Shared use by logging trucks and private vehicles can lead to dangerous situations. Increased use by tourists, I particularly thcise unaccustomed to driving on such roads, will inevitably cause some serious problems. Because of the narrowness of many roads, consideration should be I given to restricting some roads to one-way traffic. Methods of controlling dust should also be explored. Reconciling tourism and timber production needs in East I Gippsland is likely to be a difficult problem. Opinions vary on the approach that should be taken. Some people are of the opinion that logging along tourist routes I should be screened from view. Others believe that if logging is occurring, people should be made aware of its impacts by seeing the logged and burned sites. The LCC I apparently holds to the first view and recommended that special consideration be given to activities in areas of high landscape value. The Council also recommended that ,1 activities involving disturbance to the natural environment should not occur in buff er zones around popular recreation sites and beauty spots. The second I recommendation is apparently not current practice. Although visual management plans have reportedly been prepared for East Gippsland, recent observations raise questions about whether they are being followed. If they I are, then there may be a question about their adequacy. I .... ·. ·:· ...... - . ;• . . ' . . .· .·. ·.. ·. ·.· -~- ,·,. I 30 I ... . The LCC also cites a pressing need _for research into the ecology of East Gippsland forests, their management, and I silvicultural treatment. Clearly logging practices which were not so visually offensive would pose less of a conflict with tourist use._ There is certainly also an I urgent need for objective rational analysis of current practices to see if some of the conflict can be reduced. Arguments over the pro's and con's of wood chipping only confuse the issue, as the visual condition of an area I that has been subject to integrated harvesting is no more to a lay observer than the condition of areas :1 ·:. pleasing ,-!,. I where integrated harvesting does not occur. I I I I I I .-· I I I I I I I I I '9 31 I FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES In earlier sectiohs of · this report, I referred to the· I requirements for different types of tourists. Although many of the fundamental requirements are similar, there are some additional facilities and services necessary for I an area to. attract significant nlimbers of interstate or overseas visitors. At the present time, East Gippsland is not well-equipped to serve even Victorian tourists who I are likely to be more tolerant than overseas travellers of inadequacies in services and facilities. It would therefore be foolish to expend much effort now on I attracting overseas tourists. As correction of many of the current inadequacies is fairly fundamental to promoting any increased tourism, a .I significant Government effort should. be devoted to improving the situation in the very near future, for example, within the next year. At that point, the I encouragement. of overseas tourists would make . economic sense. As pointed out earlier, overseas tourists spend more in I an area than residents of nearby areas. Much of the reason for this would presumably be the need of the overseas traveller for services not needed by local ,I travellers. Air travel, rental cars, and guided tours are all services unlikely to be much used by local travellers. In addition, .overseas travellers need to ·1 purchase all food or meals locally and are likely· to be more interested in acquiring souvenirs of an ar~a. In my opinion, there is a real opportunity to attract I overseas visitors if appropriate facilities are provided. Australia is attracting greater attention as a tourist destination than it has in previous years in Asia, Europe I and the United ·states. The release of the film "The Man from Snowy River II" in the United States within the next year will call attention to the. area, which would provide an easy focus for a tourist marketing campaign. Further, 1: the location of East Gippsland between Sydney and Melbourne makes it an easy place to include in the I typical tourist itinerary~ The major attractions of East Gippsland will certainly be its natural areas and its plants and wildlife. As I pointed out earlier, existin_g accommodation is not located in most of the areas likely to be of high interest. The CFL proposal for cabins at Bonang would . ·1 provide a minimally acceptable option for attracting overseas visitors, but it will probably not be well suited to their needs because it will require all visitors to provide all their own meals, which is likely I' to be inconvenient. 1: I
L_.· .··.·.· ..·.·.··.·.····· .·· .. ··· ... I 32 I - current circumstances of accommodation, the only Under type of overseas tourism that could be promoted is 1· Wilderness Travel or Adventure Tours. This type of travel involves camping or sleeping in very basic accommodation, but all food and transport may be provided. New Zealand has attracted many thousands of I overseas visitors using this approach. · If overseas and interstate visitors were attracted· to I East Gippsland, there would also. be a market for offering accommodation of a higher quality than CFL proposes and for offering additional services, such as meals and I arrangements for visiting areas of interest. I can envision a market for forest lodge type accommodation located in the Bendoc--Bonang-Goongerah I area. Although the architecture would be rustic, the visitors' rooms and common areas would be comfortable and tastefully decorated. Such a lodge would have to.include I a dining room serving high quality meals based on local products ( se.afood, locally grown vegetables, cheeses from Gippsland, etc.) accompanied by wines from Victoria and ll New South Wales. An alternative to the forest lodge style of accommodation may be the country inn or farmhouse. This may be II appropriate in some of the cleared or more open areas in East Gippsland. -1 It may also be possible to find an appropriate location for such a lodge on the west side of the Snowy River or in the Deddick Valley, in order to capitalise on the tourist value of association with the Snowy. The I township land at Suggan Buggan may be an appropriate location. The LCC recommended that this land be made available for development associated with tourism. A I facility at Suggan Buggan would provide tourists the opportunity to visit the Alps and Kosciuszko National Park as well as the areas of East Gippsland. I Additional requirements for overseas visitors are: regular flights between East Gippsland and Sydney . and Melbourne, and transport between the airport and the I accommodation facility. The visitor would also need to be able to choose from a variety of activities to experience the area. Day trips by 4 wheel drive I (allowing sufficient time for walks in the forests, visits to waterfalls and other scenic attractions) would have to be available and easily arranged through the lodge. Other activities, such as rafting trips, I horseback riding, a day fishing off the coast, and a scenic flight over the area could be combined into a I tourist package covering varying periods of time. Al though all the above requirements for overseas tourists, except the lodge, already exist in some measure I in East Gippsland, there is considerable scope · for entrepreneurs to p~ovide the facilities and services. I ,.-;--"::- -'-::>:- --··:-.~ - --.,., __ ;. -.- ,_. ·-:-:-·- .-. : -;-·-:·:· :·_ . --·-:-:-·-·-;:-.-:--.·-: ·-:-· . :-:-. . :-·--.· -: ,_, __ .-:-;- ;.-.-.-...... · ...... ~ . · ..... ·.· I 33 I' • A forest lodge or other similar tourist accommodation seems appropriate for private sector construction and I, operation, although Government should certainly provide clear guidance on the sort of development desired. I I I I. I ! . I I I I I I I I I I I I I. -.· .., ...... ·:·· .· . . ·.: ·.· .. ·~· ~ ·.· . ·.· '. --..... -.. - ·.·.· ·.·.··:-·.. ·-·.·.· . : - ·.·.·.·.·,,·, .. ·.·.·.:· :.. ·.·.·. ·. . .. ·. . ·..:·:····· :-· ·.· ·.·.· -: -.·.:-·-:-- -.. :. ... I 34 I • I CONCLUSION The promotion of tourism in East Gippsland presents a broad range of challenges and opportunities. With focused attention by Government over the next year, I virtually all the barriers to increased tourism can readily be overcome. Most . of the necessary actions required by government will not even require huge sums of I money, although they will demand some Government expenditure~ Coordinated planning and budgetting for the area is essential if the objective of increasing tourism I and improving the economic climate of East Gippsland is to be .achieved~ In planning for tourism in East Gippsland,. it will be I important to keep firmly in mind the reasons people would want to visit the area. The attraction of East Gippsland is its natural areas - the forests, ·mountains, and coast I - and tourist facilities should not .detract from those features.· Any development will have to be located and ".! . designed with utmost sensitivity to fit into the area. I The recommendations made in this report represent only a preliminary evaluation of the tourism potential for East Gippsland. Work on the Tourism Strategy should refine. I and elaborate these recommendations to a workable series of actions that can be readily implemented through I coordinated efforts of Government. I I I I I I I I I ~V'tl811 lNH' 'O~IAN3 ON\t ONIN \tld ~U:I A~.LSINIW I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
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