Minutes of the Tourist Attraction Signposting Assessment Committee Northern Region Meeting
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TASAC Minutes 15 October 2014 Minutes of the Tourist Attraction Signposting Assessment Committee Northern Region meeting Wednesday 15 October 2014 in Committee Room 2, Ballina Shire Council Administration Building, 40 Cherry Street, Ballina Members David Douglas Regional Coordinator TASAC and Drive, Destination NSW Phil Oliver Guidance and Delineation Manager, Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) Maria Zannetides TASAC Secretariat Also present Caroline Klose Corporate Communications and Tourism Coordinator, Ballina Shire Council Ian Shanahan RMS Northern Daniel Boorman RMS Northern Wes Stevenson RMS Pacific Motorway Upgrade Project Apologies Joanne McMurtry Tourism Officer, Byron Shire Council Belinda Novicky Executive Officer, North Coast Destination Network AGENDA ITEMS 1. DELEGATIONS / PRESENTATIONS & REGIONAL SIGNPOSTING ISSUES 1.1 Proposed extension to Tourist Drive 30 A proposal by Ballina Council to extend Tourist Drive 30 (Ballina-Lennox Head-Byron Bay- Pacific Highway at Ewingsdale) to the south was discussed. The proposal envisages an extension of the drive south from River Street via the Burns Point Ferry, along River Drive on the eastern side of the Richmond River and returning to the highway at East Wardell. It is understood that Council received a submission in response to an exhibition of its Operations Plan from the South Ballina Community Association requesting that the drive be extended in this manner. Council has raised the matter with TASAC because the extension would take visitors past a beautiful part of the river and adjacent sugar cane fields. David, Phil and Ian drove the proposed extension to the tourist drive the day prior to the meeting and made the following observations: i. The Burns Point Ferry, which is operated by Ballina Council, is closed each day from 12.30 am to 5.30 am. The ferry also closes for regular maintenance between 9.30 am and noon on the second Tuesday of the month and has an annual closure period, which this year will take place from 17 to 28 November. ii. There are charges for vehicles to use the ferry ($5 for a car and $10 for a car towing a boat, trailer or caravan). Final 28 October 2014 1 of 17 TASAC Minutes 15 October 2014 iii. As there is limited space where the road meets the ferry, any motorist who decides not to proceed to the ferry would find it difficult to turn around. This would be particularly difficult in the case of vehicles towing a boat, trailer or caravan. iv. Only one of the State’s numbered tourist drives includes a ferry crossing. The Lawrence (Bluff Point) Ferry is on Tourist Drive 22. However, this ferry operates daily on demand during all hours and without a service fee. v. The proposed extension would not offer any significant benefits for visitors from a tourism perspective. There is no tourism product or services along the extension and part of it travels through residential areas. In comparison to the existing drive, there are no benefits to the visitor experience from the proposed extension. vi. In 2011 TASAC refused a request from Port Macquarie Hastings Council to consider an extension to Tourist Drive 12 because it would include a ferry crossing. In the circumstances, the Committee advised that it did not support the proposed extension to Tourist Drive 30. During the discussion the possibility that South Ballina could be considered for tourist signposting in the Seaside Towns category was canvassed. However, it was considered that the destination would not be eligible for such signposting because it does not “provide a range of facilities and services that visitors can access, including accommodation, food and fuel”. It was also noted that, if Council wishes to inform motorists of the presence of two caravan parks at South Ballina, a more appropriate and cost effective solution would be to include the symbol for caravan parks on signage at the intersection of Burns Point Ferry Road and River Street. Both roads are administered by the Council and therefore the addition of a caravan park symbol is a matter for Council. While a caravan park symbol could be used at this location, the names of caravan parks should not appear on road signposting. Also, both caravan parks are too remote from the Pacific Highway for symbols to appear on highway signage. Action: Secretariat to respond to Council’s inquiry in the above terms. 1.2 Mallanganee Lookout, Kyogle Shire Mallanganee Lookout has existing tourist signposting on Bulmers Road / Bruxner Highway, Mallanganee. Eligibility for the signage is no longer current as TASAC has not considered an application for the lookout during the last five years. RMS Northern is reviewing signposting in the vicinity and has advised that the lookout’s signposting is problematic as it does not reflect current design standards, the local road is unsealed and narrow with the access unsuitable for vehicles towing a caravan/trailer or vehicles without 4WD and there is an existing safety concern for vehicles turning to and from Bulmers Road at this location. Photographs from Malcolm Wallis, Kyogle Council’s Tourism Economic Development Officer, depict the view from the lookout and show three information panels installed at the site. On this basis and if Council submitted an application to TASAC, it would appear that the lookout could be eligible for tourist signposting. Final 28 October 2014 2 of 17 TASAC Minutes 15 October 2014 Action: (a) RMS Northern to liaise with Council engineers about what could be done to improve sight distances and access road conditions. (b) Subject to satisfactory resolutions of the sight distance and access issues, it will be necessary for Council to apply to TASAC for tourist signposting before any steps are taken to upgrade signage for the lookout. 1.3 Issues raised by North Coast Destination Network Belinda Novicky emailed David about the following matters prior to the meeting: i. Signage for Coffs Harbour Visitor Information Centre: The centre has recently relocated from a site in Coffs Harbour town centre to the Big Banana. RMS has prepared designs and cost estimates so that road signage can be installed at the new location. These are expected to be in place in early November. Signs for the former location are in the process of being removed. Belinda is welcome to contact Daniel Boorman at RMS Northern for more details. ii. Directional signposting for Nana Glen: This matter was raised with Belinda by the operators of Two Tails Winery. “White on green” directional signage is a matter for RMS and not TASAC. However, RMS confirmed that it considers that Nana Glen has appropriate directional signage in both directions from the Moonee Beach interchange. iii. Signposting treatments for Raleigh Winery and Roses Vineyard: The operator of Raleigh Winery (open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm and daily during school holidays) asked Belinda why its signposting is on an exit ramp of the Pacific Motorway but signposting for Roses Vineyard (open daily from 10 am to 5 pm) is on the motorway itself. The following provisions of the NSW Tourist Signposting Manual were noted: “State significant attractions will be the only attractions that can be signposted from motorways where the access to the attraction is via a grade separated interchange. A grade separated interchange is one where there are deceleration lanes and exit ramps.” Raleigh Winery at Bonville is accessed from a grade separated interchange whereas the access for Roses Vineyard at Lake Innes is not grade separated. Therefore, the different signage treatments for the two businesses accord with the Manual’s policy regarding signposting from Motorways. Action: Secretariat to provide the above advice to Belinda. 1.4 Members’ report on site inspections David and Phil made the following observations arising from their site inspections in the Ballina area and environs the day before the meeting. i. Please see 1.1 above for comments regarding an inspection of the route of a proposed extension to Tourist Drive 30. ii. Dilapidated signage for a tour operation was observed on Council roads at the intersection of River Street and Las Balas Plaza with the following legend: Final 28 October 2014 3 of 17 TASAC Minutes 15 October 2014 Richmond Princess River Cruises – At Boat Harbour A fingerboard sign for the cruise operation was also observed at another location. The signage is dilapidated and unserviceable to the extent that is no longer retro-reflective and can barely be read. The future of the signage is a matter for Ballina Council as the signage is on its roads. Nevertheless, the Committee members advised that the signage was so badly fatigued that it was in need of replacement or removal for road safety reasons. The members also noted that tour operations like river cruises are not eligible for tourist signposting. In this case the tours only operate once per week on Sunday, which is well below the eligibility requirements for tourist signposting. In the circumstances, under TASAC guidelines and if the signage was located on a State road, the only option would be for the signage to be removed. iii. Signage for Minyon Falls on Coolamon Scenic Drive does not include a distance, which should be added as the attraction is a considerable distance from the location of the signs. Action: RMS Northern to review the signage scheme for Minyon Falls with a view to improving the information for visitors. iv. Dilapidated tourist signposting for Thursday Plantation was observed on Tamarind Drive, which is a Council road. The signage is no longer retro-reflective and is unserviceable. The position is therefore similar to that outlined above for the Richmond Princess, i.e. the signage needs to be removed or replaced. TASAC found that “Thursday Tea Tree Plantation” was eligible for tourist signposting in October 2013 but the operator has not acted on this decision by contacting RMS to upgrade signage for the business.