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alpineresorts AlpineResorts alpineresorts 2020strategy 2020 Strategy 2020strategy ©The State of Victoria, 1 Department of Sustainability and Environment 2004 This publication is copyright. alpineresorts AlpineResorts alpineresorts No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the strategy Copyright Act 1968. strategy Strategy This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without 2020 flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate 2020 2020 for your particular purposes and therefore The Victorian Alpine Resorts 2020 victoria’s alpine resorts disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other Strategy has been prepared to guide consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. the sustainable long term planning and management and to assist in investment ISBN 1 74106 822 3 attraction in Victoria’s six alpine resorts: Acknowledgments Falls Creek, Lake Mountain, Mount Baw Baw, This Strategy was prepared with the assistance Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling. of CSIRO, in consultation with the Alpine Resorts Coordinating Council and each of the six The resorts are unique assets and provide access Alpine Resort Management Boards. to a scarce resource – the alpine environment. Additional copies of the Alpine Resorts The alpine resorts are key economic drivers 2020 Strategy can be obtained from the Department of Sustainability and Environment in their regions throughout the year and, Customer Service Centre by phoning 136 186. sustainably managed, can make a greater Find more information about the Department contribution to Victoria’s economic health on the internet at www.dse.vic.gov.au and growth. Wodonga Alpine resorts are located in environmentally Wangaratta sensitive areas, generally surrounded by National Ovens Hwy Parks where environmental protection is of Hume Hwy paramount importance. Bright Mt Beauty Harrietville Falls Creek Seymour Mt Stirling Mt Hotham Mansfield The Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy addresses the Mt Buller Dinner Plain Omeo objectives of sustainable use and management of this valuable Victorian tourism resource. Marysville Lake Mountain Bairnsdale Melbourne Mt Baw Baw Princes Hwy Warragul State Forest Parks and Nature Conservation Reserves Diagrammatic - not to scale Foreword 3 Victoria’s six alpine resorts offer exciting recreational opportunities in a dramatic environment. They are attractive destinations throughout the year located on Crown land – land owned by and managed for all Victorians. Over one million people visit the alpine resorts each year. As many as a third of these visitors enjoy the resorts outside the traditional snow season. Participation in a broader range of non winter alpine experiences is growing. The impact of the alpine fires in January – February 2003 has emphasised the economic significance of the alpine resorts for the north east of Victoria. The built assets within the alpine resorts were not damaged significantly by the fires. Much of the alpine and sub alpine region is, however, in the process of both economic and ecological recovery. The CSIRO has recently confirmed that Victoria’s higher altitude resorts will be able to manage the impact of climate change and will be well positioned to offer snow based recreation until at least 2020. All resorts will, however, proactively plan and manage for the impact of climate change. Part of this planning includes investment in snow making and better utilisation of existing assets and infrastructure by encouraging four season use. The Victorian Government has a commitment to environmentally sustainable development in our alpine resorts whilst maintaining them in full public ownership. This Strategy seeks to secure the long term viability of the resorts by providing for long term sustainable growth within an environmentally friendly management framework. This Strategy also recognises the need for each resort to develop an investment strategy to attract further private sector interest. The Strategy complements the Government’s Alpine Resorts Reform Package released in August 2003. The package addresses a number of financial and structural issues requiring resolution in the short term to improve viability and position the resorts for a long term, sustainable future. It includes the ending of cross subsidies, release from debt, improved governance and risk frameworks, establishment of mechanisms to enable Boards to better cope with the impacts of poor snow seasons, funding initiatives and individual solutions for the three small resorts. This Strategy incorporates comments from the public submissions received in response to the release of the Alpine Resorts 2020 Draft Strategy in 2003 and Alpine Resorts 2020 Discussion Paper in 2002. The Strategy provides agreed visions and actions to ensure that Victoria’s alpine resorts will continue to be vibrant and exciting destinations, set within spectacular natural environments, making valuable contributions to their regional and broader State economies. I look forward to the implementation of the Strategy which will be an exciting period with many challenges and opportunities. The Honourable John Thwaites MP Minister for Environment Executive summary 5 The Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy has been Resort use and visitation - Alpine resorts Each resort has an environmental prepared to guide the long term planning will provide high quality experiences, management plan which in addition to and management of Victoria’s six alpine facilitating safe access to Victoria’s alpine flora, fauna, pest and weed management resorts: Falls Creek, Lake Mountain, environment for recreational use through both programs, will be strengthened by giving Mount Baw Baw, Mount Buller, Mount winter and non winter seasons. further attention to water management as Hotham and Mount Stirling. investment in snow making increases. Post Non winter visitation to the resorts has alpine fire rehabilitation and risk management The resorts are unique assets facilitating at least doubled over the last decade, while investment in land stability are the focus of access to a scarce resource – the Australian winter visitation to the resorts is stable. major environmental programs in the resorts. alpine environment. Alpine resort tourism is This is a global trend as recreation choices a product strength for Victoria and is limited expand. There are however, opportunities Stewardship of public land - Resort to very small areas. These areas provide a key to stimulate the current winter market, management will embrace the stewardship economic driver within each of their regions acknowledging leisure trends and an ageing role they have across each resort, working throughout the year. population. A better understanding and cooperatively with their communities. promotion of the summer market is also The Alpine Resorts 2020 Discussion Paper needed, including further development of The relationship with surrounding land was released in 2002 to facilitate a common opportunities and product. managers will be strengthened to recognise understanding of the issues impacting on the synergistic relationships and maximise the future of the alpine resorts. Developing four season use will be a priority diversity of experiences available to visitors. for the resorts in the future. Indigenous Australians will be consulted as This process informed the development part of planning processes. Opportunities also of the Alpine Resorts 2020 Draft Strategy, Development of the resorts - The resorts exist for further cooperation between each of which was released in 2003 for further public will enhance the visitor experience by the resorts. consultation. providing attractive, ecologically sustainable mountain townships that have local character Future opportunities - Future opportunities The feedback received on these two and a distinct sense of place in the landscape. for each resort have been identified. The list documents allowed consensus to be reached is not exhaustive, but rather aims to provide on the way forward on key issues and Design guidelines and the Alpine Resorts a picture of how each resort may look in the provided a vision for the future of: Planning Scheme are identified as key future together with the range of experiences tools to improve the urban design of the which could be available to visitors as the Four season, vibrant, resorts. Improvements to energy efficiency Strategy’s vision is realised. sustainable resorts will be highlighted in resort environmental management plans acknowledging the high Implementation and Review - The Strategy lists a ‘statement of strategic demand for energy in the resorts and their The key to the success of the Strategy is direction’ for each of six broad issues which vulnerability to climate change. the ownership and implementation of the need to be addressed to realise the vision. actions listed throughout the document. Detailed challenges and actions have been Vibrant resorts - The resorts will be identified for each statement of strategic vibrant economic entities making a strong Consultation on the Draft Strategy included direction. contribution to Victoria and their local regions. the identification of an appropriate agency to lead each action together with Climate change - Resorts will remain Alpine resorts contribute an additional contributing partners. committed to a snow tourism industry $129 million and 3740 jobs to the Victorian and proactively