Big Winch to Be Redeveloped Into World Class Attraction
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ISSN 1833-1831 Tel: 08 8672 5920 http://cooberpedyregionaltimes.wordpress.com Thursday 25 August 2016 BIG WINCH TO BE REDEVELOPED INTO WORLD CLASS ATTRACTION Owners of the Coober Pedy IGA, the Carter family, have recently purchased The Big Winch site and plan to redevelop the facility. It will be renamed ‘The Big Winch Visitor and Cultural Centre’. Patriarch of the family, Mr Tim Carter said that since arriving in Coober Pedy four years ago, he often looked at the Big Winch as an underdeveloped opportunity. “I was honestly a bit saddened that a local landmark like the Big Winch was rundown,” explained Mr Carter. “We were lucky enough to purchase it last year and after many discussions with Penny and Declan, we enlisted the help of a consultant. When we are finished we will have developed a world-class attraction that we hope that the whole of the South Australian outback will benefit from.” Tim said that the redeveloped attraction will not only showcase Coober Pedy but also the surrounding region including places steeped in history such as the Oodnadatta Track and the towns along it. Iconic outback locations like Dalhousie Springs, Lake Eyre and The Painted Desert will also be featured. The focal point of the attraction will be a light and sound show to be produced by one of Australia’s most internationally respected cinematographers and directors. “What we found when we first came to Coober Pedy was a lack of things to do at night,” explained Mr Carter. Coober Pedy icon, The Big Winch - long overdue for a facelift “Our hometown of Peterborough was in a similar situation a few years back and they did this light and sound show and it injected new life into the local tourism industry. We want this new tourist attraction to do the same here and By Stephen Staines encourage tourists to stay an extra night or two and that’ll benefit all the businesses.” The development plans for the location are well underway Declan and Penny Carter - new owners of and the sound and light presentation is currently in pre- The Big Winch. Redevelopment expected to production phase. Coober Pedy’s redeveloped landmark will include opal and opal mining displays as well as music be completed by 2017 and performances showcasing local history and culture. “We’ve had great support from SA Tourism for the “Me and my family love Coober Pedy and the outback The refurbished lookout will be a place where visitors development,” said Tim. “Coober Pedy is a place that is a and the people that make it such a great place to live and and locals will have the opportunity to savour the flavours key part of their overall marketing of the outback and our do business. We have businesses in four other towns of South Australia’s premium wines and boutique beers new development will make Coober Pedy even more around South Australia and we know that you only get whilst enjoying tapas made from South Australian produce. marketable than it already is.” out of a community what you put in.” With a backdrop of Coober Pedy’s unforgettable sunsets, With the project completion date in mid-2017, the Carter “We want to work together with the existing tourism the new development certainly conjures an alluring image; family is certainly not wasting anytime bringing their vision operators and businesses in Coober Pedy so that we can maybe that’s why the South Australian Tourism into reality. produce something that we as a town and as a region can Commission is climbing on board. all be proud of. It’ll be something that’ll benefit all of us,” Mr Carter concluded. Artist’s drawing of redeveloped Big Winch complex SERVING THE OPAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD SINCE 1982 7 DAYS WEATHER - Some rain Editor - Margaret Mackay Coober Pedy Oodnadatta Tarcoola Andamooka * PO Box 275 Coober Pedy SA 5723 * Ph: (08) 8672 5920 Email: [email protected] * Next Newspapers DUGOUT Thursday 08 Sept 2016 Thursday 22 Sept 2016 Thursday 06 Oct 2016 Thursday 20 Oct 2016 Spring Equinox Advertising Rates 23 September 2016 Black & White * Summer Solstice Display $6.50 per cm/col 21 December 2016 Classified $8.00 per cm/col * Colour on Application Inserts on Application * Autumn Equinox Bookings by Wednesday prior 20 March 2017 Material must be in Fri prior DISTRIBUTING to South HOW to send Australia, NT and the Far -Welcome to North Communities articles to CPRT Coober Pedy - The Coober Pedy Regional Times - “Your Outback Communities Newspaper”, became DISCLAIMER: Opinions and letters published in The Coober a FREE Newspaper in 2006 and increased its distribution to 4,500 hard copies + digital An underground town, built Pedy Regional Times are not necessarily the views of the online download, promoting news, events and distributing advertising to our regional Editor, or Publisher. 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The owner of the collective work is the Coober Pedy Regional SUBMISSIONS not received by Friday, prior to printing *Over 40 Nationalities living together Times Newspaper. are unlikely to appear in that edition CROSSWORD Please Drive Carefully Coober Pedy is a lizard friendly town Page 2 Coober Pedy Regional Times Thursday 25 August 2016 CommunityCommunity QuestionsQuestions onon Council’sCouncil’s DraftDraft BusinessBusiness Plan/BudgetPlan/Budget -- answersanswers lacklack detaildetail CPRT has endeavoured to provide satisfying answers to these questions in this edition The DCCP undertook a public consultation meeting on (Editor’s note: The auditor’s report was uploaded to the A number of other important questions were asked by the 9th August with regards to their Annual Plan (budget). Council’s website in around March 2016 but has since community members Sue Britt, Crystal Hauri and Alex Acting CEO, Mr Neil Brown fielded questions from local been removed. Considering the Auditor’s Morgan however the responses from the Council residents but those present thought that the Draft Business recommendations was reportedly presented to the Audit seemingly lacked detail. Plan, the Fees and Charges was inacurate and confusing, Committee at an Audit Committee meeting on the 14th and the answers lacked detail. March 2016, why have the remaining Councillors not been Sue Bitt questioned the number of ratepayers in Coober provided with a copy?) Pedy. The Acting CEO advised that he did not know. Attendees were advised that detailed answers to some of the questions printed in the last edition of the Coober Pedy Q: Where is the independent auditor's report for 2015-16 Former Councillor Mr Alex Morgan said that in the four Regional Times would be provided at a future date. financial year? years that he was on Council (2006-2010) there was not Council’s administration was advised that information for one meeting of the audit committee. He said that every publication is due by close of businesses last Friday A: There isn’t one. It is due in November this year.