Let’s talk about the FUTURE Mt Baw Baw and Lake Mountain 2030 DISCUSSION PAPER SUMMARY Project overview All Victorian alpine resorts are facing an increasingly uncertain future. The manner in which each resort responds to the impacts of climate change, how The Act they can accommodate major shifts in tourism trends, recreation demands and visitor tastes, whilst still protecting their important natural and cultural assets, will determine The object of Alpine Resorts what sort of alpine experience all Victorians will have now and into the future. (Management) Act 1997 is to make provision in respect of alpine resorts; In planning for these necessary changes, the Victorian Government has asked the Mount Baw Baw and Lake Mountain Alpine Resorts Management Boards to undertake (a) for the development, promotion, a comprehensive review of each resort. By September 2016, the Board will make management and use of the recommendations to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change as resorts on a sustainable basis and to how best to manage, protect and develop Mt Baw Baw into the future to make in a manner that is compatible the resort more financially sustainable, whilst ensuring that this is balanced with with the alpine environment, the maximisation of the economic and social benefits provided by the resort to the having regard to: communities it serves. (i) environmental and ecological considerations, in particular, The ‘Mt Baw Baw and Lake Mountain 2030’ project will respond to the challenges and climate change; opportunities and inform some of the big decisions the Victorian Government intends to make. Involvement in this process by everyone who visits, works or has an interest (ii) economic considerations; in these resorts is encouraged. (iii) cultural heritage considerations, in particular, Your views are important. We may need to make difficult decisions to ensure that Mt Indigenous cultural heritage Baw Baw resort remains as a valuable and loved regional asset. considerations; and The future of Mt Baw Baw is at a turning point. So we strongly encourage you to join a (b) for the use of the resorts: conversation, have your say and get involved. (i) primarily for alpine recreation and tourism; (ii) in all seasons of the year; and Allan Bawden, Philip Nunn, (iii) by persons from varied Chair Mount Baw Baw and Lake Mountain CEO Mount Baw Baw and Lake Mountain cultural and economic groups. Alpine Resorts Management Boards Alpine Resorts Management Boards and threatened under the Victorian food and beverage offers, Mt Baw Some facts about Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. Baw has a snow equipment hire, a ski school, general administration • Mt Baw Baw is an all-season resort, building, medical facilities, retail Mt Baw Baw catering for snowboarders, skiers and outlets, fire depot, two visitor centres those interested in snow play, and and educational information. Alpine Resort providing for green season activities that include bushwalking, downhill • Similarly, to Lake Mountain Mt • Mt Baw Baw is Melbourne’s closest mountain biking and nature walks. Baw Baw has a very ethnically downhill ski resort, approximately 180 • In the snow season, the resort offers diverse visitor profile, with over kilometres east of Melbourne and only 35 hectares of groomed terrain, access high proportion of its snow season one hour from the heart of Gippsland. 10 kilometres of cross country ski visitors describing themselves as • Access to Mt Baw Baw is either by a trails, 15 ski runs, seven ski lifts, and being of Asian or Indian background. sealed tourist road curving upwards two snow play areas incorporating Most of the visitors are day for 50 kilometres from Noojee or an tobogganing and airbag/tubing trippers, and visit Mt Baw Baw unsealed 26 kilometres South Face activities. Modern snow making because it is the closest mountain road stretching from the Thomson equipment currently enables snow to where they live/are staying. Valley Road which is accessible cover to be available on most days • Visitors to Mt Baw Baw during from the Moe-Rawson Road. on the main toboggan runs even the 2015 winter spent on average • The Mt Baw Baw village offers during poor snow seasons. $45-56 per person per visit. a variety of on mountain • A growth in non-snow or “green • Mt Baw Baw is a major contributor accommodation options including season” activities include bushwalking, to the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland 22 lodges, 10 apartments, two picturesque sub-alpine environment regions, where unemployment cabins and a hotel. There is a total with spring flower viewing, national levels are above the Victorian of 700 beds available predominantly standard downhill mountain bike average. Destination Gippsland of one or two-star quality. The trail and general sight-seeing. The considers that Mt Baw Baw as a resort has a food and beverage resort also acts as a venue for a range winter destination is one of the few offers available to visitors. of events including car rallies and commercial tourist attractions in • Compared to the more northerly cycling events. During the 2014/15 Gippsland that can generate revenue bigger resorts Mt Baw Baw is “green season” operating days were and employment for the region. relatively underdeveloped with decreased from seven to three (Friday In 2011 Mt Baw Baw contributed many snow gums and the village to Sunday). “Green season” visitor approximately $7.5 million to Baw nestled within the trees. numbers are small but have grown Baw Shire’s Gross Regional Product. 15 per cent from 2007 – 2011. • Mt Baw Baw is home to the Baw • The operation, administration and • Around 70,000 people visited Mt Baw Baw Frog Philoria frosti is a smallish promotion of Mt Baw Baw is managed Baw in the winter of 2015 making it brown frog endemic to the Baw by a Board. With the exception of one of the highest years since 2005. Baw Plateau and escarpment area. ski hire and Kelly’s café, the snow Winter visitation numbers at Mt Baw The Baw Baw Frog is listed as chain fitting service and small retail Baw are highly variable and sensitive Endangered under the Commonwealth outlet, the Board of Mt Baw Baw to fluctuations in level of snowfall. Environment Protection and operates all facilities providing Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 • In addition to accommodation and services to visitors in the resort. of good snow seasons is likely to low altitude resorts will be most Some big decline and the number of poor vulnerable to changes in climate. seasons is likely to increase. • It is expected that Mt Baw Baw may challenges facing • A study into the impact of climate face an increased risk of bushfires change in the Victorian alpine areas due to shorter snow seasons, less Mt Baw Baw is currently being finalised. The study rainfall over the year and drier and will also explore emerging snow warmer ground conditions. The Alpine Resort making technologies and if they perception of bushfire risk may be have capacity to sufficiently respond a barrier to increasing the number Climate change will affect to forecast changes to alpine rainfall, of visitors in green seasons. humidity and temperature. Changes the resort – expect much to natural snowfall patterns, Infrastructure is poor less natural snow combined with the future viability and ageing, and • In their 2012 report ‘Climate Change of lower altitude snowmaking, Impacts on Snow in Victoria’ CSIRO will be critical to the short and costly to maintain indicated that in the near future, long term planning for the winter • The poor condition of the two access the duration of the Victorian offering at all Victorian resorts. roads, the sealed Mt Baw Baw snow season is very likely to be • At 1,564m elevation, Mt Baw Baw is Tourist Road and unsealed South shorter, have a slightly later start, one of the lower of the alpine resorts Face Road, can result in actual and generate lower maximum in Victoria compared to the highest, travel time from Melbourne to Mt natural snow depths. The number Mt Hotham at 1,861m. Arguably, Baw Baw being similar to other alpine resorts further away. There is club and commercial viability Government to underpin its ongoing concern that some potential visitors in periods of peak demands. operations and management will be dissuaded from visiting the resort as they may not be • The majority of Mt Baw Baw annual prepared to tolerate the somewhat It costs more to operate revenue is collected through resort difficult access to the mountain. Mt Baw Baw than the entry fees during the relatively short snow season, which usually runs • Current snow making infrastructure revenue it is currently between June and September. The is ageing and there are concerns capable of generating prospect of shorter snow seasons whether it will be able to continue and reduced visitation numbers, to provide full snow coverage. • In 2003, a long standing financial will have a direct and significant cross-subsidy from the larger alpine impact on resort revenue from the • Services to properties within the resorts (Mt Buller, Falls Creek and current income generating activities. village are comparable to most Mt Hotham) to support the smaller municipalities. However, as Mt resorts was removed. Since then, Baw Baw is not connected to the Mt Baw Baw has been unable to national electricity grid the resort’s become financially self-funding entire electricity supply is provided and has relied on additional by costly LPG fuelled generators. government funding. For the past This reduces the funds available 3 years, Mt Baw Baw received for ski or amenity infrastructure approximately $3.5-4.5 million upgrades, and impacts upon per annum from the Victorian value Mt Baw Baw’s ski runs, its snow on offer in the village for both the What we play facilities, mountain bike trails day tripper and the long term visitor and its easy access to neighbouring but we’ve heard that these could be have heard parks to explore amongst the snow improved with more variety for all price gums, spring flowers and neighbouring points and the revitalisation of the club from you national park.