Tourist target

ERIN PEARSON
A new report has earmarked national park land along the Great Ocean Road for tourism developments.
Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s report said tourism to the reigon would stagnate without approval of previously disallowed developments.
The draft report said “high-end, large-scale and boutique accommodation” along the Great Ocean Road could attract an influx of tourists from China and India.
The region’s tourism centres should also consider investing in harbours, convention facilities, diving attractions and “interpretative centres”.
The report will go to State Government for development of funding priorities.
Geelong Otway Tourism boss Roger Grant was thrilled with the recommendations.
“The draft report clearly listened to the industry and identified the major opportunities we have,” he said.
“This is not about just throwing away the values of national parks, this is about the critical need in Victoria of identifying projects that can make a big difference from a tourism point of view. It’s about nature-based lodges and similar that will complement the national parks, not take away from them.”
Mr Grant said creating a planning system that built private sector confidence in the tourism industry was paramount after years of projects bouncing “around and around” without approvals.
But Otway Conservation Council’s Fiona Nelson urged State Government to stay out of national parks and ramp-up advertising for existing attractions instead.
“Tourism needs to be controlled,” Ms Nelson said.
“The forest is really just recovering from intensive logging over the past 30 or so years and needs time to recover. Putting accommodation within the national park doesn’t bode well for a forest and for all the creatures already threatened.”