Calls for a koala tourist attraction to rival Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade have been heard at State Government and City Hall.
Victorian Tourism Minister John Eren and the chair of Geelong’s council administrators both expressed interest in the idea after it was revealed in last week’s Geelong Indy.
Mr Eren, the Member for Lara, recognised the tourism appeal of Victoria’s native animals.
“International tourists have Victoria high on the list of destinations to visit, so we’re always looking at ways to keep that steady stream flowing,“ he said.
“One of Victoria’s great strengths is our unique wildlife. It attracts visitors from all over the world, who want to see our distinctly Australian animals like kangaroos and koalas.
“Our local community is innovative and imaginative when it comes to ventures that boost visitation and create jobs and that’s something we will always encourage.”
Dr Kathy Alexander, chair of Geelong’s council administrators, also reacted positively to the koala plan.
The You Yangs is a very valuable asset from a tourism point of view, with mountain bikers, bush walkers and naturalists,” she said.
“We are keen to work with the owners of the land, Parks Victoria, on any tourism opportunities and will closely follow any developments of a koala initiative.”
Tourism operator Janine Duffy presented her koala plan at forum in Lara last week, citing the Penguin Parade as an example.
The parade generates tens of millions of dollars annually for the island’s economy, attracting tourists from around the world.
Lara could achieve similar results with koalas because it shared Phillip Island’s tourism advantage of proximity to Melbourne, Ms Duffy told the Indy.
“There are penguins all over north Tasmania but people don’t go to see them. Lara’s only a 45-minute drive from Melbourne”.
Surveys had indicated that 72 per cent of visitors to Australia wanted to see koalas, Ms Duffy said.
She wanted land-owners around Lara to plant native trees suitable for expanding the area’s koala population.
Ms Duffy said Lara’s struggling koala population was an obstacle to her plan, but it could tap into an oversupply at Cape Otway, where authorities recently undertook culling and relocation programs to prevent further environmental damage from over-grazing.
Avalon Airport chief Justin Giddings and local tourism boss Roger Grant both expressed support for Ms Duffy’s idea after attending the Lara forum.
Mr Giddings welcomed the potential for an international tourism drawcard on Avalon’s doorstep.
