An horrendous drought has Warren Shire Council and RiverSmart Australia wasting no time in making the $3.4 million given to them to draw domestic and international tourists to the Macquarie Marshes count.
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A meeting has been scheduled for Friday in a bid to get the ball rolling on developing and expanding infrastructure to draw more tourists to the marshes and boost economies in the far north-west of NSW.
Director and chief executive officer of RiverSmart, Dr Bill Phillips, said they were keen to help local businesses and tradespeople affected by the big dry.
“Tradies are a bit idle and we want to give them some work,” he said.
On Wednesday the determination of the Destination Macquarie Marshes Task Force to make the marshes a major tourism drawcard was rewarded with a “game-changing cheque” from the state government.
Dr Phillips, chairman of the task force, said for many years “gateway” communities to the marshes had advocated for better signage and access to them.
“Travellers regularly expressed frustration and disappointment that they couldn't get to see the real marshes, just a glimpse here and there as they drove through,” he said.
The $3.4 million grant from the Regional Growth Environment and Tourism Fund was announced by retiring Member for Barwon Kevin Humphries.
The money will be spent on infrastructure such as a wildlife viewing platform at the Monkeygar Creek Crossing on Gibson's Way and a 1.8 kilometre boardwalk, with an elevated section, on the 'Burrima' property of the Macquarie Wetlands Association.
Directional and interpretive signage across the region will be improved and reveal the significance of the marshes to the Indigenous Wayilwan people.
RiverSmart's Window on the Wetlands Centre in Warren will be augmented to provide a visitor information centre for the marshes.
A long list of works include the transformation of the kitchen to “full commercial operation”, the development of the car park into a “green space” with picnic tables and outdoor classroom, and the fit-out of the “schoolhouse” as the visitor information centre.
Warren Shire mayor Milton Quigley has welcomed the opportunity for its community to “realise the untapped potential for tourism and education” offered by the marshes and the Macquarie River.
“This new partnership between private landowners, RiverSmart Australia, the NSW government and Warren Shire Council will provide a means of accessing this unique part of NSW,” he said.
“It will also certainly provide a significant economic boost to Warren and the wider region.”