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Vol. 18 No. 13
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CHAMPAGNE SHOWER: Warrack Eagles A Grade netballers receive help celebrating Saturday’s grand final victory, with supporters keen to get the party started showering them in champagne. The Eagles fought back from a four-goal deficit at the final change to defeat three-time reigning premier Horsham Demons by one goal, 33-32. Pictured, from left, back, Leiah McKenzie, Claire Schulz, coach Jane Richardson, Zandria Malone and Kiani Stewart; centre, Sarah Spicer and Emma Koschitzke; front, Megan Werner, Penny Fisher, Kerry Schultz and Ella Bibby. For a premiership poster, see centre lift-out. For more photos and a match review, see page 47. Picture: SARAH SCULLY
Park chair-lift plan Halls Gap Tourism treasurer and businessman Jeff Lovell said a chairlift in the Grampians would be ‘massive’ for regional tourism but could only happen with private backing. Mr Lovell revealed he and other tourism group members had explored the chair-lift concept for the past three years and confirmed that an investor had, in the past few weeks, showed interest in supporting the project. But Mr Lovell added it had been the opportunity for a 99-year lease that
had made the project attractive and feared a State Government bill to limit private leases to 21 years could scuttle the idea. “We have to rely on the public to provide the investment needed to build major tourism infrastructure, and limiting leases to 21 years presents little opportunity for significant long-term investment,” he said. Last week Victorian Environment Minister Lisa Neville tabled the National Parks Amendment – No 99 Year Leases – Bill 2015 in State Parliament. The bill, designed to protect the state’s major environmental and cultural assets by protecting them from large commercial development, limits private investment leases in National Parks to 21 years. But an opportunity for a Grampians chair-lift project might still be pos-
sible through the bill based on ‘sitespecific leasing provisions’ where a project is uniquely connected to a National Park. Mr Lovell, who runs Grampians Motel at Halls Gap, said planning for the Grampians chair-lift project remained in a ‘very’ preliminary stage. “We can see it taking years to happen and it comes back to its feasibility. That involves going through what it would cost to build one and what return there would be,” he said. “We don’t know yet where it might be located but we’d be looking to take it somewhere where it was out of sight and somewhere different from traditional walks or where you could drive your car. It would be a huge tourist attraction – one that could satisfy people of all ages who might not be able or want to walk great distances to
“It would be a huge tourist attraction – one that could satisfy people of all ages who might not be able or want to walk great distances to experience what the Grampians has to offer” – Jeff Lovell experience what the Grampians has to offer. It would provide tourists with a rare aerial view. “One of the reasons why I’m pushing so hard is that I do a lot of bus tours for older people who can’t really walk anywhere and certainly can’t experience the real bush. Being able to get up to an area not accessible by car for them would be fantastic.”
Mr Lovell said a chair-lift could also work in well with the governmentbacked Grampians Peaks Trail. “The Peaks Trail is one of the biggest things to happen to the Grampians and people are already using the first stage. This chair-lift could be part of it all,” he said. Tourism body Grampians Tourism last week warned a reduction in lease terms for private investment in National Parks would affect the private sector’s commitment to invest in regional Victoria. Grampians Tourism chief executive Will Flamsteed: “Limiting private investment leases to 21 years will not attract the level of investor to create world-class experiences in the Grampians National Park.” State Parliament will resume debate on the bill on Wednesday next week.
IN THIS ISSUE • Fear for aerodrome future • Horsham Show time • Wimmera grand final wraps Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au Phone: 03 5382 1351
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can a platypus breathe underwater? where is it safe to touch an echidna?
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BY DEAN LAWSON
rivate investment for a multi million-dollar chair-lift project in the Grampians might hinge on the parliamentary outcome of a State Government proposal to change lease agreements in National Parks.