Wednesday, 9 February 2022

Adjournment

Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (17:56): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Eastern Victoria Region tourism

Ms BURNETT-WAKE (Eastern Victoria) (17:56): (1720) My adjournment matter is to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. The adjournment is in relation to the closure of several parks and tracks and the crippling effect it has had on businesses in those tourist areas. Minister, I note that the government has launched a new tourism drive campaign called Stay Close, Go Further, which is designed to help rebuild Victoria’s visitor economy. I welcome this campaigning initiative. However, many of the natural attractions they should be able to visit in my region are currently closed.

At the moment more than 10 of Victoria’s most popular parks are closed due to storm damage, including several since the June storm. Most notably, the 1000 Steps trail in Dandenong Ranges National Park, arguably Melbourne’s most popular bushwalk, is closed, having had trees ripped out of the ground as well as concrete stairs torn up. Parks Victoria has further listed that William Ricketts Sanctuary, Morwell National Park and Dandenong Ranges National Park, which takes in Olinda and Sherbrooke Falls, are closed.

All of these important natural attractions are located in the region I represent. These closures have had a devastating impact on local small businesses that rely on tourists to visit those parks. These businesses are already doing it tough after enduring restrictive lockdowns throughout the last two years. Earlier this year the iconic Cuckoo Restaurant closed its doors after 62 years of business. Furthermore, the lack of tourists has resulted in the closure of the Piggery Cafe in Sherbrooke and the 30-year-old Sassafras Tavern. The dire situation that local businesses face is laid bare in the Yarra Ranges Council municipal plan. In June 2021 expenditure within the Yarra Ranges was down $13 million or 8 per cent compared to a year prior. This was led by a significant drop in visitor spend of $10 million or 17 per cent.

In order to ensure other local operators can survive, the state government needs to reopen parks so that more tourists are attracted to the regions. Therefore I call upon the minister to open these natural attractions as soon as possible so that visitors have a wide range of natural attractions to explore in the regions. The local operators rely on them being open in order to survive.