Surge in Visitor Numbers to Botanic Gardens and National Parks

More people than ever before are taking advantage of the State’s National Parks and Botanic Gardens, according to new visitor statistics.
Environment Minister Robyn Parker said tens of thousands of additional families have benefited from the NSW Government’s decision to abolish entry fees to the Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mount Tomah.

And with the NSW Government committing $40 million to make national parks even more attractive to visitors and the increasing popularity of the new National Parks website, there has been a 10 per cent increase in bookings for campsites throughout the State.

Speaking on a visit to the Australian Botanic Garden, Ms Parker said new data shows that in the 12 months after fees were scrapped in April 2011, almost 295,000 people visited the Garden - an increase of more than 206,000 visitors for the 12 months before abolition of fees.

At the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden more than 115,000 visitors attended in the 12 months after the fees were scrapped, an increase of almost 45,000 visitors from the previous 12 months.

Ms Parker said that since the abolition of fees, the Australian Botanic Garden has received more than half a million visitors to December 2012 and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden more than 240,000 visitors for the same period.

The Western Sydney Parklands is also experiencing increased visitations with more than 20 per cent more visitors taking in the Parklands’ attractions. In 2011, almost one million people visited the Parklands compared with 800,000 in 2010.

During this time $ 5.8 million was invested in upgrading playgrounds, renewing urban farming, opening tourist destinations and regenerating bushland and wildlife diversity across the Parklands.