NSW BUDGET BACKS ECOTOURISM

Arc Rainforest Centre

Several new ecotourism products featured in the NSW Government Budget - including a $56.4 million investment in Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk - will help the NSW visitor economy continue to recover.

The four-day Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk is expected to attract an extra 200,000 visitors to the region. National park management and visitation generates $18 billion in economic activity annually and supports over 74,000 jobs, with 75 per cent of economic benefit occurring in regional areas.

Minister for Environment James Griffin said: “The rainforest at Dorrigo National Park is even more spectacular than the Daintree, and I’m proud to say that with this magnificent new 46 kilometre walk, we’ll be happily tempting domestic and international visitors away from Queensland.

“Along with Snowies Alpine Walk, the Wollemi Great Walk, and the Great Southern Walk, our signature multi-day walks are providing new experiences in NSW while expanding access to our national parks."

The starting point of the Dorrigo Great Walk will be the new Arc Rainforest Centre, featuring a hanging boardwalk overlooking the World Heritage rainforest. The walk will include four low impact walkers’ hut precincts, new camping areas, three suspension bridges and 46 kilometres of walking trails. It will also become a place for visitors to learn and connect with the culture of the traditional custodians, the Gumbaynggirr people.

Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said the new Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk would help put NSW on the global map for tourism and national parks.

“We’re building a network of multi-day walks to bring people from all over the world to NSW, boosting local tourism businesses, jobs and regional economies,” Mr Ayres said.
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