Tours to the Marshes begin in September
AFTER years of false starts Riversmart has commenced guided tours to the Macquarie Marshes, with the first bus off the rank scheduled for late September.
Riversmart CEO Dr Bill Phillips said it’s been a long, long time coming.
“Initially, through our partnerships with Langley’s Coaches and the Warren Macquarie Local Aboriginal Lands Council, we’ll be offering day-trip tours departing from either Dubbo or the Window on the Wetlands Centre in Warren,” Dr Phillips said.
During the introductory period tours will be available up to three days per week according to demand.
The trial period will see a Langley’s coach depart from Dubbo on Saturdays which will also pick up sightseers in Warren.
The tours will be fully catered with morning tea and lunch provided and the cost is expected to be $115 per person from Dubbo, $95 per head for those starting from Warren.
Longtime Dubbo bus tour operator Phil Langley said it’s an exciting project.
“We believe this new tourism product will be very popular as we’ve being fielding inquiries about Marsh tours for years now,” Mr Langley said.
“We’ve worked with Riversmart before and see this is a strong partnership.”
Dr Phillips said there’s been strong demand for far too long by people wanting to get decent access to the Macquarie Marshes – he says everyone hears how amazing the wetlands is but few get a chance to check it out.
“The tours will include information about the Macquarie river catchment, the ecology and wildlife of the Marshes plus the early history of the region, both the Indigenous heritage and early explorers and European settlers,” Dr Phillips said.
“We have access to some of the best parts of the Marshes so people will get to see them in all their glory.”
Last year Riversmart secured a grant which enabled consultants Tarani Group to prepare the Destination Macquarie Marshes Action Plan.
That plan is now being implemented by a Task Force comprising representatives of NSW National Parks and Wildlife, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Warren, Coonamble, Walgett and Bogan Shires - the four ‘gateways’ to the Marshes.
The Task Force is being chaired by Riversmart CEO Dr Bill Phillips.