Cash boost helps our tourism drive

THE State Government will spend $78 million upgrading roads in tourism hot spots.

Announcing the delivery of one of the Liberals’ election policies, Premier Will Hodgman said strong growth in visitor numbers meant infrastructure had to be upgraded to meet the demand.

The Roads to Support Tasmania’s Visitor Economy program aims to improve access to attractions such as the Three Capes Walk, Bruny Island, the Tarkine and the Great Eastern Drive through road widening, new overtaking lanes, improvements to intersections and more sealed roads.

This summer’s road construction season will be a down payment on this investment with the contract awarded to build a $2 million overtaking lane on the Great Eastern Drive at Cranbrook, north of Swansea.

Other improvements planned along the Great Eastern Drive touring route include junction upgrades at Beaumaris Beach, Dark Hollow Creek, Freshwater St and Skyline Drive.

Improvements to the car park area at Four Mile Creek will also allow for safer entry and exit at the lookout.

Work will also start soon on a $3 million upgrade of Storm- lea Rd which is a popular access route for the Three Capes Walk and the world-famous surf spot Shipstern Bluff.

The sealing of Hastings Cave Rd in Tasmania’s south will also start this summer.

Mr Hodgman said spreading the benefits of the tourism boom required better roads in particular.

“We do have more tourists getting out of Hobart ... and there are a lot of roads that need upgrades so that our tourists can travel safely and enjoy the experience while they’re here.

“And for Tasmanians as well, who live or work on, or around these hot spots and travel on these roads, [they] are able to do so comfortably notwithstanding this significant increase in tourists,” he said.

“[The program] has been well informed by local communities and the industry leaders, because they best know where there are pressure points.”

Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief Luke Martin welcomed the announcement.

“When you look down the list of the projects that are being rolled out out of this funding they really do to tick a lot of boxes in terms of the East Coast, Bruny, and obviously accessing Three Capes and the Peninsula, sites that visitors in increasing numbers are going to and we know the infrastructure needs to keep pace.”

The Government aims to attract 1.5 million visitors a year to the state by 2020.