Bold bid to revitalise the Valley

A MYSTERIOUS new tourism development in the Huon Valley could restart the local economy by attracting increased numbers of overnight visitors to the state’s far south, local mayor Bec Enders said yesterday.

The mayor dropped a few more hints about what was being planned to attract tourists back to the areas worst hit by devastating bushfires.

The Huon Valley’s economy has been hit particularly hard by damage to the area’s biggest tourism attraction — the Tahune Airwalk — which could be closed until Christmas.

“There are probably some things I can tell you about. I can’t talk about the whole project because it is a bit of a commercial-in-confidence situation,” Ms Enders said.

“There is a company that is known internationally that draws a lot of — I suppose — attendances at what they do.

“And they believe and so do we — wholeheartedly — that it will replace the 110,000 [person] foot traffic that was lost as a result of Tahune.

“It is in the form of an installation, and the installation is looking at being here in between Geeveston and Dover for six to eight six months. The crucial part is that this is a daynight installation so the idea is that people will come to the Huon Valley and instead of returning to Hobart they find accommodation here in the valley.”

Ms Enders would not reveal further details of the project beyond that she was hopeful of making an announcement in the next four weeks.

Realising the project would take co-ordinated work by the federal, state and local government, she said.

Premier Will Hodgman said building up the tourism economy was a critical part of the bushfire recovery effort.

“I think we do need to look at other ways to bring people down here,” he said.

“We’re going to do more to market these regions, to support events that are underway and that are planned already, but also look at new innovative ways to bring people down here.

“So it will come at a cost. It will require some planning. It will involve the collaboration of three tiers of government and our tourism organisations.

“But I think we need to turbocharge the visitor economy in these affected areas.”