Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1995-05-24
Has consideration been given by the management of the Territory Wildlife Park to engaging in discussion with local business people in the Berry Springs and Darwin River areas to support a total tourism development scheme for that area, bearing in mind that the Territory Wildlife Park is the premier tourist attraction there?
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, fairly extensive informal discussions have been held with business people in that region in an endeavour to develop a circuitous route, travelling along the Blackmore River, through the Territory Wildlife Park at Berry Springs and the various tourist attractions there, including the deer park and the orchid farm, and returning to Darwin rather than travelling straight out along the highway and back the same way. The Blackmore River road would need to be upgraded a little. I know that there have been talks with the Litchfield Shire Council about a suitable boat ramp at the Blackmore River to allow for that development. The boating aspect of the route has not been developed fully yet. I know that Tony Blums is thinking of coming into town. In fact, I understand that he has purchased a place at Cullen Bay to have more ferry services around the harbour. This would be an ideal route to operate.
Members would have noticed in the budget that provision has been made for a consultancy to consider more boat ramps around the harbour to allow people to travel the waterways of the Northern Territory and access places such as the museum and East Point etc from the sea. Those discussions will continue but, as yet, we have not had anybody from private industry put their hand up and say that they will build a particular facility. Nevertheless, I can assure the member that those discussions are at an advanced stage. If she would like to meet with the Conservation Commission and various people, such as Norm Foster who has been talking quite extensively about the possibility of developing that particular area into a tourism zone, I would welcome her support.
Are you on the Berry Springs Wildlife Park? You are a member of something out there.
Mrs Padgham-Purich: I am not on anything. I just know a little about it.
Mr COULTER: I will provide every access to the member because she does have an interest in the area. Any help that she can provide to those interested parties, if I could introduce her to them, would be greatly appreciated.
Page 593
Page 592
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, fairly extensive informal discussions have been held with business people in that region in an endeavour to develop a circuitous route, travelling along the Blackmore River, through the Territory Wildlife Park at Berry Springs and the various tourist attractions there, including the deer park and the orchid farm, and returning to Darwin rather than travelling straight out along the highway and back the same way. The Blackmore River road would need to be upgraded a little. I know that there have been talks with the Litchfield Shire Council about a suitable boat ramp at the Blackmore River to allow for that development. The boating aspect of the route has not been developed fully yet. I know that Tony Blums is thinking of coming into town. In fact, I understand that he has purchased a place at Cullen Bay to have more ferry services around the harbour. This would be an ideal route to operate.
Members would have noticed in the budget that provision has been made for a consultancy to consider more boat ramps around the harbour to allow people to travel the waterways of the Northern Territory and access places such as the museum and East Point etc from the sea. Those discussions will continue but, as yet, we have not had anybody from private industry put their hand up and say that they will build a particular facility. Nevertheless, I can assure the member that those discussions are at an advanced stage. If she would like to meet with the Conservation Commission and various people, such as Norm Foster who has been talking quite extensively about the possibility of developing that particular area into a tourism zone, I would welcome her support.
Are you on the Berry Springs Wildlife Park? You are a member of something out there.
Mrs Padgham-Purich: I am not on anything. I just know a little about it.
Mr COULTER: I will provide every access to the member because she does have an interest in the area. Any help that she can provide to those interested parties, if I could introduce her to them, would be greatly appreciated.
Page 593
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016