Mt Warning’s National Landscape classification welcomed

June 14, 2008

The designation of the Mt Warning-Wollumbin caldera as a National Landscape elevates this precious national asset to a new level of significance, according to Northern Rivers Tourism CEO, Russell Mills.

“It’s significant in two ways – it raises awareness of the region as a must-do experience for travellers and also as a resource to be managed, sustained and protected for the regional community,” Mr Mills said.

Commenting on Tourism Australia’s marketing brand for the region, ‘Australia’s Green Cauldron’, Mr Mills said: “It’s evocative. People here and overseas know the ‘Red Centre’ as a general term for Central Australia, but they also know and understand the names of Uluru and Kata-Tjuta as specific landscapes within that region.

“Coupled with explanation of the specific experiences on offer like the Rainforest Way touring route and reference to the ancient volcanic geology and Gondwanan Rainforests, Australia’s Green Cauldron can really help develop and promote sustainable tourism to our region.”

Mt Warning has long been an important landscape to the traditional owners, who were engaged in the National Landscapes Steering Committee consultation process.

Mr Mills says NSW National Parks is an important stakeholder in tourism and acknowledges the need to better promote its assets by working with the regional and local tourism industry.

“While National Parks comes under criticism in the O’Neill Review for an alleged insular approach to tourism, NRT sees the criticism as constructive and having potential to strengthen the relationship between regional tourism and conservationists,” he said.

“Many of those in the Northern Rivers tourism industry are also part of the regional community and as such, are also custodians of our natural environment for present and future generations.

“Tourism has the potential to bring new visitor income which can greatly assist in the maintenance of natural assets like our Gondwanan Rainforests and the infrastructure required to accommodate visitors sustainably.

“The kind of visitors is also important. The O’Neill Review points to growth in educational tourism from overseas.

“Increasingly, international visitors are motivated to travel for a purpose; whether that is to learn, develop new skills and experience, or to ‘put something back’.

“There is plenty of evidence that there are experience-seeking travellers who value the environment they are visiting and are aware of the impact they have on it.

“We an also promote our region to education and other special interest travellers that are lucrative niche markets.

“The National Landscape designation for the Mt Warning-Wollumbin Caldera will assist us in communicating the right messages to international visitors in particular.

“We are blessed to have Wollumbin-Mt Warning as the dominant landscape amongst the Gondwanan Rainforests at the heart of our region.

“With the right approach, this can be a unique offering which is so critical to a sustainable future for the regional community.”

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