Golden Age: Cr Glenn Tozer reveals the three ideas which could boost tourism in the Gold Coast Hinterland

IF we are going to entertain a cableway in the Gold Coast Hinterland, it must align with why we want to protect the area, writes Cr Glenn Tozer, who reveals the three ideas which could boost tourism to the area.

THE Hinterland is already a wonderful drawcard for visitors to the city, particularly international visitors.

Surveys completed at Springbrook’s community-run Visitors Centre, adjacent Wunburra Lookout, show a 4:1 ratio of domestic to international tourists, versus the 11:1 across the broader Gold Coast.

Read this in the context that visitors can be messy folk sometimes.

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Gold Coast City Councillor Glenn Tozer. Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS

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Once our environment is compromised it’s hard to claw back those critical values.

We must make informed decisions about the right places to leverage economic outcomes for tourism.

If we’re going to entertain a cableway, it needs to deal with bushfire risk in our mainly dry eucalypt natural areas and activation of National Parks must align with why we actually protect those areas.

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Springbrook.

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With that in mind, here are a few new ideas that need solid consideration;

1. Mountain Biking Tourism — Many don’t realise that one of the best downhill MTB courses in SEQ is right here in Mudgeeraba at Boomerang Farm. On July 1, “Boomers” hosts its second SEQDH champs and several hundred of the state’s best riders will visit. NV Gravity Park is also on the way in Numinbah Valley, joining the Comm Games MTB course at Nerang and the Gold Coast Mountain Bike Club’s facility at adjacent Hinze Dam. With Guanaba Experience also coming soon, there is a real opportunity for a mountain bike hub in the Gold Coast Hinterland. After a $2.5m injection in 2014 into MTB infrastructure, Derby in Tasmania expected a $15m economic impact return per annum. Gold Coast needs to grow our assets similarly and diversify into a market dominated by affluent thrillseeking professional adults.

2. World Surfing Reserve to World Heritage Areas Walk — There is untapped potential in the walking tourism market, connecting the Gold Coast’s World Surfing Reserve to the World Heritage-listed biodiversity areas of Springbrook and Lamington National Parks. In 2015, it was estimated day trip visitors that bushwalk in regional South Australia spend $33m per year. Gold Coast can grow our walking market too.

3. Upgrade Mudgeeraba Showgrounds for equestrian tourism — We have a wonderful showgrounds asset that is notoriously under-utilised due to under-investment. Tapping the lucrative equestrian market ($1.1B per year, according to Equestrian Australia) with an injection upgrading our relevant infrastructure is a no-brainer for our city that already has excellent accommodation facilities for the affluent community who love to ride.

Glenn Tozer.

All three of these are rarely discussed but have data backing them as viable and achievable drawcards for the Gold Coast that attract an affluent, multi-night stay visitor that has not considered the Gold Coast as a destination previously. Now’s the time to act and deliver that tourism diversification we’ve been talking about.