Step ahead for Mt Roland cable car with launch of feasibility study
MT Roland – the North-West’s sleeping tourism giant – is about to wake up with a cable car proposal moving to feasibility stage and a new winter festival to go ahead next year.
MT Roland – the North-West’s sleeping tourism giant – is about to wake up with a cable car proposal for the Sheffield icon moving to feasibility stage and a new mountain-focused winter festival set to go ahead next year.
The Sheffield-Mt Roland Cable Car Company has been quietly working on its proposal to take tourists up the mountain since 2013.
It has now started a feasibility study it can present to the State Government as well as terrain mapping.
Tourism experts say the $13.8 million project could open up the mountain to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who marvel at it, but often bypass it, as they travel to one of Tasmania’s other major tourism destinations — Cradle Mountain.
Brian Inder, from the cable car company and the owner of popular Land of Nowhere Else drawcard, Tasmazia, said the proposal would be self-funded and “people were lined up” to be involved.
“The proposal will make the mountain accessible and bring the North-West to life. It will be simply magic,” Mr Inder said.
Plans floated in the 1990s to construct a road up Mt Roland did not eventuate and the development of a cable car was highlighted in a 2011 Kentish Council report on Mt Roland’s tourism potential.
“Tourists are always asking how to get up there,” Mr Inder said. “Now people are knocking on our door asking when we need their money to make this proposal a reality.”
The development would sync with the $200 million Cradle Mountain redevelopment proposal and the new Fire Light Mount Roland festival, which will be held for the first time next year.
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin described Mt Roland as “extraordinary”.
“If the Cradle Mountain vision goes ahead, 400,000 visitors a year will see Mt Roland and if they have a reason to stop – something to do – they will,” he said.
MORE: FIRE AND LIGHT FESTIVAL FOR MT ROLAND
The Kentish Fire and Light Project Team this week announced the inaugural festival – designed to capture tourists already in Tasmania for Dark MoFo – would be held from May 5-7, 2017.
The Federal Government has put up $40,000 for the trial festival to go ahead. It will include a laser show to transform Mr Roland’s 5km rock face into a giant screen displaying animations accompanied by soundtracks.
Originally published as Step ahead for Mt Roland cable car with launch of feasibility study
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