Businesses prepare for a highly anticipated dry season thanks to Roadhouse to Recovery fund

ALMOST half of the $4m NT government’s Roadhouse to Recovery funding has been allocated as businesses head into one of the most anticipated dry season’s in history

ALMOST half of the $4m NT government’s Roadhouse to Recovery funding has been allocated as roadhouses, wayside inns and caravan parks head into one of the most anticipated dry season’s in history.

So far, $1.6m of the funding has flowed through to businesses, with a total of $7m to be put into the economy through the pool and businesses’ own contributions, helping prepare 35 facilities across the Northern Territory.

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Corroboree Park Tavern owner Peter Shappert received $150,000 as part of the Roadhouse to Recovery fund, which he will use to install some new cabins and improve power accessibility and lighting.

“We’ve already completed power upgrades, which was replacing an old mains pillar,” he said.

“We’ll have three to four two bedroom cabins and solar lighting throughout the park and more power around the caravan park for people.”

Under the scheme, operators are required to make their own financial contribution; every $1 from businesses would see up to $3 contributed by the government.

Mr Shappert, who has run the park for 18 years, said the work would lift the offering of the caravan park facilities.

“The next two years are going to be large so I’d like to get as much as we can done before the start of this season, have it ready so people can use the facilities straight away,” he said.

“We’ll be pretty proactive in general upgrades and improving our facilities, along with upgrades to our car park with bituminising.”

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Chief Minister Michael Gunner said upgrades would encourage more visitors to stop and extend their stay in the Territory, keeping the money flowing through to locals.

“Capitalising on our drive tourism market is so important for our comeback from the coronavirus,” he said.

“Upgrading the infrastructure at our roadhouses, wayside inns and caravan parks across the Territory is having flow-on benefits for tourists, and for local business owners as well.”

When the fund has run dry, 21 Top End businesses will have received a total of $2.4m for projects while 14 Central Australian businesses will be allocated a total of $1.5m.

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