Coal Creek aims at cost neutral

After ideas: Simon McArthur from Mawland Tourism Consultants chat with Coal Creek co-ordinator Rowena Ashley about possible opportunities for the park.

THE first step to making Coal Creek cost neutral started last week with a feasibility study getting underway.

Ideas to bring in outside businesses into the park and take the financial strain off South Gippsland Shire Council are the focus of the feasibility study.

After one-on-one interviews with the Coal Creek staff on Monday, on Tuesday Mawland Tourism Consultants invited the public to share their ideas about ways to improve the Korumburra park.

It was big ideas that consultants Simon McArthur and Jacinta Mackey were after from Tuesday’s brainstorming session.

“We need to fill the $0.52m shortfall that the council fork out each year,” Simon said.

“It’s a big challenge and we need big ideas to make it happen.”

Overnight accommodation and restaurant function centres were ideas brought up by the group.

Possible usage of the land behind the park was also discussed.

Coupling the park’s heritage education with adventure activities and accommodation was one idea that received positive feedback.

“We will take all the ideas from today and pick out the best few that will suit the park,” Simon said.

“Then we will draw up business plans for the ideas and return to council with our findings.

“Hopefully in the next five to seven years we will see these ideas in the park and it becomes cost neutral for the council.”

If you have an idea that would go well in Coal Creek, look out in The Star on October 16 for the launch of a competition with great prizes for the best idea.

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Posted by Jacob De Kunder on Oct 5 2012. Filed under Community, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry