NEWS DESK
Peninsula attractions drawcard for visitors Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE Mornington Peninsula is playing a big part in Victoria’s tourism boom. Visitors – mainly from Melbourne and other parts of the country – spent 4.8 million nights on the peninsula last year, up 20 per cent on the previous year. Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism Board chair Tracey Cooper said the figures reflected an increase in day and overnight trips, especially in the autumn and spring shoulder seasons over the past five years. The benefits were enhanced by the dispersal of visitors to second and third-tier attractions across the peninsula, which helped to spread the tourist dollar several ways. The ease with which visitors can access the peninsula’s heartland on Peninsula Link, and the rise in top-tier attractions such as Jacalope and Pt Leo Estate, had helped cement the region as a tourist drawcard, she said. Many businesses, such as Mocks Cider Orchard and Sunny Ridge strawberry farm, were adding value to their intrinsic appeal by enhancing their offerings: Mocks through dried apples and cider making, and Sunny Ridge by encouraging visitors to pick their own strawberries and buy strawberry wines and liquors. While China is seen as a top source of visitors, more than 24 million Australian visitors came to Victoria last
year making the state the “new kid on the block” in numerical terms. Sydney attracted 27.65 million overnighters with Melbourne just behind on 27.12 million, according to Tourism Research Australia’s National Visitor Survey. The number of international visitors to the peninsula was up 3-4 per cent over the year. Ms Cooper said the peninsula ranked third behind the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island’s penguin parade in day-trip popularity, with 16 per cent of the total. She said most visitors were holiday makers or day visitors – often visiting friends on the peninsula – or those frequenting tourism drawcards, such as Peninsula Hot Springs, the Baths Restaurant, Arthurs Seat Maze, Rain, Hayne and Shine Farmyard, Moonlit Sanctuary, camping sites, beaches and golf courses. The series of ocean liner visits to Mornington, which attracted publicity when 1500 passengers descended onto Main Street, were really only novelty value compared to the seven million visitors the peninsula caters to each year. “Our focus is on broadening what we have to offer and getting the word out to potential visitors,” Ms Cooper said. “We aim to improve our seasonal management plans, such as in winter and during the week, and help small farmers add value to their products. “This will increase the value of the tourist dollar which in turn will generate youth employment.”
THE Pillars, Mt Martha, attracts cliff jumpers, watchers and water craft of all shapes and sizes. Picture: Yanni
Shire call to help stop the boats Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has admitted its needs state government “co-operation” to carry out its unilateral decision to fence off The Pillars cliff jumping site at Mt Martha and introduce a 200-metre no go zone for watercraft. The government and Aboriginal Victoria last year ruled a fence out, but the mayor Cr Bryan Payne last week said the council’s 9 October decision was needed “to get some meaningful discussion and action underway”. The boating ban had been included in council’s latest decision “as part of the strategy to limit increased dangerous activity at The Pillars” (“Fencing The Pillars for safety” The News 16/10/18). “This is essential as it is a health and safety measure.” Cr Payne said a water exclusion zone near The Pillars had been discussed
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last week with the Water Police, the agency which would be responsible for enforcing the ban. “This is now on the agenda to be raised formally with both the government and Parks Victoria, who is the responsible authority,” he said. “The council’s move to fence The Pillars is a response to public safety, legal advice and concern for local residents as well as visitors. It will require co-operation from the state government and its responsible authorities to be successful.” With a state election on Saturday 24 November, Cr Payne said he was “confident that all political parties have a strong sense of importance related to public safety and the council looks forward to working with them to resolve the issue in the interest of the local and wider community as quickly as possible”. However, Cr Payne has ruled out bans on other parts of the cliff area which extends from Mt Martha to
safety Beach. “The Pillars is a unique situation where people are risking their lives and injuries by jumping from the cliffs; this is different to fishermen and scuba divers going about their normal activity. Everyone around water needs to be aware of safety issues” “The council has not been made aware of any issues related to fishermen or scuba divers.” The Victoria Police website says the Water Police “has the primary role of coordinating all marine incidents involving recreational vessels, yachts, fishing vessels and commercial vessels in port. “These incidents often involve overdue vessels, flare sightings, broken down boats, missing divers, injured crew members and distress calls.” A public meeting to discuss The Pillars will be held 5.30pm–6.30pm Thursday 1 November at the Mornington Peninsula Shire offices, Queen Street, Mornington.
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23 October 2018
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