Visitor Opportunities from a 2009  report on the recreational and tourism potential of the Gardens of Stone Stage 2

Reservation of Gardens of Stone - Stage Two proposal would:

Offer to the general public that part of the Gardens of Stone landscape with the most easily accessed features and bring the Gardens of Stone to the majority of people;

Create a network of visitor experiences for a new western Blue Mountains nature-based marketing initiative, promoting the Gardens of Stone as the very distinctive
Other Side of the Blue Mountains - just two hours from Sydney;

  Generate 50,000 visitors a year with a direct spend of around $3M to $4M;

Demonstrate how low-key, low impact visitor facilities can provide the backbone of local tourism enterprises, including guided tours on-park, associated with accommodation and similar development off-park nearby ;

Provide many and varied natural and cultural attractions that are widespread across the area and highly appealing (e.g. Lost City , Carne Creek gorge, new Hartley mining heritage and the Wolgan Valley Rail Trail that all have the potential to become iconic attractions);

Create a number of easy wildlife viewing opportunities exist and several Aboriginal heritage experiences are available;

Present an existing network of touring routes for motor vehicles and bicycles, accessing a range of potential camping areas, bushwalks, lookouts and cultural and wildlife experiences that can be linked into a ‘Gardens of Stone Grand Tour' which could be taken over one to three days by 4WD vehicle or mountain bike.;

Provide for these low-key recreational activities in a number of already-disturbed sites where the likely impacts are minor when compared to the existing and future impacts of the current recreational regime;

Ensure better recreation management that could help restore the natural and cultural values of the much-loved Gardens of Stone.

Return to the Gardens of Stone sub-home page

To comment on these letters, email: keith@colongwilderness.org.au

Last updated Friday 28-Aug-2009