Tourism grant fast-tracks mountain walks

							ATDP



                   Tourism grant fast-tracks mountain walks
       Imagine spending the day trekking
       the roof of Australia, taking in
       glacial lakes, carpets of wildflowers
       and rugged wilderness.
       Then imagine turning the corner
       at the end of the day to see your
       campsite already set up – complete
       with a dry change of clothes,
       personal tents and your own camp
       cook.
       That’s just one of the experiences
       being offered by Kosciuszko Alpine
       Guided Walks, in the New South
       Wales Snowy Mountains.
       The guided walks are offered
       through the Lake Crackenback
       Resort from November to April
       each year.
       They include walking adventures
       ranging from 45-minute spotlight
       night tours to multi-day treks.
       The walks are also packaged
       with accommodation at Lake
       Crackenback.


              Inspirational
       Nolen Oayda, the walk’s publicity
       and business consultant, said the
       walks were an inspiration.
       “We live in an iconic area, ideal
       for bushwalking but amazingly the
       area is almost unknown for summer
       recreation, so we put together a
       top-notch guided walk operation
       that would make it easy and
       enjoyable for visitors to experience
       the roof of Australia,” he said.
       “Our goal was also to merge
       Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort’s
       4.5 star luxury and the wilds of the    The rugged beauty of the Snowy Mountains region can be enjoyed
       Kosciuszko National Park into one           just as much in the warmer months on a Kosciuszko walk.
       ultimate experience.”

       Nolen said the Kosciuszko Alpine
       Guided Walks was able to fast-track            $100,000 Australian Tourism
       the business, thanks to a $100,000
       Australian Tourism Development                 Development Program grant
       Program grant from AusIndustry.
  “The AusIndustry grant was also used to hire specialist staff
           and implement staff training programs.”
“To be competitive with international walking destinations,       “You can come three times during the walking season and
we had to make quite an investment,’’ Nolen said.                 see totally different things,” Nolen said.
“We spent a lot of money on special equipment, such as            “If you trek during spring, there can still be huge
protective clothes, tents, walking poles and backpacks, so        snowdrifts, so you can strap on our snow shoes for some
that walkers don’t need to bring or buy these items.              mixed touring as the mighty Snowy River begins its spring
                                                                  thaw.
“It means that we can attract a wider range of people, from
the time-poor savvy trekker to the novice walker, and we’ll       “Then, during December and January, it’s alpine flora time
know that they’re using high-quality, safe equipment.”            – the valleys and ridges are alive with colours and a buzz of
                                                                  activity.
The AusIndustry grant was also used to hire specialist staff
and implement staff training programs.                            “And autumn is yet another defined season, with cool
                                                                  crisp evenings preparing the mountains for a winter
“Our guides and camp-site managers are locals and they’re
                                                                  transformation.”
passionate about the area and their job – a trait very much
appreciated by our clients,” Nolen said.
“Thanks to our guides, the walkers are immersed in the             Contact
environment. They learn about the history, the beautiful           Kosciuszko Alpine Guided Walks
yet sensitive ecology and the geology of the land they’re
                                                                   C/o Lake Crackenback Resort
walking through.
                                                                   1800 020 524 or 02 6451 3000
“The Kosciuszko National Park is unique to the world. We
have more than 200 types of alpine flora, compared to most         walks@lakecrackenback.com.au
alpine areas in the world, which only have an average of           www.lakecrackenback.com.au/guidedwalks
14.




               The beautiful wildflowers of the Snowy Mountains and walkers resting up in their tents at day’s end.




  Australian Tourism Development Program
  AusIndustry’s Australian Tourism Development                     AusIndustry is the Australian Government’s
  Program offers grants of between $50,000 and $500,000            business program delivery division.
  to businesses and organisations in the tourism sector.
                                                                   AusIndustry delivers more than 35 products, worth
  The program supports tourism experiences that                    about $2 billion a year, to more than 10,000 businesses
  encourage tourists to stay longer and see more of                and 40,000 individuals every year.
  Australia.
                                                                   AusIndustry products include innovation grants, tax and
  It is aimed at the private sector, businesses specialising       duty concessions, support for industry competitiveness,
  in Indigenous tourism, non-profit organisations, tourism         venture capital, tourism grants and small business skills
  or economic development organisations, tourism                   development programs.
  industry associations, local government agencies and
  state and territory government agencies involved in land         Visit www.ausindustry.gov.au, call 13 28 46 or email
  management for tourism purposes.                                 hotline@ausindustry.gov.au for more information.

                                                                                                                       August 2007