February 1, 2019
Visitors are flocking to local national parks after recent upgrades, according to Southern Queensland Country Tourism (SQCT).
SQCT CEO Mary-Clare Power said visitor numbers at the Bunya Mountains National Park for December 2018 were up by 520 people compared with the same month in 2017.
“There’s also been increases at Main Range National Park, Benarkin State Forest, Culgoa Floodplain National Park and Glen Rock State Forest in December 2018 compared with the year before,” Ms Power said.
“Credit goes to the Department of Environment and Science which has been steadily improving the facilities in the national parks across our region, including the Bunya Mountains, Carnarvon Gorge and others.”
Visitor facilities, amenities and toilets have been upgraded recently at Benarkin State Forest.
Facilities, tracks, boardwalks and bridges have been upgraded at the Bunya Mountains National Park.
Ms Power said she expected visitors to the region’s national parks to continue throughout the rest of summer, providing a boost to the regional tourism industry and the local economy.
“Our national parks attracted more than 231,000 day-trippers to the region last year which was more than the Whitsundays or the Fraser Coast and just behind the Gold Coast which attracted 233,000 people,” she said.
“Continuing to upgrade and improve access and facilities is certain to bring even more in the year ahead.”
Ms Power said Tourism and Events Queensland research revealed natural beauty and wildlife was the third most important factor for domestic travellers when choosing a holiday destination, and the second most important for international tourists.
“They love our bush, our waterfalls and chance encounters with wildlife, so it is important that we provide a high standard of facilities to keep them coming back,” Ms Power said.
