Mt Buffalo Skyways

I have lived in Bright for 14 years and operate a tourist accommodation business. While there's no doubt that a gondola @ Mt Buffalo would be a huge tourist attraction I think the bigger priority is to focus on improving our existing tourist infrastructure & attractions in and around the key destination, being the town of Bright, especially the much maligned and ignored Bright Future Project which is the masterplan for the the beautification and reinvigoration of the Bright CBD & surrounds.

The gondola might be a great idea but, at the same time, it's very much a 'pie in the sky' project the approval of which is not within our council's jurisdiction. Already there is significant opposition amongst the general community and, given the history of our experiences with DSE & Parks Victoria, I seriously doubt that the State Government (who will have the final say) will give a gondola @ Mt Buffalo the go ahead. We could put a lot of energy into this project for no result.

I'd much rather see GAVTB form a task force to lobby the State & Federal Governments for funding of projects that we know we can achieve and that would bring more immediate (and permanent) improvements & benefits to Bright and the local region, such as the Bright Future Project.

But I have to wonder if the GAV board has ever read the Bright Future Project document or is even aware of its existence? It is the key to revitalising Bright as the iconic attraction of the entire region.

The BFP was adopted as policy by the council in 2003 with the aim of having this brilliant masterplan fully implemented, yet it has sat on the backburner with very little works being done. As recently as 2009 the current council rejected a request for funding of works that would turn the dysfuncyional Bright clock tower area into a usable, vibrant and tourist friendly public space. The clock tower area is regarded as the centrepiece of the BFP project but nothing is getting done.

For a town that is so well loved & known by tourists far and wide, the town of Bright certainly could do with a major facelift and upgrade of its public places & facilities ... and it's all there in the Bright Future document! But, by putting forward the notion that what we need to secure our future is a massive project like the gondola, we are in danger of overlooking our existing key strength and main attraction - the town of Bright itself.

And if the gondola ever does go ahead we need to ensure that the town is upgraded to cater for the expected large influx of new visitors.

I strongly urge the board to put as much, if not more, effort into pushing for the vital improvements needed under the Bright Future Project.