DAE Global
DAE Global is one of the world’s leading international creative and production practitioners, creating award-winning sport, culture and entertainment experiences for over 30 years. It was…
read morePhillip Island’s iconic Penguin Parade, one of Victoria’s most popular tourist attractions, will receive a much needed upgrade, boosting jobs and tourism in regional Victoria.
The Victorian Government is to provide $48.2 million in its 2016/17 Budget for a major redevelopment of the attraction’s Visitor Centre, replacing the 1988 facility with a larger and better equipped centre that has a smaller environmental footprint.
Phillip Island Nature Parks will add $10 million to the project for a total cost of $58.2 million.
Nature Parks’ Chair Jeff Floyd announced “the Penguin Parade is critical to the success of Victoria’s tourism performance. Without ongoing major investment, Victoria will not maintain its leadership in eco-tourism.”
Phillip Island Nature Parks is the area’s largest employer, providing tourism jobs which are vital in regional Victoria. This investment has been made possible through the new $101 million Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund, designed to help boost regional tourism and drive new jobs across Victoria, and will be delivered as part of the upcoming Budget.
This major redevelopment in Phillip Island will create 620 new jobs a year, including around 110 construction personnel while redevelopment is underway. Phillip Island Nature Parks already supports 1,350 full time jobs.
Phillip Island Nature Parks is one of Australia’s most popular wildlife attractions with over 600,000 visitors per year to the Penguin Parade, and almost 1.3 million visitors per year to all of the Nature Parks’ attractions. This project will potentially increase visitation to the Penguin Parade by more than 20% over 10 years.
Floyd added “there has been a lot of talk about tourism investment for decades. This Victorian Government has stepped up and committed to this major tourism investment to ensure Victoria remains at the forefront of global tourism.
“It is essential that we continue to revitalise our tourism offerings to capture a big share of the booming Chinese tourism market.”
In addition to its significant eco-tourism activities, the Nature Parks is also recognised as the home of world leading research and preservation efforts to protect seabirds and other threatened species. This redevelopment will allow over eight hectares of habitat to be restored back to the island’s penguin colonies, with the Nature Parks better placed to achieve environmental outcomes by reducing impacts on penguins and increasing penguin habitat.
Floyd concluded “this investment and redevelopment would not have been possible without the incredible support of the Phillip Island community, particularly the members of our Community and Environment committees.”
Phillip Island Nature Parks is also home to world leading research and preservation efforts to protect seabirds and other threatened species.
Over eight hectares of habitat will also be restored back to the Island’s penguin colonies, with the Nature Parks better placed to achieve environmental outcomes by reducing impacts on penguins and increasing penguin habitat.
Images: Artists impressions of the new visitor centre (top and below), penguins at Penguin Parade (middle)..
1st January 2016 - ANTARCTIC JOURNEY EXPERIENCE OPENS ON PHILLIP ISLAND
8th October 2015 - GIANT PANDAS AND LITTLE PENGUINS COMBINE FOR CONSERVATION
27th October 2014 - NEW ECOBOAT ADVENTURES AT VICTORIA’S PHILLIP ISLAND
28th April 2014 - PHILLIP ISLAND NATURE PARKS WELCOMES NEW AMBASSADOR FOR PENGUINS
23rd March 2014 - MAJOR TOURISM EXPANSION ANNOUNCED FOR VICTORIA’S PHILLIP ISLAND
Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?
As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.
The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.
DAE Global is one of the world’s leading international creative and production practitioners, creating award-winning sport, culture and entertainment experiences for over 30 years. It was…
read moreLinks Modular Solutions was a leading provider of high-quality, innovative software solutions for aquatic and recreation facilities. Links Modular Solutions is now part of Xplor Technologies.
read moreNow TPEC Pool Enclosures - see www.ausleisure.com.au/suppliers/tpec-pool-enclosures
read moreWe are the leading providers of kids fun multi-sports programs for Sport and Recreation Centres. Programs cover twelve common sports as well as Gross Motor Skill Development and suit children from as…
read moreTechnogym is the leading company in the Wellness and Fitness field all over the world. With 2,200 employees, 14 branches in Europe, U.S., South America, Asia and Australia, Technogym exports its…
read moreiDwala is the Community Sports Facility Specialist offering the highest quality designs and technical expertise to Councils, Schools and Sporting Clubs looking to create sporting…
read moreAs of February 2023, Ungerboeck Software has rebranded as Momentus Technologies.
read moreGet your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!