The Central Desert Regional Council (CDRC) and Northern Territory Government have developed a Regional Visitor Experiences Master Plan for the East MacDonnell and Plenty Highway Region to shape investment in the region for the next 10 years.
Launched in April, the plan maps existing and potential visitor experiences across the region to guide future tourism investment and development by both government and private business.
The East MacDonnell-Plenty Highway Region is home to the spectacular East MacDonnell Ranges, Aboriginal communities, unique sites and visitor attractions, and cattle stations in the centre of Australia.
The diversity of this area and its proximity to Alice Springs, create an exceptional tourism opportunity for self-drive visitors.
The area also taps into through traffic, bordering both the Stuart Highway to the west and the ‘Outback Way’ to the Queensland border in the east.
The recent development of the Alcoota Mega Fauna fossil display in Alice Springs offers an opportunity to extend the popular Dinosaur Trail from Queensland and include the Alcoota Dig site at Engawala.
Central Desert Regional Council President, Adrian Dixon, said the communities in the region were excited about the master planning project.
“We can develop visitor experiences about our culture, about our song lines, about the giant creatures that roamed that part of our land.
“We can plan to work with existing and new tourism operators in the
Region.”
Council Chief Executive Officer, Diane Hood, said, “It’s obvious that governments and private investors need the assurance that future development is strategic, well planned and coordinated. A master plan provides that confidence to invest.”
