Cleland Wildlife Park

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister inform the chamber how his department is contributing to economic development in South Australia through a collaboration with the tourism and food production sectors?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:07): I thank the honourable member for his most excellent question. As part of the community cabinet held in recent times in the Adelaide Hills, I had the pleasure of organising a roundtable discussion at Cleland Wildlife Park. The purpose was to bring together food producers, tourism operators and other associated businesses to explore how Cleland Wildlife Park could play a leading role in promoting the Adelaide Hills as a tourist destination for international and domestic travellers.

The Cleland Wildlife Park is a South Australian icon. It is an important strategic asset located within close proximity to both the Adelaide metropolitan area and the Adelaide Hills tourist venues. In addition, the Adelaide Hills region has developed an outstanding reputation for producing wonderful food and wine which is exported throughout the world. In light of this, the state government has developed a Cleland Wildlife Park Master Plan, which is designed to expand and improve upon the visitor experience at Cleland. This plan will put structures in place so that Cleland can continue to improve the experience it offers visitors and, importantly, develop its role as a generator of business in their local economy.

The new relationship developing between Cleland Wildlife Park and Hong Kong's Ocean Park will also create many more opportunities to expand the park's reach to international visitors. As members may be aware, Cleland was chosen to provide koalas to Ocean Park. The first three koalas have been in quarantine and have now been sent to Hong Kong, I am advised, and have arrived there safely. Ocean Park has constructed a purpose-built $5 million exhibition centre for the koalas that re-creates the Cleland National Park environment, complete with eucalyptus trees and staff wearing Cleland Park uniforms.

It is expected that around 1,000 tourists an hour will visit the South Australian koala exhibit at Ocean Park, creating enormous exposure and opportunities for our state. I understand that Ocean Park has about 7 million visitors a year, and the state government is determined to assist local businesses to take advantage of these opportunities whenever we can.

The Cleland roundtable discussion was an important first step. The meeting was attended by local food producers, commercial tour operators, local councils and natural resources management board members. The participants were taken through a brief explanation of the Cleland Wildlife Park master plan by Professor Chris Daniels, the presiding member of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board. Professor Daniels then facilitated discussion around the role of Cleland and leading tourism development in the Adelaide Hills.

Participants also had the option to be taken on a tour to see some of the unique qualities that the Cleland Wildlife Park has to offer, including the 'million-dollar view' over Adelaide from the rock wallaby enclosure, the koala holding facility and the dingo enclosure. This was a very useful exercise for participants, exchanging views on how to take advantage of nature and agriculture based tourism opportunities.

Participants agreed that in order to grow the local and regional economy we must establish and strengthen linkages that will enhance the tourism potential of the region and the state, and Cleland is ideally positioned to help do that. Discussions also centred on clearly defining the roles of the private sector and various levels of government. I am confident that these discussions will continue into the future, with significant benefit to the region and the state to come.