Otway visitor facilities being upgraded

ONE location in the Great Otway National Park has had a makeover through state government upgrades, and work on another location has just started.

The barbecue area and picnic shelter at Melba Gully has been refurbished, and the Maits Rest trail works will be the second stage of the state government’s $2.5 million investment package to improve visitor facilities in the National Park.

Maits Rest, which attracts more than 150,000 visitors a year, will see upgrades to the entire 800 metres of its trail introducing larger platforms that invite visitors to gather and share experiences.

The infrastructure is designed to better protect the forest systems through raised platforms, keeping visitors on trails and providing corridors for native animals to move through the forest safely.

Maits Rest closed on July 8 and will be closed until November while the works are being completed.

In the meantime, visitors can continue to be impressed by Melba Gully’s rainforest walk and attractions including the famed glow worms and the Otway Black Snail, endemic to the region and one of five carnivorous snails in Australia.

Stretching from Anglesea to Princetown and up through the Otways hinterland, the 100,000-hectare Great Otway National Park is one of Victoria’s largest and most important environmental and tourism locations.

“These investments in the Great Otway National Park ensure some of Victoria’s most precious natural treasures are cared for and protected while providing an immersive and enjoyable visitor experience,” Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said.

“We are committed to protecting biodiversity while supporting local business and communities through nature-based tourism.”