A new long-distance walking, cycling and water-based adventure trail along the Murray River is one step closer, with tenders today opening for planning and design of the Murray River Adventure Trail.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio announced the opening of the tender process for the trail, to be funded under the Flagship Tourism Projects program in the Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan.
“The Murray River is one of the most beautiful features of the landscape in south-east Australia, with exceptional natural environments and significant Aboriginal cultural heritage,” the Minister said.
“Parks Victoria will lead the project, working closely with Traditional Owners and local governments.”
The Victorian Government has invested $10.3 million to design and construct new and upgraded trails and a range of other visitor facilities from Picnic Point in Barmah National Park to Koondrook, as part of Stage One of the trail.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Martin Pakula said new nature-based tourism experiences and better connections between towns in the vibrant Murray River region will encourage people to visit new locations, extend their stay, boost tourism and support the regional economy. The trail will be easy to access and will cater for both day and multi-day trail visitors, he said.
“We’re getting on with delivering our commitments under the Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan to create regional tourism projects that generate jobs, drive visitation and help regional communities rebuild.”
“This project will attract even more visitors to this already popular tourist spot and encourage people to travel further, stay longer and soak up all that this magnificent region has to offer,” Minister Pakula said.
When complete, the Murray River Adventure Trail will connect a series of walking, cycling and watercraft trails and create a new long-distance nature-based experience all the way from Lake Hume in the east near Wodonga to Mildura in the west.
This initial section of the trail will connect almost 180 kilometres of existing land-based trail, deliver vital improvements to over 100 kilometres of trail, and create 22 kilometres of new trail.
The project will also deliver new kayak launches and small bridge crossings and new facilities at several key visitor sites, including picnic facilities, car parking and toilets.
The initial Victorian section of the project is expected to be completed in 2024. To find out more about the project visit parks.vic.gov.au/projects. For tender information visit tenders.vic.gov.au/tender/view?id=235184.
