Newly-announced infrastructure projects in one of the most isolated parts of Tasmania will attract tourism and boost the local economy.
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Flinders Island has been given $1.5 million via the Northern Economic Stimulus Package to upgrade existing infrastructure and introduce new projects.
Premier Will Hodgman said the funding would not only improve quality of life for Flinders Island residents, it would also improve the experience for visitors.
“In many ways, Flinders Island captures what’s special about the state in which we live,” Mr Hodgman said.
The Premier said the package would fund eight projects on the island, including new footpaths, refurbished gravel roads and an enhancement to the entrance to the Whitemark township.
Flinders Island mayor Carol Cox said a long-term aim for the island was to improve the interpretive experience for visitors by offering better information on the place’s characteristics and history.
The Flinders Council will invest $118,580 in the Flinders Island Destination Action Plan over two years.
Private businesses contributed $52,000 to the plan, while the state government invested $50,000.
Like the intended outcome of the Northern Economic Stimulus Package, the plan will seek to build capacity on the island and improve the visitor experience.
The Flinders Island Destination Action Plan is one of 32 similar plans being implemented across the state.
The plan places emphasis on signage, to provide visitors with sufficient information about the island.
Opposition Leader Rebecca White said the projects would likely make “a huge difference”, but she was less enthusiastic about the way the government chose to distribute funding for the projects.
“Of course we want to see these sorts of projects progress, but we think the government should be thinking much more strategically about how we create jobs in the north,” Ms White said.
“[The government is] providing loans to councils which means this money will have to be paid back.”