Parkes tourism receives major funding boost
Two Parkes tourism attractions will receive major upgrades that will improve accessibility for visitors and give holidaymakers even more reasons to travel to the Central West.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole today visited the CSIRO radio telescope to announce funding from the $30 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund, to ensure people of all abilities can visit The Dish.
“The NSW Government is committing $500,000 from the Regional Tourism Activation Fund to upgrade visitor areas to provide wheelchair accessible paths, automatic doors at the visitor centre and accessible bathrooms to ensure The Dish remains a major tourism drawcard that can be enjoyed by everyone,” Mr Toole said.
“Upgrades to visitor areas will include the removal of narrow paths to be replaced by wheelchair accessible paths, installation of automatic doors at the visitor centre and renovations to the bathrooms to make them accessible, plus a new playground.”
Mr Toole said the enormously popular Parkes Elvis festival would also become an even more authentic experience with $376,707 in funding to construct replica gates of Elvis’ famous Memphis home Graceland.
“The Elvis festival celebrates The King like no other event in the world and the addition of these iconic gates will bring the Memphis mansion to Parkes and have every impersonator lining up for selfies,” Mr Toole said.
“It’s not all about The King, the gates will be a monument to inductees to the Elvis Wall of Fame, featuring plaques honouring musicians from Billy Thorpe to Joe Camilleri, as well as the yearly winners of the Parkes Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest.”
Mr Toole said the Regional Tourism Activation Fund supports local economies and local jobs by backing unique tourism experiences that will attract visitors and showcase what our regions have to offer.
“37 new projects will receive funding from The Regional Tourism Activation Fund to encourage people to travel to regional NSW, where they will experience and enjoy everything on offer, from the beauty of the bush to the wonderful food and wine,” Mr Toole said.
The $30 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund is part of the NSW Government’s $2 billion Regional Growth Fund. For more information, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/RTAFund.