Geopark experts visit area

South Eastern Times
Thursday 5/7/2007 Page: 3

TWO geological experts have toured Millicent and districts as part of an application for the region to gain global status as a Geopark. The UNESCO Global Geopark experts were visiting as part of a larger regional tour to assess an application submitted by the cross border Volcanoes Discovery Trail Committee.

The application seeks Geopark status for a 26,910 square kilometre area spanning both South Australia and Victoria, covering the region from Millicent in the west, up to Hamilton in the north, across to Camperdown in the east and down to Warrnambool in the south. If successful, the region, known as Kanawinka which means `Land of Tomorrow' will become Australia's first Global Geopark and will join a network of thirty five other UNESCO endorsed Geoparks, mainly located in Europe and China.

The German inspectors, Dr Jutta Weber and Frau Dr Marie-Luise Frey toured the entire region for nine days.

During their two days in the Wattle Range region, the inspectors visited Lake Leake, Lake Edward, the Mount Burr Range, Mount McIntyre, Mount Muirhead, the Tantanoola Cave, KCA's limestone sculptures, Woakwine Range Windfarm, Penola and the Coonawarra. The inspectors will present their findings to UNESCO, in order to make a final decision on the application, which is expected to take several months.

Wattle Range Council Manager Libraries, Information and Tourism Services Janice Nitschke, said the application for Geopark status was vital to the development of tourism within the region. "It gives us an opportunity to showcae Lake Leake and Lake Edward, in the Glencoe area, which are not often highlighted," she said. "At Lake Edward, Forestry SA have made bird hides and bird walks, which are great. "It's also an opportunity to showcase the Tantanoola Cave, and the Windfarm toursit drive. "There is huge potential to build on tourists who are coming through from Melbourne. "Tourism numbers in Millicent have gone up 25 per cent from picking up the Melbourne to Adelaide tourist route, and a lot of them are going on the tourist drive, now that it is bitumenised."