The Mt Buller Water Storage Project will go ahead, with $7.5 million of funding being awarded to the project by the Victorian Government.
Parliamentary Secretary for Energy, Environment & Climate Change, Anthony Carbines, said, “I’m pleased to have worked with the team at Mt Buller to deliver the funding for this vital project – that will deliver jobs during construction and regional jobs for years to come.”
The Mt Buller Water Storage Project will build a 100 megalitre storage facility to provide water for drinking, firefighting and snowmaking.
Victoria’s alpine region is a popular tourism destination year-round, with biking, 4WD adventures, trail running, music festivals, and food and wine events attracting a significant number of visitors to the alpine resorts in the green season.
Construction of the water storage facility will encourage further private investment at the Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events, John Eren, said, “The Mt Buller Water Storage Project is a game-changer for the alpine resorts, boosting snow production during winter and providing drinkable water for the green season.”
The Victorian Budget 2018/19 included $2 million for a new Regional Events and Innovation Fund to help regional tourism boards grow their local visitor economies.
Tourism is an important industry for regional Victoria with the latest figures showing the total number of visitors to regional Victoria was 49.8 million in 2017 – an increase of 20 per cent since 2014.
