Boost for First Nations tourism

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk visits Mossman Gorge

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The Premier met with rangers from one of the Reef Assist program’s success stories. Image: supplied

This morning Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk travelled to our beautiful Mossman Gorge, accompanied by Member for Cook Cynthia Lui, to make two important announcements.

The Premier announced a $4 million boost for Queensland's Indigenous tourism sector.

A First Nations Tourism Package would build on the state’s current Indigenous tourism sector to deliver even more unique experiences for tourists.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Member for Cook Cynthia Lui. Image: supplied

“Experiences like the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walks conducted by the local Indigenous people at Mossman Gorge are nation-leading.

“What we want to do in the lead up to the Olympics is to grow our First Nations tourism experience across the state,” the Premier said.

“If someone has a small company or a good idea, we are going to help build that capacity. They can grow and employ more people and be ready in 10 years when people come from all around the world, wanting to experience everything that Queensland has to offer.

“With more First Nations tourism offerings throughout our state, we know we can build on this industry into the future.”

Member for Cairns and Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy said Far North Queensland’s tourism recovery was underway.

“Over recent months, the Cairns visitor economy has been showing good signs of recovery with overseas visitors also starting to return,” Mr Healy said.

“Developing more high quality Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural experiences will benefit tourism across the region.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the $4 million First Nations Tourism Package represented tremendous opportunity.

“This funding puts in place a chance for our region, and others in Queensland, to build a wider understanding of the world’s two oldest living cultures,” Ms Lui said.

“Far North Queensland is home to around half of the State’s 200 emerging and established Indigenous tourism businesses.

“Queensland’s transformational decade ahead of the 2032 Games means we can lock in jobs and prosperity for the future by building on Indigenous leadership and cultural experiences.”

Protecting the Great Barrier Reef

The second announcement stated a $10 million investment for a program aimed at protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Designed to support tourism-based coastal communities during the pandemic, the Reef Assist program created more than 130 First Nation jobs and the $12 million program pilot sparked 232 jobs across 11 projects throughout the state.

“This is great news because we want to see an extra 225 people employed right across the north and far north of our state,” the Premier said.

“This is about giving young people an opportunity to help with revegetation, water quality, crown of thorns, starfish on the reef or other areas.

“Jobs will be created as they think about doing a course, and becoming a ranger. Reef Assist is a great program and it's worked so successfully.”

The Premier met with rangers from one of the program’s success stories - a $2.09 million project, which employed First Nations and young people to improve habitat in Far North Queensland catchments.

“A crew of 39 were able to get valuable training in land management, with 27 First Nations people, 14 youths and seven women employed as part of the project,” the Premier said.

“We want to replicate that success across Queensland,” the Premier said. “That’s why this will be expanded to all Reef catchment areas including Cape York, Wet Tropics, Burdekin Dry Tropics, Mackay Whitsunday, Fitzroy, Burnett Mary.”

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the Reef Assist program had been a great success and welcomed the funding boost.

“This program was part of our economic recovery plan to not only create jobs and training opportunities in areas hit hard by the global pandemic, but to also deliver important land management projects to improve the environment and protect the reef,” Ms Lui said.

The Reef Assist program had been a great success and welcomed the $10 million funding boost. Image: supplied

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