AN extreme mountain biking centre, a gondola lift and “health tourism” could all feature in the Falls Creek of the future.
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Falls Creek Resort management yesterday released for community consultation its masterplan to attract year-round visits to the region.
The plan acknowledged that the usual winter markets were declining and Falls Creek had to embrace “non-winter activities”.
“It is undeniable that the traditional five, seven or 14-day snow holiday is a thing of the past,” the report said.
“The ski and snowboard resorts industry is highly vulnerable not only to spending patterns but also climate change.
“There must be a response to new tourism where the behaviour and values of their customers are changing.”
The masterplan set out an intention to embrace other forms of sport and recreational activities for the “green season”, including mountain biking, a climbing wall, a summer training ground and “beachside” activities by the lake.
It said Falls Creek’s natural attractions make it suited for nature-based activities and educational tourism, with bushwalking the 10th most popular physical activity in Australia — three times larger than snow sports.
“In addition to outdoor activities, the alpine environment is potentially well-suited to more relaxing and leisurely pastimes such as spa therapies, recovery, detox and rejuvenation,” it read. Yoga and pilates retreats were also possible.
The plan set out 10 precincts to integrate the wider village plan to improve its winter offerings and make it “look like a summer destination and not a winter resort in the summer” in the warmer months.
Residents talked of a desire for a town square, affordable housing, better car parking and services that would attract more permanent residents.
A gondola lift would replace the Gully Gateway chairlift, while the entire gateway area would be revamped to create a grander village entrance.
The Village Bowl would be redeveloped to become the “entertainment and event hub”, including a mountain biking centre, while the Village Heart would include a primary school, library, retail centre and a snow-free pedestrian spine linking to the bowl.
Meanwhile the town centre would include year-round retail premises, a civic square, undercover parking and sports hotel and possible health tourism centre.
The draft plan is available for inspection at masterplan.fallscreek.com.au for the next fortnight, before the final plan is created. It will require the approval of the state environment minister.