MOUNT Gambier City Council this week received a report outlining a number of potential improvements to the city’s visitor information services following a comprehensive review by an independent consultant.
Recommendations included the decommissioning of the 30-year-old Lady Nelson Discovery Centre, while reducing services at the adjoining Visitor Information Centre.
The report recommended council formalise visitor information services at the Main Corner Complex, with a smaller service available at the Lady Nelson Centre.
The consultant proposed the available space at the Discovery Centre be repurposed for office and training facilities or a commercial cafe.
A story in Thursday’s edition of The Border Watch prompted a mixed response from community members.
I have just read in disbelief that the city’s Lady Nelson is in doubt – this is a site the region’s visitors first stumble across, with room for parking vans and buses.
I’ve spent my whole life growing up in the tourism industry. My parents ran caravan parks for over 30 years, including Blue Lake Caravan Park for over 20 years. I’m a realist and times have changed to “ask Google” and don’t attend the local visitor centre for a local map an caravan park locations. I also realise most bookings are done online. However, the visitor centre also promotes every tourism related business i n the region. We are sadly in a busier world than years gone by, but also a very ageing world with more travelers, both grey nomads and overseas visitors. If we don’t have a location like the visitor centre, eople will see the Blue Lake an keep driving. We have so much more to offer tourists – caves, wineries, a 20 minute drive to the coast , sinkholes in town, museums and so much more!! Let’s not kill the local tourism industry. Not to mention the huge money spent recently at the site. Kevin Raedel, Mount Gambier
I went into the Port MacDonnell visitor info/library/museum last Monday and it’s amazing having all those services together. I can see the sense in putting our tourist info centre with something else. Sandy Dowling, Mount Gambier
Of course the Lady Nelson Discovery Centre should remain open and any talk of shifting the visitor information centre to the Main Corner is ludicrous. It’s in the perfect spot, plenty of parking, easily accessible to visitors. The first thing you do when you go somewhere new is visit the tourist information centre and “they” want to shut it down or move it. What else could you expect in this backward town? Debbie Holland, Mount Gambier
The Lady Nelson centre should remain open. A face to face approach is far more inviting to visitors coming to the area. We have to promote ourselves because we all know Adelaide Ivory Towers won’t. I wonder if visitor numbers dropping are to do with people using the library for the internet services among other things and if some of those services could be available at The Lady Nelson. Shaun Dunford, Mount Gambier
Leave the Lady Nelson Centre alone. Parking there is excellent, it is on a main thoroughfare into and out of town. Lucinda Johnson, Mount Gambier
Keep the Visitor Information Centre on Jubilee Highway – caravans and motor homes can park easily. Tourists shouldn’t be limited to the Main Corner. Let them see more of the town. Kimberly Murrell, Mount Gambier
