Get ready to pay to visit this natural attraction

Australians travelling overseas are often slugged for visiting major attractions.

Now the state of Victoria has decided it is time to gouge visitors from interstate and overseas.

It’s a bad look, but tourists wanting to visit one of Australia's iconic natural wonders, the Twelve Apostles, will now have to book in advance. And from 2027 they will be required to pay an entry fee.

That’s right, visitors will be required to pay to enter a publicly owned beach destination.

Statistics show that each year more than 2 million people travel down the Great Ocean Road to visit the remaining seven limestone rock stacks that remain in the Southern Ocean, about four hours' drive west of Melbourne.

The Victorian government has announced that from next week (October 16) visitors will need to book ahead to enter a newly constructed $126 million visitor centre and see the remaining apostles.

From April, the government will start charging tourists an as yet undisclosed entry fee although local residents and traditional owners will be exempt from paying, the ABC reported.

Acting Regional Development, Local Government and Territories Minister Catherine King said the new visitor centre would support sustainable tourism along Victoria's south-west coastline.

"The redevelopment is already playing an important part in the local economy and will encourage even more visitors to spend time in the region, boosting local jobs and businesses," King said.

What she means is that funds have to be raised to pay for a visitor centre no one asked for.

Port Campbell Community Group secretary Marion Manifold told the ABC that the group was opposed to the fee as "we believe public land should not be commercialised and should remain in public hands".

"If funds are required we prefer an airport tax on visitors into Australia," Manifold said.

"It's a good aim but in the past we believe very little money has come back to the Port Campbell national park and believe this is not likely to change."

Victorian Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos is unmoved.

"It's only fair that visitors to the region pay a small fee to visit this world-class destination so that we can maintain it for future generations," Dimopoulos said. 

Which is a bit rich considering the state has overseen five of the 12 rock stacks collapsing. 

Can a new plan help lift the Australian wine industry?

A new working group aims to help lift the Australian wine industry from the doldrums. 

A wine industry taskforce has been launched following following a meeting of the Commonwealth, state and territory agriculture ministers over the weekend. 

Australian Grape & Wine CEO  Lee McLean has welcomed the formation of the group as the wine industry battles against over-supply and reduced markets. 

“Australian Grape & Wine has been encouraging a coordinated and collaborative approach to deal with the challenges our sector is facing and we are pleased ministers have agreed to form this working group” McLean said.

As noted in the Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting communique, ministers agreed to establish a working group, comprising representatives of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments, Wine Australia, Australian Grape and Wine and other relevant groups as agreed by the working group, to provide recommendations to agriculture ministers to address the challenges facing growers.

“We know there are a number of regions experiencing acute financial pressure as a result of supply and demand imbalances, including the Riverland in South Australia, the Riverina in NSW, and the Murray Valley in Victoria, and it’s pleasing the group will focus on ways we can work together to relieve these pressures, in these regions” said McLean.

“Australian Grape & Wine has put a range of options to the Albanese Government ahead of the Federal Budget, including proposals to help rebalance supply, grow demand and boost regional tourism. 

“These proposals are all aimed at helping Australia’s grape growers and winemakers to find a pathway through the current challenges towards a sustainable and more profitable future.”

Ministers expect the working group to visit regions most impacted by the oversupply situation, with the group to report back by the end of April. 

Following this, the group is expected to propose to ministers actions to support improvement in the grape and wine sector and its long-term viability by July.

“The formation of this working group is a reflection of the strong working relationship Australian Grape & Wine has developed with the Australian Government” said McLean. 

“We look forward to working with ministers, officials and other industry representatives to drive a positive agenda in the best interests of grape and wine businesses.”

# Australian Grape and Wine Inc is the national association of grape and wine producers.