A Coalition Government will provide $25,000 towards the cost of creating a whale watching platform at Kilcunda as part of a new National Whale Trail.
The funding will form part of a $500,000 package to create a National Whale Trail to encourage land-based whale watching and create a national network of whale watching sites along recognised migratory routes.
The funding will help create viewing facilities and interpretive signage to enable locals and tourists to have the best possible view of the gentle giants as they pass off shore.
On Phillip Island and the Bass Coast whale watching is a growing attraction. So far this season there have been at least 68 reported sightings in the Phillip Island region alone.
Having a local spot marked on the National Whale Trail will increase the region’s profile as a key whale watching destination and help create local jobs.
Australians have a deep love of our marine and coastal environments and in particular the iconic whale and dolphin species.
Along our coastline there is genuine demand for people to be able to see whales from land-based vantage points.
When complete, the Whale Trail will stretch from Queensland through to New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
Education will be an important part of the National Whale Trail, with plans to provide visitors with information about the types of whales and their migratory patterns as part of the project.
The announcement is part of the Coalition Government’s $2 million commitment to the protection of whales and dolphins along our coastal waters.
As part of the plan, a Coalition Government will allocate $750,000 to a National Whale Stranding Action Plan to identify the most effective means of preventing and responding to whale strandings on our coastline.
A further $750,000 will be provided for a National Dolphin Recovery Plan and to advance important conservation work, including an emergency response capability.
Download the related file: 08-30 National Whale Trail to include Bass Coast.pdf