• Represenatives from a number of Councils in the region as well as LCMA, Northparkes Mines, Barrick Cowal and Newcrest Mining had lunch at Gumbend lake last Tuesday to discuss an exciting new tourism opportunity.

By Olivia McInnes

Representatives from a number of Councils in the region including Lachlan, Forbes, Parkes, Bland, Bathurst, Cabonne and Narromine, together with Barrick Cowal, Lachlan Catchment Management Authority, Northparkes Mines and Newcrest Mining met in Condobolin last Tuesday to discuss the possibility of establishing a regional Mining Trail.

The idea for the project is based on the successful Mining Trial in MacKay Queensland, which is comprised of a tourist route that follows the passage of coal from mines in the Bowen Basin to the place of export to overseas customers.

Ideally, the proposed Mining Trail for NSW would be a self drive touring route of both active and historic mining sites which would also highlight other attractions and destinations to encourage visitors to stay longer in the region.

It is hoped that the Mining Trail will help increase visitation to the region, encourage longer stays and increase money spent in rural towns, develop identity and overall product offer and improve understanding of the mining industry in Australia.

Several meetings have previously taken place to determine the feasibility and development of the Mining Trail concept for the Central NSW region, and the meeting in Condobolin was yet another positive step forward in developing the project.