From left: Snowy Monaro Regional Council mayor Peter Beer; Gaden Trout Hatchery acting assistant manager Matthew Caldwell; NSW Deputy Premier and Member for Monaro John Barilaro; and NSW Member of the Legislative Council Bronnie Taylor. Photo: Supplied.
The Gaden Trout Hatchery on the Thredbo River has received a $3.3 million grant from the NSW state government to revitalise its educational centre and help boost tourism and jobs in the region.
The grant will be put towards a new educational facility for one of Australia’s main centres for breeding and rearing trout, a cold-water sport fish. The works will also include an office, meal room, toilets and car park.
Infrastructure upgrades will also integrate the Thredbo Valley Track into the hatchery picnic area.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council Mayor Peter Beer said the investment will be integral to the region’s recovery pathway in a post-COVID-19 economy.
The integration of the Thredbo Valley Track biking and walking trail will entice bike riders and hikers to visit the centre during their next trip to the popular mountain, said Mayor Beer.
“During the warmer months, riders and walkers will be able to stop by, have a bite to eat and learn a little bit about the other great activities they can enjoy while they are visiting the area,” he said.
“I thank the NSW Government for this initiative to develop another world-class attraction that will bring tourists to the Snowy Mountains and tablelands on a year-round basis.”
NSW Deputy Premier and Member for Monaro John Barilaro said the grant will help the region recover from the economic impact of COVID-19 once lockdown restrictions are lifted.
“Gaden Trout Hatchery has been a premier local attraction in the Snowy Mountains community for more than 50 years and it plays a vital role in supporting the booming summer tourism market in the region,” said Mr Barilaro.
Gaden Trout Hatchery has been a popular attraction in the Snowy Mountains for more than 50 years. Photo: Visit NSW.
“The new education centre will build on the success that the existing trout fishing industry in this part of the state is known so well for, giving locals a better appreciation of the work done at the hatchery and supporting increased production at the hatchery.
“I know this will be very welcome news for the community, who have been doing it tough dealing with drought, bushfires and now the ongoing impact of COVID-19.”
The grant is part of the NSW Government’s $300 million Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism Fund, which aims to deliver infrastructure projects to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the state. It comes under the umbrella of the Restart NSW fund, which was set up in 2011 to improve the state’s economic growth and productivity. Thirty per cent of the $33 billion fund is targeted at regional and rural areas across NSW.
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