I would appreciate views on one specific point to be addressed in a COG submission, the proposed visitor centre.
This is described as an educational and information resource. It would have a car-park and toilets, with a picnic area and a playground associated. Later, it might have a café and a conference room.
The proposal in the draft plan is that the centre be located on Dairy Road at the present management centre. Reasons given are: panoramic views, accessibility from Monaro Hwy, present buildings would be a start that could be built on later as funds become available.
There is some support among COG members for that site. Some favour a smaller information facility on the western side, as well. However another view has been expressed in these terms:
“I would like to know why COG supports a visitor precinct on the Dairy Flat Road. The most important part of the Kellys Swamp complex is the swamp itself and any visitor precinct should be kept as far away from that as possible. I would suggest that the old car park at Kingston end would be a much better position to any visitor facility. My concern is that visitor precinct will see people attracted to the swamp who have no real interest in natural history and that sort of development will be the thin end of the wedge and will lead to more development which will again degrade the swamp.”
One of the basic issues to be decided is whether the proposed visitor centre should be built on Dairy Road or on the western side. I would be grateful for any views on the proposed centre and on its location. Please send your views to me, unless you particularly want to air them more broadly.
