Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to thank the Penshurst Volcanoes Discovery Centre for the very kind hospitality they showed me and my family during the school holidays. They hosted us at the discovery centre for an hour and then provided wonderful snacks for us. It was a terrific place to visit. It is a great centre which has plenty of interactive displays. The centre details the history of the volcanic activity which occurred in western Victoria over many centuries.

I would encourage as many people in the electorate of Wannon, in Victoria and Australia-wide to go to Penshurst, have a look at the Volcanoes Discovery Centre and also spend some time looking around at some of the wonderful volcanic legacies in western Victoria. They include the Byaduk Caves, which are situated in Harmans Valley lava flow. You can go down into one of these caves, have a look around and see the legacy from the lava flow. It is well worth doing and a great trip to take the family on. In going down into the caves there is a real sense of excitement and adventure, both for adults and for kids.

You can also visit Tower Hill, an inactive volcano on the south-west coast of Victoria just outside Warrnambool. It has developed into one of the most magnificent wetlands that you could come across anywhere in Australia, especially at the moment after two wet seasons. It is well worth a visit for the bird life alone that you can see. You can also spend some time climbing two of the volcanoes that we have—Mount Rouse, which is near Penshurst, and Mount Napier. The views across the western Victoria Plains when you climb these old volcanic sites are absolutely tremendous. You can spend a day or two days exploring the wonderful volcanic legacy which has been left in this area, which is called the Kanawinka Global Geopark.

I would use this opportunity to call on the government to support the Kanawinka Global Geopark. So far the government has been reluctant to do this. This is a wonderful geopark and it is something that the federal government should take on board and get behind.

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