Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I say how refreshing it is to have some Labor members here this morning, using precious time in this chamber to highlight some great achievements in their electorates, rather than engaging in party political point scoring. In that vein, can I say what a great honour it was a week ago to open stage 1 of the world-class, purpose-built Blue Derby mountain bike trails in my electorate of Bass. There were literally hundreds of mountain bike enthusiasts in attendance to open these new trails, which put Derby and Northern Tasmania on the map as an international mountain bike tourism destination.

This is not a big place. Derby is a small town about an hour or so north-east of Launceston, where about 200 people live. It has fast become one of the biggest developing mountain bike regions in Australia, and those interested in mountain biking now have the option of landing in Launceston and riding around the Trevallyn trails in Launceston. Then there are the Hollybank mountain bike trails, and now we have the Blue Derby mountain bike trails in some of the most forested areas of this wondrous region. What they get is rugged hillsides and valleys and rockfalls, and the sorts of things that have put places like Fruita in Colorado on the international map. This will bring new dynamism into this community, as well as new money, assisting in the region's economic revitalisation.

Approximately 25,000 people come to Tasmania each year with some form of cycling in mind, and as the patron of cycling in Tasmania, I found it wonderful to see these trails open with such fanfare a week ago. It is anticipated that some 10,000 to 15,000 visitors will come and ride the trails at Derby by 2017. We have provided yet another reason to make Northern Tasmania your entry point to our state. Deputy Speaker, when you say 'Tasmania' to people they often think about Hobart, Salamanca, Port Arthur and Mona. But now they have reasons to land in Launceston and go to Barnbougle and play on the 11th best golf course in the world. They can go to places like the Derby and Blue Tier mountain bike trails, where the next two Australian championships are going to be held, and ride on an Olympic standard trail. They can see the beautiful beaches around Bridport. They can see Launceston's Cataract Gorge. They can come for culture and heritage tourism. I ran into a lady from Germany recentlywho had travelled specifically to photograph our art deco and heritage buildings in Launceston.

What we are trying to do, as I said, is give people more reasons to make Northern Tasmania their entry point to the state. I encourage visitors to come to the new trails and enjoy the very best that Northern Tasmania has to offer.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In accordance with standing order 193 the time for constituency statements has concluded.