A $2.2 million upgrade of Sea Acres ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park, one of the Mid-North Coast’s most popular nature-based eco-tourism experiences, is complete.
NSW ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager Shane Robinson said the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre and boardwalk attracts over 160,000 visitors each year.
“Rising 7 metres through the rainforest understorey to the canopy above, the rainforest boardwalk provides the perfect platform for families to get up close to the sights and sounds of this wondrous and busy rainforest habitat,” Mr Robinson said.
“The upgrades involved replacement of 800 metres of the boardwalk, which was built in the 1980s, and refurbishing timbers along the length of the structure.
“The refurbished boardwalk will make it easier for visitors of all ages and abilities to get out and explore the breathtaking rainforest, learn about local Aboriginal culture and maybe even spot some special native animals like the red-necked wallaby or the brush turkey,” Mr Robinson said.
Access to popular Miners Beach has also been upgraded, with the construction of an elevated staircase and improvements made to the walking track between Lighthouse Road to Miners Beach.
“This walking track is part of the iconic Port Macquarie Coastal Walk, which receives in excess of 500,000 visitors each year,” Mr Robinson said.
In the 2021–22 financial year, the NSW Government invested $2.8 million in national park’s visitor infrastructure within the Hastings Macleay region.
“³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ parks visitation contributes $1.4 billion to the Hastings Macleay economy each year,” Mr Robinson said.
“Investing in our region’s national parks is good for the environment, good for our health and wellbeing, and good for regional economies recovering in the wake of droughts, bushfires, floods and the pandemic,” Mr Robinson said.
The NSW Government is delivering its largest investment in national parks history, with $450 million for more than 200 visitor infrastructure projects across the state.
It builds on the $17.9 billion and 74,000 jobs national parks already contribute annually to the state’s economy.
The Sea Acres Rainforest boardwalk is open from 9 am to 4.30 pm, 7 days a week (closed Christmas Day).
NPWS offers Aboriginal-guided bush tucker and discovery tours for visitors and school groups at Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, with the boardwalk playing a key role in these educational experiences.
The activities are designed to teach visitors about the cultural heritage of the area, the unique coastal littoral rainforest, and the native species that live within Sea Acres ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park.
