Snowy Alpine Heritage Centre Feasibility Study

Project Description

Snowy Alpine Heritage Centre Feasibility Study 2019

Snowy Alpine Heritage Association was seeking to assess the feasibility of developing an experience centre that would become an iconic attraction, enjoyed by both existing visitors to the region and as a driver for new visitation.

Despite the regions’ rich history, national heritage and status as a tourism destination, there is currently no central place, precinct or experience to express the significant cultural character of the Snowy Mountains region for residents and visitors.

The growth in cultural and heritage tourism together with the strategic objectives of state and regional tourism strategies presented an opportunity to tell the story of the Snowy Mountains and its people. Without a dedicated place, there was a significant gap in the existing offer across the region to meet this demand.

The Centre needed to be a community asset, presenting the stories of the Snowy Mountains and the Snowy River in an exciting and engaging way to ensure that they would be appreciated and preserved for future generations of Australians.

TRC worked with Dabyne Planning, economists MCa, and interpretive design specialists Thylacine to deliver this project which was approached through seven stages. This included a Literature Review, Market Analysis, Planning Analysis, Concept Development, Stakeholder Consultation, Economic Analysis and Report Preparation.

Criteria were developed for site selection, with six sites initially identified that warranted further investigation. A multicriteria analysis tool was developed to score each site against aspects including size, topography, distance from Jindabyne, visibility, access, views and vistas, zoning permissibility etc. The sites were ranked from most preferred to least preferred, and three were identified for further assessment.

Concepts and precedent imagery brought the future centre to life for investors, and enabled a realistic assessment for the scale of facility that was optimal and the likely costs for development.