FAQs

The working group has identified that the proposed projects would provide the following benefits to the community, among others: 

• Employment opportunities
• Improved infrastructure
• A more vibrant and connected community with young families
• Establishing Noojee as a destination experience
• Steady income for businesses
• More diversified businesses
• Environmental remediation
• Local training opportunities
• Town beautification and street maintenance

The working group has identified several key challenges to address and overcome, they include:

• Seasonal and extreme weather impacts,
• Limited fee-for-use activities encouraging investment by visitors,
• Insufficient activities to incentivise longer stays in the area and no unique early morning or night-time experiences encouraging overnight stays,
• No low-budget accommodation or commercial camping,
• Limited suitable land availability for new projects,
• Protecting the rustic “Noojeeness”,
• Road maintenance and congestion,
• Poor phone and internet reception outside of the Noojee town centre,
• Insufficient public transport access.

The working group believes Noojee has the following competitive advantages when it comes to the development of eco-tourism in the region:

• Surrounding forest with unique flora and fauna, including endangered and threatened species
• Noojee is recognised as an established tourism town, winning Bronze in the 2022 Top Tiny Tourism Town Awards and a finalist in the 2023 Awards
• There are a number of established small businesses that cater to the visitor economy, locals with experience in food, hospitality, and accommodation services, as well as interest from community members in new business opportunities catering to tourism
• The proximity to Melbourne makes it an attractive day trip location
• Popular natural sites include Toorongo Falls, Amphitheatre Falls and the Latrobe River
• Popular historical sites including the Trestle Bridge, historical mill artefacts in the surrounding forests and the 1950s J class locomotive at the Noojee Railway Station Precinct
• Established tracks and trails, DEECA managed, free campgrounds (Toorongo Falls, Poplars and Checking Station Campgrounds)
• The District is a popular location for outdoor activities (trail walking, hiking, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, road cycling, picnicking, camping, dirt biking and 4-wheel driving)
• Location along Mt Baw Baw Tourist Road, and proximity to Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort, provide significant visitors to the area (approximately 120,000 people visited Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort in 2022),
• Noojee has been identified by two interntionally recognised Forest Therapy organisations as a suitable site for the first Forest Therapy Centre in Australia