In this blog series on Economic Development, I talk about our natural and open space assets, town planning, local businesses, activities and heritage and how they all intertwine to provide economic benefits to the area.
For me at the heart of our local economy is what we are.
Distinctive Natural Environment
We have a distinctive natural environment, including:
- Macedon Regional Park
- Black Hill
- Bald Hill
- Hanging Rock
- Mt Gisborne
Some are owned or managed by Council, others are completely State owned and managed but they draw tourists to our region for activities such as hiking, trail running, cycling and exploring nature.
Record 3 Botanical Gardens
We have three Botanical Gardens, each with distinct features and two of these are in West Ward:
- Malmsbury Botanical Gardens
- Kyneton Botanical Gardens
- Gisborne Botanical Gardens
No other local government has as many and we can leverage these assets to attract more visitors to our towns, where they then spend time and money eating in our cafes and restaurants, and purchasing from our wide and varied retail offering one of our competitive advantages.
No better example is the drawcard of the Chilean Wine Palm in the Kyneton Botanical Gardens.
By protecting our open spaces and natural environment we ensure we are supporting what is a key driver in our local economy.
Find out more about economic benefits for the Macedon Ranges Economic Development vs Economic Growth and the Daylesford to Hanging Rock (Kyneton) Rail Trail
CR JENNIFER ANDERSON 