Page 4113 - Week 13 - Thursday, 31 October 2013
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As well as adding to the visitor experience in Canberra, the arboretum is also contributing to the protection of tree species and tree diversity worldwide as well as generating new research and understanding about how trees grow, survive and adapt. The arboretum also serves as an outlet for the community to participate in many volunteer activities provided through the Friends of the National Arboretum, through STEP—Southern Tablelands Ecosystems Park—and the Friends of the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection.
Most recently the arboretum offered daily bus tours over the Floriade period, a range of school holiday activities, including camel rides, forest walks, reptile encounters and bonsai workshops. There are also a number of regular experiences on offer at the arboretum through free guided walks. By using the free map for self-guided walks, visitors can walk through some of the 90 forests with over 48,000 trees that have already been planted.
They can surround themselves with the established forests like the Himalayan cedar, cork oak and pine forests. They can visit the village centre, visit the restaurants, have a look at the national bonsai and penjing collection, visit the Canberra discovery garden, and enjoy a demonstration of local native trees and plants growing at the STEP garden. Of course, more recently, they can enjoy and explore the children’s pod playground.
In addition, last weekend, with the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services and Dr Bourke, I opened the Centenary Trail. This provides a 145 kilometre self-guided non-motorised loop trail for walkers and touring cyclists, which also includes a short part through the National Arboretum.
It is great to see the ongoing success of the arboretum. We are working hard to make sure that we listen and respond to visitor feedback. A community survey published in June this year showed that the arboretum had an 88 per cent visitor satisfaction level, which is great. I think the success has exceeded our expectations in the first year. All those who questioned the arboretum must surely now look at its wonderful success and thank those that were responsible for pushing this interesting, innovative and clearly well-loved Canberra icon forward.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Gentleman.
MR GENTLEMAN: Chief Minister, can you please provide information on how the children’s playground and the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion have contributed to the growing success of the that arboretum.
MS GALLAGHER: The opening of the children’s pod playground in June has expanded the arboretum’s market reach considerably. Over 800 children used the playground within the first hour of its opening, and it continues to be one of the most popular areas of the arboretum. I visit the playground at the National Arboretum regularly, and it is always packed with children, even in non-school holiday or normal weekday times.
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