By Jesse Graham
TOOLANGI’S Forest Discovery Centre is being brought back up to scratch and will re-open after four years next month, with DELWP handing over the keys to a group of community members.
On Wednesday 7 September, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s Regional Manager for the Hume region James Stewart handed over the keys to the Forest Discovery Centre to a management committee which is working to reopen the centre.
The centre was closed down in 2012 due to the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE, now DELWP)’s building compliance costs.
Interim management committee member Steve Meacher said that despite being unoccupied for four years, the building was in “excellent” condition.
“Most of the necessary bits and pieces for running it are in place, or at least still in the building, and just need sorting out and putting back in the appropriate place and so on,” he said.
“It’s ready for us to start work and make preparations to get it open.
“Of course, there are no displays or anything there at this stage – that’s something else we need to work on – but we’ll soon be there.”
The handover came after a meeting in February between DELWP and about 70 Toolangi residents to discuss the future of the centre.
At the time a business case was to be developed by community members liaising with DELWP before any decisions were made about management of the building.
Mr Meacher said the committee would be working on cleaning and preparing the building with volunteers aiming to have it open by the time of the CJ Dennis Festival on 22 October.
He said the building would host educational programs and operate as a tourist information centre and an arts and cultural centre, with a gallery space and the potential for a small cinema and coffee shop to be housed there.
“We need to make sure that it is financially viable – it’s got to pay its own way and so on, but we’ll be calling for community volunteers to help out with things like meeting tourists during the week and explaining what goes on,” he said.
“It’s been a long four years and there’s actually huge excitement throughout Toolangi – people keep approaching us and saying ‘is that real?’.”
Mr Meacher said the centre would be used to “educate people about the forests” but in a way that “respected government policy”.
“So, for instance, we won’t be using it for a campaign centre for the Great Forest National Park,” he said.
“But, once the Great Forest National Park is adopted by the government, then, of course, it will be an information centre for the park.
“Currently, it will be an information centre for Kinglake National Park and the Toolangi State Forest – it will have that role in the community.”
Mr Stewart said DELWP was “impressed with the commitment and enthusiasm” of the community members in preparing for the project.
“We look forward with confidence to continuing work with the committee to ensure the centre has a bright future and a strong role in the community for years to come.”
What do you think about the Forest Discovery Centre’s re-opening? Write a letter to the editor to editor@mailnewsgroup.com.au or to 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville, with your thoughts.
