Residents and visitors alike will benefit from a boost to the much-loved Putta Bucca Wetlands, thanks to a government grant.
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has today announced Mid-Western Regional Council has received $859,700 from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery program, which is jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.
“The Putta Bucca Wetlands are a wonderful natural asset in the Mudgee region, but one that has not really been tapped into as much as it could be – until now,” Mr Saunders said.
“The project will provide community and tourism infrastructure including picnic shelters, a boardwalk, a playground, signage, extended carpark, new walking tracks and a shared pathway that connects Mudgee to the wetlands.
“There’s also benefits for the native wildlife that call the wetlands home, including nesting boxes and augmented hollows.”
In addition to the funding for the wetlands, there’s also $495,000 for Mudgee Region Tourism’s Feel the Love in the Mudgee Region (FTL) campaign.
“The horrific 2019-20 summer of bushfires saw visitation to Mudgee decline by 41%,” Mr Saunders said.
“While we have seen a surge in regional visitation since the first COVID-19 lockdown, the region still faces significant challenges.
“But the Mudgee community is resilient, and it’s my sincere hope these projects will help the region to bounce back stronger than ever!”
More than 650 applications were received from 47 LGAs impacted by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires in NSW, requesting a total of $1.6 billion – more than six times the original funding available.
The Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Package is one part of the $4.5 billion overarching bushfire support program co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments for bushfire recovery, response and preparedness in NSW.
For further information, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/blerfund