Perth Voice Interactive

MICHELLE SUTHERLAND is trying to resurrect plans to turn Lightning Park into an educational and eco-tourism hotspot.

The Bayswater councillor recently won support for a working committee to investigate the creation of a multi-million dollar sustainability centre at the A-class reserve in Noranda.

“Aside from the education and cultural benefits that a centre would bring, I think it could become a popular eco-tourism site,” she says.

“Eco-tourism is a burgeoning industry in Australia and I think, if done right, people would flock to Lightning Park.

“A while back they had a night stalk there and it was sold out in a few hours.”

Plans to create a sustainability centre stretch back to 2002, when the initial project was scoped out.

In the 2011/12 budget, funds were allocated for the development of a concept plan for a sustainability centre at Lightning Park.

The concept plan was developed by officers in conjunction with the president of the Friends of Lightning Swamp and north ward councillors.

The estimated cost was $2.4 million and the project ground to a halt with councillors wanting more detail on ongoing costs before committing to the ambitious plan.

At the time, FOLS president John Williams said the council didn’t understand the “vision” for the centre and failed to allocate a brass razoo in its 2013/14 budget for it.

Cr Sutherland says the government had to broach state, federal, private and academic bodies on helping to fund the ambitious sustainability centre.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK