Forest Heritage Centre gets a $149,000 facelift

The centre received an overall $149,000 grant for the revitalisation project through the State government’s Royalties for Regions Community Chest Fund. 

Prior to the works, the centre was in urgent need of a revamp, with several termite damaged beams threatening the integrity of the building and bad insulation, meaning 40 degrees temperatures in the centre were reached on hot summer days.

Through the funding, the FHC has been able to replace the damaged beams, improve the insulation of the building, install three reverse cycle air-conditioning units, repaint the interiors and re-wire the building for better telephone and internet connections.

Additional $35,350 were allocated for the creation of the new Emu Directional Walk Trail, a 1.2 km path connecting the FHC with Dwellingup town centre.

The trail is signaled by emu footprints every five metres and signs designed by local artist Wendy Binks.

The FHC hoped the new trail will encourage more visitors to come to the area to photograph the signs and share them on social media.

Peel Development Commission chairman Paul Fitzpatrick said the centre was one of the region’s most significant tourism attractions and was pleased to see the funds had made a significant difference.

“I’m pleased to see the Emu Trail will now become a reality and add to the already excellent mix of product that attracts tourist visitors not only to the Centre but into the town of Dwellingup,” he said. 

Minister for regional development Terry Redman said he was hoping to see more visitors coming to the region to enjoy its natural assets and said the government saw an opportunity on tourism to face the recession on the resources sector. 

“‘Tourism is one of those areas that we are seeing as an opportunity given the downturn of the resources sector as supporting our economy, so these investments in the Western Australia community make a difference,” he said.

“The big Royalties for Regions investments are important and great but if we don’t do something to support those little community groups that are making a difference at a grassroots level we are not doing our job.”