A second exit out of the Valley Lake should be one of the top priorities of any Crater Lakes area master plan, according to Liberal candidate for Mount Gambier Ben Hood.

Mr Hood will make the activation of the Crater Lakes area a focus for him should he be elected in this month’s State Election.

“For years I have heard from the people of Mount Gambier the Crater Lakes precinct of the Blue and Valley Lakes has been underutilised,” he said.

“The time for talk and grand plans that seem to go nowhere is over, we need to act on this area and get serious about capitalising on the amazing natural attractions we as locals know and love.

“If the weather is hot and gets into the high 30s then the Valley Lake is closed.

“A second exit will not only provide the safety of being able to exit the area should another fire happen, it also means we can ensure the area remains open when people want to use it and give certainty to investors in hero attraction development.”

During his term on Mount Gambier City Council, Mr Hood initiated discussion on the Crater Lakes master plan and has vowed to see the plan developed and activated if elected.

“If I have the privilege of being the Member of Mount Gambier, the Crater Lakes area will be one of my top priorities,” he said.

“With the backing of the State Government and private investment, the area can flourish just as Cataract Gorge in Launceston and other natural attraction areas around the state have when a strong vision and hard work is put in.”

With City Council securing joint custodianship of the Blue Lake with SA Water, Mr Hood has been in discussions with Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs on how the area can be utilised for recreation.

“Minister Speirs has been instrumental in opening up reservoirs and water resources around the state for recreation and he is as excited as I am for the possibilities for the Blue Lake,” he said.

“The Blue Lake is our water resource for the town but there is no reason why we could not seriously consider a kayak tour on the surface of the Blue Lake as a major tourist attraction for the city.”

Mr Hood has acknowledged that any development of the Crater Lakes area must ensure the natural beauty of the area is maintained.

“Community consultation on any master plan is of the utmost importance. The natural beauty of our Crater Lakes is what makes them so special and any development in the area must ensure that it compliments and in no way detracts from the landscape we all love,” he said.

Mr Hood said he was buoyed by the investment and progress already occurring in the area such as the Blue Lake Golf Links Mini Golf receiving federal funding, disc golf being a huge drawcard in the Valley Lake area and the Mount Gambier Mountain Bike Club developing the area as volunteers.

“The Mountain Bike Club have been working for many years to develop tracks to make the area a top destination for downhill biking and with our trail running group becoming very active, now is the time for us to look seriously at this area so both of these sports can continue to grow and bring adventure tourists and families from all over Australia to enjoy what we have,” he said.

Mr Hood said that adventure tourists will visit a region and spend money come rain, hail or shine.

“Our motto in Mount Gambier needs to be there is no bad weather, just bad clothing choices. We all know it can get a little wet at times but we need to embrace our climate and use it to our advantage,” he said.

Mr Hood said experiences and hero attractions were the key to increasing our visitor economy.

“Visitor spend in the Limestone Coast was $370m in 2018/19 with a potential to increase to $479m by 2025,” he said.

“By creating experiences and hero attractions we encourage visitors to stay an extra day, spend their money in our accommodation providers, cafes, pubs and eateries.

“This means more jobs, more small business and that’s great for everyone.

“We need to have an open for business mantra so private investment knows they will have every opportunity to develop the hero attractions we need.”

Mr Hood said the vision for the area could include a swim beach in the Valley Lake, zip lines, dedicated mountain biking and running trails for all levels and kayak tours on the Blue Lake itself.

Mr Hood said there were plenty of things happening behind the scenes, with City councillor Max Bruins being instrumental in moving council forward to begin aeration of the Valley Lake to improve the water quality.

“The time for talk is over and we have to get on with the bigger picture vision,” he said.

“Now is the time to get on with the job.

“While the recent fire at the Valley Lake was devastating to witness, it presents a huge opportunity for us to begin to see the area’s potential.

“The Rewinding Mount Gambier Project initiated by the Landscape SA Limestone Coast board and City Council to plant the area under native vegetation is an exciting project that I am advocating for to receive funding to progress.

“We cannot be left behind in the adventure and nature-based tourism space.

“We quite honestly have some of the most amazing natural attractions in the world and if we do this right, we can be destinations like Uluru and The Great Barrier Reef.

“We just need to be determined to make it happen.”