The World Heritage Nightcap National Park is expected to welcome more overnight visitors following a NSW Government grant to help build two new self-contained cottages and lodge to cater for groups and corporate retreats at Nightcap Ridge.
16 March 2018Member for Lismore Thomas George said the popular boutique eco-accommodation, will receive $150,000 from the Regional Tourism Fund, which is managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
“Nightcap Ridge, a privately run property, spreads across 67 beautiful acres and continues to draw visitors with its organic produce and wonderful paddock-to-plate experiences, so I am delighted this NSW Government funding will allow them to add to their existing tourism offering,” Mr George said.
The new two two-bedroom cottages and lodge will accommodate families and group bookings. Down the track, the lodge is expected to operate as a café on the weekends, servicing some of the 250,000 visitors who experience Minyon Falls each year, a popular attraction within the Park.
This eco-destination is located on a historical site within the Nightcap National Park.
After World War 1, the land was given to an ex-serviceman on the proviso he cleared the trees to make way for a dairy which would service the UK’s increasing need for milk products. Many years later, the property fell into disrepair and lantana covered the land until the 1980s when a local planner regenerated it and planted more than 5000 native trees.
Mr George congratulated Nightcap Ridge on their successful initiative and said the NSW Government is doing everything it can to drive more visitors to rural and regional areas.
“The Regional Tourism Fund is part of our strategy to boost tourism right across the State and aims to increase visitation to our wonderful regions such as the North Coast which in turn, supports the local economy and jobs,” Mr George said.
Fraser Duddy from Nightcap Ridge said, “We aim to create an experience that guests feel as though they are stepping back in time but with the modern luxuries of today.”
“The expansive lawns, native trees, wildlife and walking tracks provide a tranquil place for local, interstate and overseas visitors to escape a busy world, explore nature and spend quality technology-free time with their loved ones,” Mr Duddy said.
For more information on the Regional Tourism Fund go to: destinationnsw.com.au/regionaltourismfund.
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