A nature-based waterpark, hotel or tourism precinct are three common ways to turn an old mine into a tourism attraction, but a study has found having a reliable income stream to support the new life is critical.
Professor Kirsten Holmes from Curtin University spoke to the 2023 WA Regional Tourism Conference on Tuesday about the different ways to successfully turn a closed mine into a way to attract visitors to previously mining-dominated towns.
She said established places such as the Coober Pedy Experience hotel in South Australia and the Sovereign Hill tourism precinct in Victoria’s Ballarat were clear examples of this done successfully — with the ability to make enough money to sustain the operations a key factor in their success.
Prof. Holmes said the State Government’s transformation of an old coal mine near Collie into Lake Kepwari as a “world-class aquatic playground” also showed what could be done with reliable funding.
She said a recent study found the most common way to repurpose an old mine was by turning it into a tourism precinct.
Speaking about the Hannans North Tourist Mine in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Prof. Holmes highlighted the popularity of the former underground tours, but also the “significant challenges” that come with such an attraction
“It no longer has the underground tour, but research that the City (of Kalgoorlie-Boulder) has done to find out what tourists want to do — they really want to go on an underground tour,” she said.
“That’s a really popular part of a mine attraction, but that’s fraught with health and safety issues.”
Prof. Holmes said it was crucial the attractions had a steady and reliable income stream to support themselves, rather than relying on grants.
“These are always expensive ventures, and mining companies are not tourism businesses so mining companies don’t necessarily know how to run a tourism business because that’s not what they do,” she said.
Prof. Holmes said post-mine tourism did present some challenges around who owns the land and the property on it, as well as possible contamination, and the tendency for mines to reopen as the market and technology changes.
She said while there was a requirement for miners to rehabilitate the land itself, the question of what happens to the community often remains.
Using the Rio Tinto’s Gove mine in the Northern Territory’s East Arnhem Land as an example, Prof. Holmes said a shortage of accommodation and the access to a workforce were key issues stmying the gradual growth of a new industry in the area.
She said access to the town was presenting as an issue as the company and government moves towards turning the area into a tourism destination.
“It’s a 700km unsealed road, or an unreliable air service from Darwin,” she said.
“There is a working dock . . . they’re looking at smaller cruise ships — about 100 passengers — but it’s not quite in a state to take that yet,” she said.
On the other hand, Prof. Holmes said, the area did have “amazing” natural resources, as well as arts, culture and eco-tourism opportunities.