The Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford today visited Sovereign Hill to formally confirm the Andrews Labor Government’s $8 million investment in the $12.8 million ‘By Day and By Night’ project that will help the treasured tourism icon attract more visitors and make an even greater contribution to the local and state economy.
The project will create a new sound and light show night experience, enhanced play space and indigenous areas, a new costumed school and a 32 bed accommodation facility.
Sovereign Hill’s popular night-time attraction, Blood on the Southern Cross, will be improved with state-of-the-art multi-media technology and new narrative content to lift visitation from 60,000 to 70,000 visitors a year.
It will also see new museum exhibits, including the Farr and Hancock mine and train tracks; a confectionary manufactory and a new horse stables experience.
The project is expected to increase visitor numbers from 730,000 to 750,000 in the first year, and it will provide a boost to the local hospitality industry and employment by increasing overnight stays in the region.
It will also improve accessibility across the entire site and the representation of the Wadawarrung people in Victoria’s gold rush story will be improved.
The Sovereign Hill Museums Association is contributing $4.81 million to the project.
The project is expected to create 100 jobs during the construction phase, and another 10 full-time jobs in the long term.
In the recently launched Regional Statement, the Government announced a number of new initiatives that will help build stronger, more resilient and more prosperous communities.
A key initiative in the Statement is a commitment to develop a pipeline of the ten most significant regional tourism projects to ensure the projects are delivered for the benefit of regional economies and communities.
The Sovereign Hill By Day and By Night: Driving Regional Tourism Dispersal Project’ aligns with the government’s commitment to fully realise the economic potential of the State’s iconic tourism assets.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford
“Investing $8-million into this major upgrade at Sovereign Hill will take it to a new level and continue to help it retain its place as a premier attraction in Victoria. That’s a great result for Ballarat!”
“Quality projects, like this one, are part of the Victorian Government’s program of initiatives to create long-term jobs and investment within a diverse and resilient economy in regional Victoria.”
Reviewed 10 February 2021