First it was mountain bikes on the back and even top of SUV’s and 4-wheel drives, now also fighting for space are SUP’s (stand-up paddleboards), kayaks and canoes. They seem to be the latest must for the adventure tourist; young or old. Is there an opportunity for this region to capitalise on this?
A mate of mine say’s yes and believes Henderson Park at Hedlow would be a fantastic spot to hold a self-propelled water craft expo. Paddle Hedlow Creek, Lake Mary, with optional day trips to the beach, Byfield, Fitzroy River or Mt. Morgan dam. Include workshops, demonstrations of latest innovations and a swap shop; you’ve got the basis of an expo that will grow in appeal.
Add the fact the area also lends itself to bush walking, bike riding, caving, climbing Jim Crow; you’ve got to admit the potential for a water expo to attract more adventure tourists does exist. But not just in the Capricorn region he says; do tag along camping tours of Central Queensland and kayak the rivers and creeks infused in Australian folklore; the Diamantina, Flinders, Thomson, Cooper Creek, Eyre Creek and Combo Waterhole (the billabong in Waltzing Matilda).
Link the expo with the tag along tour and other local paddling events (Keppel Kayak Symposium), you’ve got something that could attract international paddling enthusiasts here as well. Imagine the video content of the region that would be generated and where it would be seen. Something to capitalise on, sure is; but just like the aspiration to make Mount Morgan the Hillbilly Bluegrass Music Capital of Australia, it needs people with grit to get it up and running then see it through the development stages.
We read about Advance Queensland funding available for innovative, scalable projects, but how do we stoke grit to take one past the point of no return and do it?
Risk clouds the minds of dreamers; what if someone drowned at the water expo, what if a crocodile made an unwanted appearance; wouldn’t the lawyers have a field day. It’s easy to say don’t worry about it if it’s not your neck on the line or the one paying the hefty insurance premiums.
Something needs to be done to help people, individuals, pursue their dreams especially if they can benefit more than just themselves. Big companies certainly get the red carpet rolled out just on the murmuring of expansion plans.
The balance of a liberated entrepreneurial spirit to one hamstrung with concerns of risk needs to be finely managed; very difficult for democratically elected governments. Is an entrepreneurial economic zone, in a region that needs stimulation, within which government heavily subsidised the insurance costs of selected new commercial ventures part of the answer to stoke the grit of individuals to realise more dreams? Should Capricorn be that entrepreneurial economic zone?