Visitor Centre ‘Future Bright’
Northern Daily Leader
Banalasta sales manager John Wynan said not only is its visitor centre here to stay but it was on the verge of expansion into new retail markets.
Mr Wynan said yesterday he wanted to reassure the region and customers that the centre was open, enjoying a growing number of visitors and looking forward to a prosperous future.
Mr Wynan refuted reports, published in The Leader on Saturday, of a link with the financially troubled Banalasta Oil Plantation Limited (BOP). BOP has been placed into voluntary administration, owing an estimated $28 million to the tax office and creditors.
He said the centre and Banalasta property was owned and operated by the Armidale Management Development Committee (AMDC).
And although the managing director of BOP, Rolf Blickling, was also a director of the AMDC, Mr Wynan said there were no further links with the former company.
The AMDC once leased land to the BOP for the plantation of 1.2million eucalyptus trees, which it sourced oil from, but Mr Wynan said that link had ended some years ago.
“This property was originally just sheep and wool, but the AMDC has diversified and continued to grow into new market and find new sources of income,” Mr Wynan said.
Vineyards, cattle and in 2001 the growing and processing of lavender oil become part of their operations. In October 2003 the AMDC opened their tourist centre and they now employ 20 staff.
They produce a varied list of beauty and skin care products using their lavender and eucalyptus oil and wines. The wines are sold under the label Blickling Estate.
They have sold off their merino flock and are not concentrating on breeding Angus cattle, citing the worsening state of the wool and sheep industry.
“Right now we’re starting to find new retail markets in pharmacies and various other retail stores, and we are not too far off cracking new overseas markets,” Mr Wynan said.
The centre is also the recent recipient of the CountryLink Inland NSW Tourism Award for best tourist attractions.
“Business and financial plans are taken into account when judging such awards and the CountryLink award is testament to our sound future and the role we play in this region,” Mr Wynan said.
“We are not just promoting our products here, we encourage visitors to call into the Bendemeer Pub and have a lunch, or visit the arts and crafts centre before enjoying a morning tea at our coffee shop.”
