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As well as bringing international recognition and attention to our region, it would be a source of local, state and national pride, with a corresponding boost to optimism and investment.
World Heritage status will preserve and protect the prime agricultural land within the Mount Lofty Ranges, along with the enviable lifestyle that the region offers.
UNESCO listing of the Mount Lofty Ranges as a World Heritage site has the potential to open up niche and premium markets in agribusiness and tourism. Economic benefits include the enhanced international awareness of the region, which would flow on to producers of food and wine, adding value to agricultural pursuits and stimulating tourism from interstate and overseas.
Even before World Heritage listing is achieved, there are many benefits to be gained for the region. The bid process itself forges vital links between local, state and federal government agencies, non-government organisations, the private sector and the community at large. As the bid progresses, it raises our awareness and understanding of our unique place in world history.
It’s important to distinguish between UNESCO World Heritage and other, local forms of heritage protection. Seeking the listing is a pro-growth strategy for a productive landscape that enables farmers, food and beverage producers and tourism operators to more effectively market the region. It does not seek to ‘freeze’ the landscape in any way, or to stifle development. Producers can still shift crops, change practices, build new buildings and take down old ones, subject to approval from the relevant local or state government authorities, just as they can today.
