The plan is the result of consultation with key groups in the Orange, Cabonne and Blayney local government areas on how to improve the region as a tourist destination.

The main finding is that our region needs so offer more for families, specifically in the areas of nature-based tourism and cycling activities.

There is much to support in this document, including the observation that we need more than just food and wine to attract tourists to our region.

Whole embracing the general idea of more family friendly tourist attractions and agreeing that nature based and cycling attractions are desirable, there needs to be some caution shown when considering nature based tourism.

The intention expressed in theme 7, which states "leverage the growth in nature based and cycle tourism through investment in nature based experiences, infrastructure, promotion and activations", requires closer examination.

The plan does not state that "nature based" tourism involves infrastructure, promotion and activations aimed at providing experiences aimed at promoting the appreciation and connection with nature and the need for its conservation. The opposite is implied.

It is possible, unfortunately, that the agenda behind nature based tourism could involve the exploitation of nature to provide experiences for tourists which focus on activities which provide thrills and excitement at the expense of the environment.

Concerns need to be raised when nature based tourism is associated in the Plan with "the development of tracks and trails and the need for cycling and waking trails to nature based destinations" ... alarm bells also start to ring when the plan identifies Mount Canobolas as "having the potential to be developed into a hero nature based asset for the Orange region".

When this statement is coupled with suggestions for chairlifts and mountain bike trails it would be reasonable to suspect that there is an agenda for exploitation of the environment rather than the promotion of activities that respect and conserve our priceless local natural assets.

Nowhere in this document is there any reference to a commitment to use nature-based tourism to enhance and improve the conservation of the region's natural assets.

If we are to accept the concept of nature-based tourism, we need more reassurance that it will be tourism for the benefit of the environment, not its exploitation.