Should the National Arboretum have extra trails and picnic areas in the forests, horse holding yards and even offer accommodation?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Since it opened three years ago, the arboretum has steadily become one of Canberra's most popular tourist venues, attracting 1.8 million visitors through its gates.
Now the ACT government is closely looking at what the arboretum's future could hold and is asking Canberrans to help decide.
The government has launched a new survey asking the public to help "inform" the future development of the arboretum.
"We know it's a very important part of Canberra's cultural and social fabric and an increasing part of our economic fabric with the increasing number of visitors we're getting," National Arboretum director Adam Stankevicius said.
"We've heard lots and lots of things in the past, we've heard everything from horse trails to improved riding tracks to a hotel to a conference centre, a wide range of public art, there's a whole range of ideas we've heard about for the future of the arboretum and we're looking for the community's input on what those should be."
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the government had begun discussions with stakeholders, including foundation members, Friends of the National Arboretum Canberra, staff and volunteers, about the purpose, function and future of the space.
"A number of ideas have already been brought forward to enhance the arboretum in the past, including an interactive smartphone app to help interpret the forests, additional trails and picnic areas in the forests, horse holding yards and even accommodation options," Mr Barr said in a statement.
"The government is keen to explore all options to ensure the arboretum continues to be a popular attraction."
The survey, which is available on the Time to Talk website, asks the public about whether they've visited the arboretum and how often, as well as if they'd recommend it to others.
It also asks questions about what the public thinks are the venue's most important roles, from being a tourist attraction and a function and event venue to a place for the conservation of rare and endangered trees.
Mr Stankevicius said no firm decisions had been made about the National Arboretum's future.
"The survey is part of a broader consultation process we're undertaking, particularly with our key stakeholders, and we'll put all that documentation to government and government will make the final decision as to what those future directions are," he said.
"The arboretum is obviously a long-term project, it's three years since the official opening... [and] the most interesting question we get, is what is the arboretum going to look like in 20, 30, 40 years when we have the canopy of all the trees that are growing there now.
"We want the Canberra community to have an option to say, besides the forests that will obviously continue to develop and grow, what kind of other things can the arboretum deliver for the community and our visitor economy?"
"It has a core conservation, science, education and research function and that will always be part of the offering of the arboretum, but... we're really to keen to see what it is that people are coming to experience and what they might value more of in the future."
The survey closes on June 27.
