By XAVIER SMERDON
THE award winning Werribee Open Range Zoo is set to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation.
Work is expected to begin in February and will include a new Wyndham Council Visitor Information Centre.
The council hopes to cash in on record visitor numbers at the zoo as a way to boost tourism throughout the municipality.
Spokesperson for Werribee Open Range Zoo, Kym Carter, told Star construction will begin early next year.
“Members visiting the zoo in February will experience some building works near the zoo entrance as construction begins on an exciting new $4.25 million Visitors Arrival Precinct,” Ms Carter said.
“Features of the new entry area include an external cafe and amenities, an additional 400 car parking spaces, a larger retail area or “discovery centre”, and a Wyndham City Council Visitor Information Centre.
“Works will take several months to complete but will have minimal impact on visitor experience.”
During the last financial year more than 400,000 people visited the zoo. This was a record, with the previous best being 307,000.
Wyndham Council CEO Kerry Thompson said that the information centre would open up other parts of the municipality to tourists.
“As part of the entry precinct redevelopment, a small space, accessible without the requirement to gain entry to the zoo, has been set aside for a satellite information centre,” Ms Thompson said.
“The space will be leased from the zoo at a minimal rate and $150,000 has been allocated in the 2012-2013 budget for the fit-out of the visitor information centre. The visitor information centre (VIC) currently based at the Wyndham Cultural Centre will remain operational.
“The satellite VIC aims to tap into the one million plus visitors to the Werribee Tourism Precinct,” MS Thompson said.
“Its presence will encourage tourists to visit other areas within the municipality and increase the economic impact of the tourist dollar for all businesses across Wyndham.”
The zoo is also getting ready to launch a revamp of its Summer Safari school holiday program in December.
Last month Star revealed that the zoo had become the first in the world to install new technology that would allow deaf or hearing impaired children to scan codes and view sign language explanations of all the exhibits.
