Visitor First Experience Fund

About the fund

The $3 million Visitor First Experience (VFE) Fund supports the Queensland Government’s Towards Tourism 2032 strategy, a plan to deliver uniquely Queensland experiences to meet the needs of visitors, communities, and the environment.

Aims

The aim of the fund is to strengthen Queensland’s tourism industry and deliver economic benefits through enhancing the state’s tourism offerings by bringing forward the delivery of new and enhanced tourism-related projects.

Priority was given to projects that demonstrated:

• alignment to the key priorities of the Towards Tourism 2032 strategy such as tech wonderment, nature-based tourism, regenerative tourism and authentic culture
• advanced planning and project completion by June 2024 as a priority and by no later than June 2025
• access to or secured co-funding contribution, at the time of application.

Grant details

The $3 million Visitor First Experience Fund will support four projects in Queensland, which is forecast to leverage more than $10.1 million in private investment. The projects combined are estimated to support 49 jobs during construction and create a further 54 new jobs once projects are operational.

Successful grant recipients

National Trust of Australia (Queensland) Limited

$1 million to support $5 million project: Creation of Astra Lumina at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, a 1.5 km nighttime trail offering an immersive light and video experience.  
RTO – Destination Gold Coast

Australian Tourist Park Management Pty Ltd trading as NRMA Parks and Resorts

$700,000 to support $2.8 million project: Stage 1 of the transformation of Cape Hillsborough Nature Retreat to create an eco-sustainable resort with upgrades to accommodation offerings across the site.  
RTO – Mackay Tourism

FNQ Adventures Pty Ltd operating as Funtastic NQ Adventures

$387,000 to support $1.55 million project: Construction of two 12 metre, mono-hull boats to deliver a range of new marine tours to Magnetic Island, the Palm Island group and the Great Barrier Reef from Townsville.
RTO – Townsville Enterprise

See Moreton Pty Ltd

$1 million to support $4.85 million project: Construction of a custom-built 22 metre vessel and two customised 4 WD touring vehicles to support the delivery of year-round experiences to Mulgumpin (Moreton Island).
RTO – Brisbane Economic Development Agency