State Member for Orange announcing grants for the Caves strategic plans which will help with its fledgling fortunes. The Wellington Caves is one of the main projects the council in Wellington is looking at turning around.

Member for Orange, Andrew Gee announced $510,000 worth of grants for the region’s Crown reserves under the NSW Government’s Public Reserve Management Fund (PRMF).

Mr Gee said the grants would go towards maintaining and upgrading local reserves that supported community activities and events.

Grants are offered to the following local reserve trusts:

 $144,800 to Manildra Showground to establish a caravan and RV stopover area with dumping point and compliant amenities block with disabled access facilities;

 $195,000 to Mount Arthur Reserve for maintenance and safety upgrade of the Scenic Drive roadway within the Reserve to address identified public safety risk;

 $50,000 to Red Hill Reserve to build an underground shaft at the poppet head

 $40,000 to Victoria Park, Mudgee as a contribution towards the redevelopment of existing tennis courts into 6 junior courts and the upgrade of 2 existing decommissioned court surfaces;

 $80,500 to Wellington Caves for the development of Strategic Business plans, together with three product improvement activities and two amenity improvement/useability projects.

Mr Gee said letters of offer had been sent to the trusts and once they accepted them, the funds would be made available.

“The Deputy Premier, Andrew Stoner has informed me of these offers and I will be pleased to make another announcement regarding further grants in the next week,” Mr Gee said.

“The NSW Government supports reserves in regional areas by listening to the community and delivering funds to where they are needed.”