Matilda Bay Reserve - Department of Environment and Conservation

Reserve. The Reserve becomes a focus for special events such as the 96FM skyshow and regattas. Inaddition, it is estimated that more than four million people drive along the edge of the Reserveannually.A visitor survey assessed visitor use, obtained visitors' attitudes towards facilities and sought opinionson how the Reserve could be improved (Pontre and Cavana, 1992). The survey was conducted over afour week period during April and May, 1991.Two hundred and sixty-seven visitors were surveyed during school holidays, weekends and normalweek days. As shown in Table 1 the weekday visitor pattern is significantly different from theweekend pattern. On weekdays during a University of Western Australia term, 67% of the visitors areassociated with the University compared with 16% on the weekend. When school holidays coincidewith University term 60% of visitors are associated with the University.TABLE 1.RESERVE VISITORS BY DAY TYPEWEEKDAY WEEKEND SCHOOL TOTAL% (N o.) % (No.) HOLIDAYS (No.)% (No.)Associated with 67.3 (33) 16.0 (15) 60.0 (74) 122UniversityNot associated 32.7 (16) 84.0 (79) 40.0 (50) 145with UniversityTOTAL 100 (49) 100 (94) 100 (124) 267In summer, the Reserve is also used by corporate organisations for parties varying in size up to 300people. Organisers of sporting events, such as marathons, occasionally use the Reserve as a stoppoint.Most visitors to Matilda Bay are from the Perth metropolitan area, but a substantial number comefrom country areas and interstate. Five percent of visitors are from overseas. The Reserve is avaluable tourist asset for the State and the facilities provided need to be of a corresponding standard.ACTIONS1. Provide and maintain satisfactory facilities and services to cater for visitors.14