Mayor of Lithgow Cr Neville Castle told a Lithgow Business Association meeting this week that he was both surprised and delighted by the amount of development that has taken place at the Wolgan Valley site for the Emirates resort and Spa.

He also expressed his pleasure at seeing such a good audience at the meeting to hear about “the most exciting business that has happened in our area for a number of years”.

Cr Castle said that international visitors to the area would be able to take in and appreciate the magical scenery between Sydney and Wolgan — scenery often taken for granted by locals.

He said the project was ‘putting Lithgow on the worldwide map’.

The Emirates development will be a ‘tremendous benefit’ with obvious advantages for local business and the workforce.

Cr Castle said the multiplier effect would see the development have a massive boost to local economies with regional goods and produce to be used including wines from Mudgee and goats’ cheese from Lidsdale.

He also said that an increase in ancillary business (laundries etc) would make a difference to the local economy and many businesses may also be developed to cater specifically for the Emirates project.

He said the Emirates were dealing very openly about the project at every stage.

Member for Bathurst Gerard Martin also spoke, saying the Emirates project was “a very exciting and unique development for the area” that would make it the envy of other tourist destinations across Australia.

He alluded to a number of bureaucratic difficulties experienced by Emirates in gaining approval for the project, saying the State Government would endeavour to learn from the inadequacies in the approval process.

Mr Martin said the Wolgan Valley project would bring an international focus to NSW and to the greater Lithgow area in general.

The LBA holds meetings on the third Wednesday of each month.

All local business people are invited to attend, providing an opportunity for them to get to know other small business owners and to promote the economy of Lithgow.

Financial membership should be discussed with executive members of the LBA, with application forms readily available.