Currently, Walhalla offers several key activities that contribute to its appeal as a tourist destination. These are:

• The Walhalla Goldfields Railway

• The Long Tunnel Extended Mine

• Ghost Tours

• Walking Historical Tours

• Visitors to sites of historical significance such as the Walhalla Cemetery, Old Post Office, and Cricket Ground

Many of the activities fund future developments for Walhalla’s attractions, which are primarily run by volunteers. As the volunteer community ages and engagement in voluntary organisations declines, investment in a tourism model that promotes self-sustainability and viability as a business model is needed.

Walhalla is presently part of a UNESCO World Heritage bid to list the Victorian Goldfield towns involved in the mining boom of the 1800s. If successful, Walhalla will become even more popular than it already is. International interest in the town will increase, and visitorship is highly likely to expand.

Planning for inclusion as a World Heritage site is a logical response to the possibility of expansion. Being prepared means capitalising on opportunity.

Walhalla is unique in that it has a dedicated core of volunteers who take on the following duties:

• Operation of the Long Tunnel Extended Mine tours

• Operation of the Walhalla Goldfields Railway

• Curation and preservation of artefacts for display in the Walhalla Museum and Old Post Office

• Walking / historical tours

• Ghost tours

• Fundraising for projects

• Grant acquisition

• Maintenance of grounds and buildings

• Advocating to local and state governments for the advancement of Walhalla or improvements of infrastructure

Walhalla’s thriving and active community is a cornerstone of the town's success. The precedent has already been established that the community is well-situated to manage future initiatives. However, the optimal outcome is to transition some roles from that of a volunteer to that of employment. This could be achieved through an initial investment with a plan to financially sustain a position (or positions) of employment going forward.

Please see the case study here of how this has been achieved for the Long Tunnel Extended Mine.

Walhalla is already a drawcard for tourism. With over 130,000 visitors to the town annually, Walhalla’s viability as a tourist destination is self-evident.

Offering accommodation, food, and activities, nearby townships such as Erica and Rawson share in some of Walhalla’s success.

Walhalla and the LGAs of Baw Baw Shire and Latrobe City Council are facing change with the imminent closure of the nearby SEC power station. With logging recently closed down in the region, there is a void to fill with employment opportunities.

Walhalla is a valued destination that welcomes around 130,000 people annually. There is potential to meet the needs of these visitors with more activities, more historical information, and more events that are geared toward ongoing tourist interest.