• McGowan Government provides long-term certainty for Araluen Botanic Park 
• Funding boost to improve tourism infrastructure and help boost local jobs
• New lease arrangement provides management with better fundraising opportunities  

A $300,000 funding boost and a new long-term management agreement is set to help tourism thrive at Araluen Botanic Park.

The new 10-year agreement will provide the Araluen Botanic Park Foundation with more certainty and autonomy to continue running the facility, while paying a token rent of one tulip bulb a year to the Western Australian Planning Commission.

The Foundation's annual funding will increase from about $850,000 to $1.05 million, while a one-off transfer of $300,000 is being provided to enhance tourism infrastructure and local employment opportunities at the park.

Event attraction and a long-term tourism strategy will also be developed.

A 10-year agreement, starting from July 1, 2018, signals greater certainty and stability for the park and Foundation, which previously had a year-to-year management agreement with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

The shift in tenure to a lease arrangement will realise a range of benefits, including greater flexibility for the Foundation to seek further corporate sponsorship and lotteries grants.

The new arrangement is the result of a year-long process driven by Planning Minister Rita Saffioti and Armadale MLA Tony Buti, who worked directly with the Foundation to find a solution.

Originally established in 1929, Araluen has been owned by the State Government since 1990 and jointly managed with the Araluen Botanic Park Foundation.

The park comprises about 59 hectares of native bushland, of which 14 hectares are developed gardens.

Ongoing, day-to-day management of the park will remain in the hands of the Araluen Botanic Park Foundation, its staff and volunteers.