Birdsville magnet

We returned from a pleasant drive to Big red and Birdsville via Innamincka and Lightning Ridge recently .Seeing so relatively few tourists there and the struggling local economy where there are no oil or gas I wondered if a tourist magnet like Lightning Ridge's hot water pool would make a difference. Birdsville has already the water pouring out by the gigalitres into the billabong and it wont be to expensive building a few change rooms and a pool and cool the water down a bit and use all that water.
The hot pool at Lightning Ridge is just as attractive as the opal mines and having one in Birdsville will surely be a good idea. For those crossing the Simpson a hot spring at both ends will be great .
I know of lots of friends who include the Lightning Ridge detour just because the 24 hour free hot pool is so much fun .