Charlotte Varcoe
TWO Limestone Coast heritage and tourism businesses have received state government funding.
Walk the Limestone Coast alongside the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre shared in $27,800 in heritage grant funding.
Walk the Limestone Coast received $12,800 for videography to promote the experience on the Taste of the Aussie Camino – Mary MacKillop Pilgrimage.
The Mary MacKillop Centre received $15,000 to kickstart its lighting upgrade for its current exhibitions in hopes to further enhance visitor experience.
Centre coordinator Marie Valenzuela said they were grateful for the funding with the building built in 1998.
“This is about keeping up with the times and also technology has changed so much, it is more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and offers better quality of lighting and more control options,” Ms Valenzuela said.
“It is important for conservation purposes for the artifacts we do have but of course it costs a lot of money so this grant we have will help get it started.”
She said on dull days it could be difficult to see displays in their full capacity with the new lighting aiming to promote emotion while visitors embarked on Saint Mary MacKillop’s journey.
“We want to upgrade the lighting because the new displays require better lighting because they have a bit more text, nicer images on there that need to be highlighted and we want people to have an emotional experience when they come so they are really engaged with it,” Ms Valenzuela said.
Walk the Limestone Coast owner and operator Natasha Dawson said the funding would allow the new ecotourism business to promote itself on a new level.
“This is the third year of the business and I am trying to attract tourists that want to spend multiple days in our region walking across the landscape,” Ms Dawson said.
“The Aussie Camino is one of the tour offerings I have and it is a four day pilgrimage from Port MacDonnell to Penola and we walk around 20 kilometres per day and they carry a day pack with their luggage transferred.
“It is about walking through and across the landscape and enjoying all the landscape has to offer and connecting with people along the way.”
She said the grant money would allow her to have a videographer to put together a marketing promotional video and take snapshots of the journey.
“There is the marketing footage and the second part of the video is the storytelling and enhancing the storytelling by engaging locals and First Nations people to tell stories about the people in the place,” Ms Dawson said.
“What I will do is then provide links for the pilgrims to be able to click on so they can hear those stories of different people each day as they walk.”
She said the walk was often an emotional journey for those involved with the pilgrimage having a “very different feel” about it.
“A lot of people reflect on their life or their life’s journey or where they are at in life when they are on pilgrimage,” Ms Dawson said.
“It is that connection with yourself as well as with others.”
She said it was fantastic the state government approved funding for the two heritage tourism businesses to receive funding and it showcased the government’s investment into regional history.
