Charlotte Varcoe
THE Chamber of Commerce is taking every opportunity to showcase the Mount Gambier/Berrin tourism attractions.
It comes following a presentation being made to the District Council of Grant by the Chamber of Commerce community engagement committee member Kelsie Prowse.
Ms Prowse spoke to elected members about an initiative the chamber had been exploring which included four tours for those heading to the region as part of the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia rally later this year.
She said the chamber consulted their members who came up with the tour ideas with tickets already selling out.
The four tours include a scenic tour, an adventure tour, a tastings tour and explore Port MacDonnell tour, all of which would focus on supporting businesses in the District Council of Grant.
At the recent council meeting, elected members opted to financially support the chamber on its tours by granting $10,000 this financial year as well as a further $5000 next financial year for seed funding to support the chamber’s tourism development sub-committee.
Ms Prowse said council had been very supportive in working with the chamber to boost tourism in the district.
“They have generously supported the tours and they have also committed to some seed funding for next financial year to help the chamber develop the tourism fund and help develop tourism within our region,” she said.
“Tickets for the tours have been out for about a month and most of the tours are already at 50 per cent with some already sold out.”
She said the tours were carefully planned to support about a dozen different businesses within the District Council of Grant.
“This was a main priority of ours to include as much of the district and as many businesses as possibly directly,” Ms Prowse said.
“We also understand there will be lots of benefits to businesses indirectly as well from suppliers and traffic flow.”
She said the chamber wanted to promote as much of the region as possible and make the campers stay in the region longer.
“The scenic tour is the Apple Farm tour and we are going to pick them up form the showgrounds and take them for a drive around the Valley Lakes area, past Scroll Queen for morning tea and to the Little Blue where we will eat and stop for a photo opportunity,” Ms Prowse said.
“We will then travel to Feast’s Classic Care Collection and Memorabilia and then to the Apple Farm for lunch before we take them back to the showgrounds.”
She said the active adventure tour was targeted at more active visitors with attendees climbing Mount Shank before going to Hell’s Hole and a picnic at Piccaninnie Ponds.
“There is also the explore Port MacDonnell which is a tour with Uncle Ken Jones who will take them exploring along the coastline, sharing his stories before lunch at Tide Cade where Australian bush tucker will be highlighted,” Ms Prowse said.
“The fourth tour is a tasting tour where people will go to Carolyn Hills Winery for the wine tasting, Little Rippa Brewery for beet and lunch then off to the Kilsby Sinkhole.
She said the other opportunities the chamber was providing during the stay included showbags for CMCA participants.
“There will be a map highlighting the businesses who have gotten involved and advertising some specials they will be running throughout the rally for participants,” she said.
“The Chamber of Commerce is working alongside both councils to really make this happen.”
District Council Mayor Kylie Boston said the initiative was a great step forward for tourism development.
“These people will not want to move their vehicles and we do not have public transport for things like that,” Mr Boston said.
“They will go and visit other regions around so hopefully they may come back to Port MacDonnell with us and possibly further afield and visit our beautiful places of Beachport, Robe and go inland to places like Naracoorte.”
She said the chamber had really hit the ground running with the initiative which was the main reason behind supporting the development of the tourism development committee.
“We are wondering if it is something now the chamber could build around the Bayside Festival or offer other things so if people do choose to come to the festival they can see what else they can do and make a long weekend of it,” Ms Boston said.
The CMCA will be held in September.
