Community invited to help guide tourism strategy

Published on 18 October 2022

West Wimmera Shire Council is developing a new tourism strategy and residents are invited to have their say.

The strategy will provide opportunities for Council and businesses to capitalise on the tourist market in Victoria and southeast South Australia.

It is a long-term plan that will guide future investment in the region.

Council awarded the contract for the West Wimmera Tourism Strategy to Stafford Strategy.

Consultants will run a series of community engagement sessions in the shire to find out what residents want the strategy to include.

There will be four community engagement sessions across the shire. They will be:

October 24 at the Harrow Discovery Centre from 4:30pm to 5:30pm
October 24 at the Edenhope and District Community Centre from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
October 25 at the Goroke Community Centre from 4:30pm to 5:30pm
October 25 at the Kaniva Shire Hall from 6.30pm to 7:30pm

Council Chief Executive Officer David Bezuidenhout said this was a great opportunity for community members to have their say about tourism in the region.

“We encourage as many people as possible to come along to an engagement session,” he said.

“This is your chance to let the consultants know what makes West Wimmera Shire a great tourism destination, and what we can improve on.”

For those who cannot attend an engagement session, an online survey is available at westwimmera.vic.gov.au/Have-Your-Say/West-Wimmera-Tourism-Strategy.

Hard copies of the survey will also be available to collect from Edenhope and Kaniva customer service centres.

All community feedback will be considered by Stafford Strategy when preparing the document.

Once the draft strategy is completed, it will be presented to Council for consideration.

West Wimmera Shire Council plays a significant role in tourism across the shire and within the Wimmera, Mallee, and Grampians.

Council invests in infrastructures such as visitor centres, parks, and gardens, as well as takes responsibility for roads, removal of sewerage and waste, signage, and the creation of a safe environment for visitors to enjoy.