Cabonne, Blayney and Orange to develop tourism – as a “region”

by Rozzi Smith
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director General, Scott Hansen announced on Tuesday a grant of $150,000 to assist in the formation of a new regional tourism approach to benefit the city, towns, villages, communities, growers and industry operators in Cabonne, Orange and Blayney.

Gathering at the Hillside Orchard (Nashdale) where the announcement was made – the three Mayors of the region Cr. Scott Ferguson (Blayney), Cr. Reg Kidd (Orange) and Cr. Kevin Beatty (Cabonne) have accepted that today’s tourists, government funding and corporate sponsorship initiatives are attracted by what a ‘region’ has to offer.

The Council’s of Blayney, Orange & Cabonne will partner with industry bodies to form Orange Regional Tourism Ltd.

While there is much detail to be sorted through, including partner contribution levels, all Councils and the local tourism industry agree on several key truths:
• that tourists, visitors, potential residents and investors do not see boundaries between shires and treat the whole area as a “region” – like many other “regions” in NSW and Australia.
• that promoting tourism and investment can only be economically and effectively done at the top levels through the combined efforts of all regional players.
For Cabonne and Blayney, to pretend that they are not part of the “Orange Region” as seen and judged through the eyes of the teeming masses in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, China and everywhere else, would likely doom any attempt to promote the region to visitors, future residents and business investors.
Orange Regional Toursim Ltd has an interim board and will get down to business shortly.

In the meantime, Cabonne Council will be looking hard at how it can best participate financially without prejudicing the ongoing funding support of local events.
More to come on this, no doubt.