Minutes of the Shoalhaven
Tourism Advisory Group
Meeting Date: Monday, 10 May 2021
Location: Council
Chambers, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 5.00pm
The following members were present:
Clr Joanna Gash
Mr Robert Crow - Chairperson
Mr David Goodman
Mr Neil Rodgers (remotely)
Mr David Duffy (remotely)
Ms Brenda Sambrook
Dr James Lin
Ms Juliet Barr
Mr Mark Thirlwall
Mr David Fleeting (remotely)
Others present:
Mr Robert Domm – Director, City Futures
Ms Coralie Bell – Section Manager, Tourism
Ms Kristy Mayhew – Tourism Marketing Specialist
Ms Emelie Einarsson – Senior Administration Officer,
Tourism
Ms Kate Selig – Tourism Investments & Events
Specialist
An apology was received from Mat Lock.
Confirmation of the
Minutes
|
RESOLVED (David Goodman / Brenda Sambrook)
That the Minutes of the Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group
held on Wednesday 24 March 2021 be confirmed.
CARRIED
|
Nil.
Presentations
TA21.11 Rock Climbing - Rob Crow (Owner)
- Climb Nowra
|
HPERM Ref: D21/146329
|
Rob Crow - Climb Nowra, gave a presentation to the meeting
on Climbing in the Nowra Region.
·
Rob acknowledged the
Council support and management of the sensitivity surrounding the use of
Thompson Point as a climbing venue. Consultation was undertaken with Aboriginal
elders and their communities with a positive outcome and resulting in the
whole area being cleaned up.
·
Neil Rodgers, and Rob identified that there is a targeted group
base in Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra especially with international travel
restrictions at the moment.
·
Neil also noted that it is worthwhile combining suggested
itineraries to draw likeminded people to the area such as combining visits to
the Shoalhaven micro-breweries, wineries and the rock climbing activities,
not necessarily including accommodation.
·
The Shoalhaven Local
Government Area is known to hold world class climbing sites throughout the
rock climbing community worldwide.
|
Reports
TA21.12 Tourism Manager Update
|
HPERM Ref: D21/10277
|
Coralie Bell – Section
Manager, Tourism addressed the meeting and advised that there were no
exceptions to the report.
|
Recommendation (Item to be
determined under delegated authority)
That the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group receive the Tourism Manager’s Report
for information.
|
RESOLVED (Clr Gash / David Goodman)
That the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group receive the Tourism Manager’s Report
for information.
CARRIED
|
TA21.13 Election of Office Bearers
|
HPERM Ref: D21/89108
|
Rob Crow vacated the position of
Chairperson, Robert Domm assumed the role of the Chair/Returning Officer and
called for nominations.
Clr Gash and David Goodman
nominated Rob Crow as Chairperson and Mark Thirlwall as Deputy Chair.
Robert Crow and Mark Thirlwall
accepted the nomination.
Robert Domm called for further
nominations, no further nominations were received.
Robert Domm declared Rob Crow as
Chairperson and Mark Thirlwall as Deputy Chairperson.
Robert Crow assumed the Chair.
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group
1. Extend the
following Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group to December 2021 in line with the extension
of membership of current members.
a. Rob Crow - Chair
b. Mark Thirlwall – Deputy Chair
|
RESOLVED (Clr Gash / David Goodman)
That the Shoalhaven
Tourism Advisory Group
1. Extend the
following Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group to December 2021 in line with the extension
of membership of current members.
a. Rob Crow - Chair
b. Mark Thirlwall – Deputy Chair
CARRIED
|
TA21.14 Visitor Services Update
|
HPERM Ref: D21/90153
|
Coralie Bell addressed the
meeting and advised that there were no exceptions to the report.
Feedback from
Visitor Services is that they have been really busy, particularly with a high
number of incoming phone calls and that they are excited to be back in their
space.
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group receive the Visitor Services Report for
information.
|
RESOLVED (Clr Gash / James Lin)
That the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group receive the Visitor Services Report for
information.
CARRIED
|
TA21.15 Destination Marketing
|
HPERM Ref: D21/94644
|
Coralie Bell addressed
the meeting and advised that:
·
Quorum was not reached at the last Aboriginal Advisory
Committee meeting so there is no update. A summary has been added to the
report for the next meeting regarding the need to hold a conversation with
the Aboriginal community to get more feedback.
·
Six Shoalhaven towns have been nominated for the Business NSW Top
Tourism Towns – Berry, Culburra Beach, Kangaroo Valley, Huskisson,
Sussex Inlet in the under 5,000 residents category and Ulladulla in the over
5,000 residents. https://www.businessnsw.com/media-centre/nsw-top-tourism-town-awards-2021
·
Website traffic has had a significant increase and is up 92%
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the Shoalhaven Tourism
Advisory Group receive the Destination Marketing Report for information.
|
RESOLVED (Juliet Barr / Brenda Sambrook)
That the Shoalhaven Tourism
Advisory Group receive the Destination Marketing Report for information.
CARRIED
|
TA21.16 Chair's Report
|
HPERM Ref: D21/94828
|
The Chairperson advised there
were no exceptions to the report and thanked all the members and staff for
maintaining the commitment to convene meetings going forward.
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the Group
receive the Chair’s Report for information.
|
RESOLVED (David Goodman / Mark Thirlwall)
That the Shoalhaven
Tourism Advisory Group receive the Chair’s Report for information.
CARRIED
|
TA21.17 River Festival Update
|
HPERM Ref: D21/94843
|
The River Festival is scheduled
to go ahead on 23 October 2021. This year will feature the steel bridge as
part of the activities and fireworks will be replaced with a lighting and
sound spectacular.
|
Recommendation (Item to be
determined under delegated authority)
That the Shoalhaven Tourism
Advisory Group receive the Shoalhaven River Festival Committee report for
information
|
RESOLVED (Juliet Barr / Brenda Sambrook)
That the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group receive the Shoalhaven River Festival
Committee report for information.
CARRIED
|
TA21.18 Event and Investment Report
|
HPERM Ref: D21/149617
|
No exceptions to the report.
Kate Selig - Tourism Investments
& Events Specialist, provided an update on upcoming events:
·
Fairgrounds Festival, Berry has been postponed to 2022
·
StoryFest, Ulladulla – 18 - 20 June 2021
·
Viking Festival, Sussex Inlet – 12-13 June 2021
·
L’Etape Australia has been postponed – proposed new
date subject to approval is 28 November 2021
·
Sporting events are coming back: Koori Knockout and Indigenous
Football League (soccer) in October 2021
·
Sth Coast Food & Wine, Huskisson – 15 -16 October
2021
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the Shoalhaven Tourism
Advisory Group receive the events report for information.
|
RESOLVED (James Lin / Mark Thirlwall)
That the Shoalhaven Tourism
Advisory Group receive the events report for information.
CARRIED
|
General Business
TA21.19 Sports Board Update
|
HPERM Ref: D21/94697
|
David Goodman provided a Sports Board Update to the
Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group.
·
Winter sports have
started very well this year, with competitions across soccer, rugby union,
netball and rugby league.
·
Positive feedback
from the NSW Senior Golf championship which was held alternatively between
Shoalhaven Heads and Nowra Golf courses. The competition brought 260 players
to the region and general consensus was that the players were not aware of
what the Shoalhaven has to offer and that they will return.
·
Clr White advised
she had attended the Golf Championship as representative of the Mayor.
Shoalhaven Heads Golf Club is currently vying for the opportunity to
hold one of the largest prestige golf tournaments which guarantees $1.2
million to the hosting Club. Clr White advised that a Notice of Motion will
be going to Council to try to secure funding to go towards the event.
·
Members are needed
to join the Sports Board
|
TA21.20 Industry Feedback
|
HPERM Ref: D21/94774
|
Members discussed the need for a boardwalk between Callala
Bay and Callala Beach.
Clr White advised the existing boardwalk
is in sections and that a continuous boardwalk which went from Callala Beach
to Emmet Street would be greatly benefit the community.
Juliet Barr suggested the concept for a
new Regional Gallery to be built around the River precinct in
particular the Graham Lodge site. Robert Domm advised that a marketing
campaign seeking expressions of interest for site including Graham Lodge has
just been released, with the intention of restoring and reusing Graham Lodge.
Juliet raised
the possibility of an Art precinct being established where members of the
community could go from one gallery to the other (Bundanon) via ferry/boat.
Robert Domm
advised that there has been interest for significant hotel development and
other tourist facilities such as restaurants and cafes on the old caravan park
site.
|
RESOLVED
(David Goodman / Clr Gash)
That the Shoalhaven Tourism Advisory Group give in principle
support for the construction of a Boardwalk on Callala Beach Road and the
connection of other walks throughout the Callala creek area and receive
reports on the progress.
CARRIED
|
TA21.21 Councillors Update
|
HPERM Ref: D21/94786
|
The meeting
received the following updates:
·
Clr Gash congratulated the Tourism Team and Allan Baptist, and
advised that the film – Living on the Coast was live and was a great
show.
·
Congratulations to all that was involved with the Nowra by
Night
·
Nowra – Junction Court to receive over $900,000 for
revitalisation through a successful Grant application.
·
A Federal Budget announcement was made regarding the Highway
works from Jervis Bay Road intersection to Sussex Inlet turn off.
|
There being no further business, the meeting concluded, the
time being 6:45pm.
Mr Robert
Crow
CHAIRPERSON