TASAC Minutes 18 June 2014

Minutes of the Tourist Attraction Signposting Assessment Committee and the Subcommittee

Wednesday 18 June 2014 at the North Room, Singleton Visitor Information & Enterprise Centre, Townhead Park, , Singleton

Members David Douglas Regional Coordinator TASAC and Drive, Destination NSW Phil Oliver Road User Guidance, Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) Maria Zannetides TASAC Secretariat

Hunter Region Subcommittee Ken Saxby RMS Hunter Region

Also present Jess Dunston Economic Development Operations Coordinator, Singleton Council Jane Holdsworth Economic Development Manager, Cessnock Council Zoe Cooke Senior Landscape Architect, Moir Landscape Architecture Andrew Margan Hunter Valley & Tourism Association Ben Stoimenoff RMS Hunter Region

Apologies Salena Avard Economic Development Manager, Singleton Council Gus Maher General Manager, & Tourism Association

AGENDA ITEMS

1. DELEGATIONS / PRESENTATIONS & REGIONAL SIGNPOSTING ISSUES

1.1 Hunter Valley Wine Country Draft Signage Strategy and Cessnock LGA Draft Signage Strategy

Zoe Cooke outlined the work that Moir Landscape Architecture is undertaking in relation to signage strategies for Hunter Valley Wine Country and Cessnock LGA. Her presentations and feedback from TASAC members are summarised below.

Hunter Valley Wine Country Draft Signage Strategy

 The Hunter Valley Wine Country Signage Strategy is being carried out a joint project for both Cessnock and Singleton LGAs. The main objectives of the signage strategy are to improve wayfinding signage around the Wine Country region and promote ease of access to the many tourism destinations within it.

 Existing signs in the area which were introduced by the Councils more than 20 years ago are old and dated. Existing fingerboard signs are very text heavy and difficult to read from a moving vehicle.

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 The strategy addresses expressway signs, vineyards directional signs and advance signs and proposes a “signage family” that comprises the following five sign types that are intended to work in combination with RMS tourist signs:

o Information bays o Precinct signs o Intersection signs o Reassurance signs o Destination markers

 Draft designs for each sign type were presented.

 A suite of pictograms is being developed to be adopted and used consistently on all signs, printed material and electronic media.

 Councils and the wine industry will work together to identify the tourism precincts within the region. There may be five to eight of these and colour coding will be developed to differentiate them on signs and promotional material.

TASAC feedback:

i. Existing fingerboard signs for wineries and other businesses in Wine Country are too small and too numerous to be able to be safely read by motorists.

ii. Signposting does not replace the need for industry to market and promote tourism destinations.

iii. RMS does not generally support the provision of signposting for alternative routes.

iv. Only the white on blue Roman “i” can be used for information bays because the yellow on blue italic “i” is trademarked and may only be used to denote accredited visitor information centres.

v. The colours developed for the tourism precincts should avoid using the brown colour used on tourist signposting.

vi. Pictograms cannot be used on signs on State roads. vii. Research indicates that motorists are only able to absorb a maximum of five symbols on signs. The sample designs in the draft strategy for signs with pictograms include too many pictograms that are of too small a size to be safely read, understood and acted upon. viii. TASAC does not support the use of signage or symbols to denote businesses that require prior booking, have limited opening hours/days or are outside defined tourist attraction categories. For example shops, sporting facilities, restaurants, cafes and function or events centres. Accommodation establishments are not eligible for tourist signs that are managed by TASAC. However, in rural areas, as a road safety service to motorists, RMS manages a process where symbols may installed for accommodation establishments that meet specified criteria.

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ix. An accredited road safety auditor should be engaged to consider the location of all proposed signs to be located in roadways and information bays in terms of their impact on road safety.

x. It was suggested that a locality be selected and photomontages developed to illustrate how the strategy could be implemented.

xi. The use of the symbol for Galleries on TASAC signs was discontinued some years ago. xii. Australian Standards be used for the design of street (black on white) and locality names (white on green) on intersection signs. Compliance with the standards will also ensure that the signs are large enough to be safely read. xiii. Guidelines should be developed regarding the design and use of destination markers on private property. xiv. During the discussion Andrew Margan inquired about the possibility of welcome signage for Hunter Valley Wine Country on the . In response it was noted that it would be most appropriate for visitors to be welcomed to Wine Country by the information bays proposed in the signage strategy. Consideration could also be given to the need for road signage to be introduced to welcome signs nearby and in advance of the information bays to direct visitors to them bay but this type of road signage could not be located on the expressway. xv. Andrew also inquired about the possibility of signage on the Hunter Expressway for the various precincts within Wine County. He was advised that TASAC’s signage policy for wine tourism regions does not provide for separate signage for precincts within a region. However, the matter could be considered as part of the next review of the Tourist Signposting Manual. xvi. In response to comments that signposting to vineyards on the Hunter Expressway could be improved, RMS indicated that it will be reviewing the signposting on the expressway, including tourist signposting.

Cessnock LGA Draft Signage Strategy

Zoe presented her firm’s draft signage strategy for Cessnock LGA and the following points were noted:

 The strategy provides guidance on the planning, design and installation of signage in Cessnock LGA to improve wayfinding and enhance its image and branding.

 The following nine sign types have been developed and designs for each were discussed:

o Gateway entry signs o Suburb entry signs o Street signs o Community facility entry signs o Community facility information signs o Town centre information signs

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o Town centre pedestrian fingerboards o Walkway/cycleway signs o Emergency services location markers

TASAC feedback

i. Welcome signs for LGAs are not able to be located on motorways.

ii. Careful consideration needs to be given to ensure that locations for welcome signs are appropriate from a road safety perspective.

iii. The Tourist Signposting Manual outlines the policies for welcome signs for LGAs and towns. It is not necessary to apply to TASAC for these signs but it is important that councils consult with RMS about the design and location for such signs. There is considerable flexibility in the design for these signs so long as they do not attempt to guide traffic or imitate any other sign type, they are safely positioned in the road reserve.

iv. LGA welcome signs must include the name of the actual local council area in the welcome sign design. As “Cessnock” is both the name of an LGA and town, it was suggested that the text on the LGA welcome signs include “Welcome to Cessnock Local Government Area”. The last three words could be on a separate line and in a smaller font than the other words.

v. Australian Standards should be used for the design of street name signs to ensure their legibility and the appropriate use of symbols or pictograms on them.

vi. The use of emergency services location markers is not supported and the use of rural addressing system was suggested as an appropriate alternative.

Action: Ken to provide Zoe with more information on satellite phones.

1.3 Members’ report on site inspections

David and Phil noted a non-standard tourist sign (which gives opening hours) for the Australian Army Infantry Museum on the New England Highway near Range Road.

Action: Secretariat to request the operator to submit a signposting application to allow the signage to be reviewed.

2. NEW TOURIST SIGNPOSTING APPLICATIONS

N / A

3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF 21 MAY 2014

The minutes of TASAC’s meeting of Wednesday 21 May 2014 with the Region Subcommittee in Katoomba were confirmed. The Committee members and Secretariat advised that they had completed all the actions attributed to them from the meeting.

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4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS

4.1 Short Sheep Winery,

A site inspection report in support of an application for tourist signposting for Short Sheep Winery was received from Christine Mas-Fitzell of Mudgee Region Tourism Inc. on 26 May. A letter informing the applicant of the attraction’s eligibility for tourist signposting was issued the same day and advice of the decision was also provided to RMS Western Region. A subsequent request from the operator to include the term “Micro” on the signposting was not supported.

Decision: TASAC noted that Short Sheep Winery is eligible for tourist signposting in the Wineries category.

4.2 McCrossin’s Mill Museum, Uralla

A site inspection report in support of an application for tourist signposting for McCrossin’s Mill Museum was received from Patrick Dogan of Uralla Shire Council on 3 June. Patrick also provided a photo of a new sign at the museum’s entry which confirms that it is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. A letter informing the applicant of the attraction’s eligibility for tourist signposting was issued the same day and advice of the decision was also provided to RMS Northern Region.

Decision: TASAC noted that McCrossin’s Mill Museum is eligible for tourist signposting in the Museums category.

4.3 Central Coast Scenic Drive signage

Central Coast Tourism was advised by letter dated 13 June that RMS has removed tourist signs on the north side of the Mooney Bridge for “Central Coast Scenic Drive”. The removal of the signs was foreshadowed in an earlier letter of 6 May 2014 and determined at the December 2012 TASAC meeting that was held in Kariong. The sign could not be retained because it was badly fatigued and in need of replacement or removal for road safety reasons and it did not relate to an eligible driving experience.

4.4 Meroogal Historic House, Nowra

Following advice from RMS, a letter was sent to Sydney Living Museums advising that existing tourist signposting for Meroogal House on the Princes Highway in Nowra is faded and unserviceable. It is understood that Meroogal House is only open for unbooked visitors on Saturday from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm and there are no plans to increase these hours. In the circumstances the letter requests Sydney Living Museums to contact the Secretariat by 2 July 2014 if it believes that TASAC’s information about the operation of the historic property is incorrect and if a response is not received by that date, it will be assumed that Sydney Living Museums understands that the existing unserviceable signposting for Meroogal House will be removed.

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4.5 Metz Gorge Lookout, Bakers Creek Lookout, Historic Hillgrove and Historic Armidale

Tony Broomfield of Armidale Dumaresq Council has advised that Council’s engineers have completed their survey of the access road and platform at Metz Gorge Lookout and detailed and costed the necessary improvement works. This work was not budgeted in the works program for the current financial year and represents significant challenges to Council. Council’s plan is to complete necessary works to the platform during the current financial year and commence access road work in July as the rural roads budget for 2013/14 is already overspent. Based on this plan Council will not be in a position to submit an application to TASAC until late August at the earliest.

Tony also advised that he expects to submit applications for Bakers Creek Lookout and Historic Hillgrove by the end of June and for Historic Armidale by the end of July.

Action: Secretariat to continue to liaise with Council about the timing of the applications.

5. INQUIRIES RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING

The following inquiries received in the period since the last meeting were noted:

5.1 Central Gardens Nature Reserve, Merrylands (RMS) 5.2 Fairfield Museum and Gallery, Smithfield (RMS) 5.3 Berton Vineyards, Yenda 5.4 Hill 60 and Soldiers Settlement, Kurri Kurri 5.5 Hunter Valley Zoo, Nulkaba 5.6 Hurstville Museum and Gallery 5.7 Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve, Mudgee (RMS) 5.8 Gledswood Homestead (RMS)

6. POLICY ISSUES

6.1 Update from Cessnock Council on Tourist Drive 33

Jane Holdsworth confirmed that Cessnock Council has completed the upgrade of all signage along Tourist Drive 33 on local roads in Cessnock and Gosford LGAs. A promotional brochure for the drive is being prepared and will be submitted to TASAC as soon as it is available.

6.2 Removal of signage for former Upper Hunter Tourist Drives 27 & 29

Support for Upper Hunter Tourist Drives 27 and 29 was withdrawn in 2012 following consultations with the Councils that shared them (Upper Hunter Shire, Muswellbrook and Singleton for TD 27; and Gloucester and Upper Hunter for TD 29). Ken confirmed that signs for both drives had been removed from RMS roads.

7. OTHER BUSINESS

7.1 Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve, Mudgee

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RMS Western Region has identified tourist signposting on the Ulan Road (Main Road 208) near Mudgee for Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve. The reserve is managed by NPWS and signage for it has not been considered by TASAC. Ulan Road is a regional road and Phil indicated that signage on regional roads is a matter for the local council.

7.2 Ernest Shuetz , Mudgee

RMS Western Region has identified tourist signposting on Ulan Road near Mudgee for Ernest Shuetz Wines. This business was not operating when winery signs were for the Mudgee Wine Tourism Region were installed and Mudgee Region Tourism Inc. has confirmed that the winery is operating from premises previously used by Frog Rock Wines, which no longer has a cellar door.

The signage for Ernest Shuetz Wines comprises a fingerboard sign on Ulan Road. Its name has also been added to a reassurance sign on the same road in a position where Frog Rock Wines was previously listed.

Ernest Shuetz Wines is open on weekends from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm and it therefore does not meet the requirements for TASAC signposting. However, as its signage is on a regional road, the matter is one for consideration by Mid Western Regional Council.

7.3 Fairfield Museum and Gallery, Smithfield

Phil contacted Maria about existing signposting for Fairfield Museum and Gallery at the intersection of Cumberland Highway and Brennan Street. The opening hours of the museum and gallery are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, which is less than required by the Tourist Signposting Manual. Maria subsequently wrote to Council’s Museum Coordinator, Carmel Aiello, requesting that an application be submitted so that the eligibility of the museum and gallery for the existing tourist signposting can be reviewed. Carmel called Maria on 17 June to advise that Council was considering reductions to the opening hours of the museum and gallery and that an application would not be submitted. Once written confirmation of this is received Maria will advise RMS and ask it to remove the signposting from its roads.

7.4 Gledswood Homestead, Catherine Field

RMS is currently carrying out road improvement works on Camden Valley Way and Phil informed Maria that existing tourist signposting for Gledswood Homestead on that road is in poor condition. TASAC’s records indicate that it has been more than five years since the eligibility of Gledswood Homestead was considered so any prior eligibility for the signage has lapsed.

In a conversation with the operator on 11 June Maria was advised that Gledswood Homestead primarily operates as a function centre. It was also noted that a cellar door at the site does not meet TASAC’s opening hour requirements (it is only open on weekends) and homestead and farms tours require prior booking. The operator agreed that the business does not currently operate in a manner that meets the tourist signposting requirements. Though she hopes to develop the business to meet the requirements in the future, she accepted that the business’s

Final 30 June 2014 7 of 9 TASAC Minutes 18 June 2014 tourist signposting could not be retained at present. However, the operator also indicated that advertising signs at the entry to the business had been removed by RMS as part of the road works and she requested that RMS reinstates the entry signs prior to any action to remove the tourist signposting.

Actions: (a) Phil to advise Maria about the timing for reinstatement of the Gledswood Homestead entry sign. (b) Secretariat to write to the operator to inform her of the timing an d

7.5 Fossickers Way and Tourist Drive 25

John Rozos, RMS Sydney Region, contacted Maria about signage designs RMS is preparing for Fossickers Way (Tamworth to Warialda) and inquired about the relationship of Fossickers Way and Tourist Drive 25.

Fossickers Way commences in Nundle then proceeds to Tamworth, Manilla, Barraba, Bingara, Warialda, Inverell, Glen Innes and to Emmaville. It is marketed as an inland route for people travelling from Sydney to Brisbane and offers an alternative to the New England Highway from Tamworth to Glen Innes / Emmaville.

Tourist Drive 25 extends south west from Tamworth via Werris Creek and Quirindi to Willow Tree on the New England Highway. While Fossickers Way does not significantly overlap with Tourist Drive 25, the tourist drive’s northern end is in Tamworth. Phil confirmed that Fossickers Way is not the name of a gazetted road.

Tourist Drive 25 is shared by Tamworth and Liverpool Plains Councils. Both Councils wish to retain the drive. Liverpool Plains Council advised TASAC in 2013 that all signs for the drive on local roads in its area are in good condition and that the drive is highlighted in its Quirindi County Drives brochure. In April 2014 RMS advised that signage for the drive on the New England Hwy has been upgraded.

7.6 TASAC Meeting Schedule

Please refer to Attachment 1 for the schedule of meetings for the next six months. The next Hunter Region meeting will be held on 17 June 2015 at a location to be determined. The 20 August meeting, which was to have been held in Forbes, has been relocated to Mudgee.

8. NEXT MEETING

Wednesday 16 July 2014 in Young with the South West Region Subcommittee.

The meeting concluded at 12.40 pm.

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Attachment 1 – TASAC Meeting Schedule

Region Location Date

2014 South West Young 16 July 2014 Western Mudgee 20 August 2014 Southern Wollongong 17 September 2014 Northern Ballina 15 October 2014 Sydney TBA 12 November 2014 N / A Sydney 10 December 2014

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