Torres Strait G Poruma Island R

Horn Island E DARWIN A T Thursday Island B

G A R

R R I ER R

E E Jardine E

F

River NP A CAIRNS T

QUEENSLAND Mission Beach B

A A USTRAL I A BRISBANE

DARWIN R Weipa R CANBERRA PERTH Visitor Information Centre I Paddle Boarding,E Mission Beach ADELAIDE SYDNEY R Munkan Gulf of MELBOURNE Kandju NP Haggerstone R E Carpentaria Island E HOBART Katherine F Strength in the face of adversity: Understanding the key role Lizard Island Cape York played by the Mission Beach Visitor Information Centre in Peninsula responding to and recovering from . Cooktown Borroloola Lakeland

Staaten Port Douglas DRIVING INFORMATION River NP Palm Cove Double Island Mission Beach is located on the determined journey in restoring the Green Island Chillagoe Cairns coast betweenFo rCairns road co nandditi on repregion’sorts visit: tourism industry.” Karumba Atherton Fitzroy Island Tablelands Innisfail . It is bound byww Worldw.131 9Heritage40.qld.go v.au and Normanton Mission Beach rainforest and the World Heritagewww.racq. clistedom.au Angi Matveyeff Bedarra Island Cardwell Manager, Mission Beach Tourism . TourismFor ism othere Q ueensland information visit: Croydon Georgetown Ingham www.queenslandholidays.com.au Lawn Hill NP Orpheus Island region’s most important industry, worth Paluma NP Palm Island The worst affected areas were Tully, Hayman Island Townsville Magnetic Island an estimated $100 million to Ttheenna nt Creek Silkwood, Mission Beach, Innisfail and Ayr Hook Island Bowling Green Bay NP Burdekin economy. It employs over 20,000 people Camooweal Home Hill Daydream Island Cardwell. Cyclone Yasi also caused Charters Towers Bowen South Molle Island in Tropical North Queensland. massive damage to the resort Cloncurry White Mountains NP Airlie Beach Richmond Proserpine Hamilton Island infrastructure at Hayman, Dunk, and Cape Hillsborough NP Conway NP Long Island The Mission Beach Visitor Information Mount Isa Julia Creek Eungella NP Bedarra islands and the surrounding Hughenden Lindeman Island Centres (VIC) primary focus is Northern Mackay Brampton Island

Marian P Tcommunities.erritory A Sarina Keswick Island generating business for the local tourism Moranbah C I Tobermorey F industry and welcoming visitors to the I The VIC took a lead role in cyclone Winton Queensland C

D H region. ON recovery efforts and wasO integralBoulia in the W XXXX Island HU Y E HW Clermont Yeppoon WY Y Great Keppel communicationsNTY H to all levels of The VIC is managed by Mission Beach PLE TROPIC OF Barcaldine Emerald Rockhampton Island Wilson Island TROPIC OF Blackwater government, media CandAPRI CtheORN relatives of Heron Island CAPRICORN Business and Tourism (MBBT),Alice the Sprin gs Diamantina NP Longreach Gladstone visitors and residents who were in the Miriam Vale Tannum Sands region’s peak tourism body. The VIC also Agnes Water Seventeen Seventy region. The VIC was also Bheavilyedourie involved Kroombit Tops NP Lady Musgrave Island receives support in the way of funding Blackall Lady Elliot Island in ensuring the housing and well-being of Biloela Bundaberg and office space from Cassowary Coast Carnarvon NP Expedition Simpson Welford NP Idalia NP Monto Fraser Island TRAVELLING DISTANvolunteer,CES (KM) paid, governmentDesert NP and armyW indorah NP Gin Gin Regional Council (Council). Eidsvold Childers Hervey Bay personnel who came to the region to Maryborough Birdsville Injune Gayndah “In the early hours of FebruaryMAJOR 3,CI T2011,IES IN TO BhelpRISB AinN Ethe rebuilding efforts. Tiaro Sydney to Brisbane Category 5 Cyclone Yasi crossed the Charleville Roma Noosa via Pacific Highway ...... More than .9a2 8year later, parts of the Kingaroy Maroochydore Australian coast at Mission Beach South Mitchell Miles Chinchilla Sydney to Brisbane region are still feelingAu thest rimpacts.alia Key Quilpie Caloundra between Cairns and Townsville,via New bringingEngland H ighway ...... 973 Dalby Moreton Island tourism infrastructure, such as local peak wind gusts estimatedSy dnat e285kmy to Bris bperane Innamincka BRISBANE jetties, need to be re-built and some St George Moonie North & South hour. Within hours, the staffvia N ofew Missionell Highw ay ...... 1254 Toowoomba Stradbroke Islands Warwick Melbourne to Brisbaneparts of the national park remain in a Thargomindah Cunnamulla Inglewood Gold Coast Beach Tourism began their dedicated and Restaurant, Mission Beach Goondiwindi via Newell Highway ...... poor state..1674 Stanthorpe Springbrook NP Currawinya NP Lamington NP Adelaide to Brisbane Y W Main Range NP H via Barrier Highway/ L Mt Barney NP L Moree Newell Highway ...... 2100 Marree New South Wales E Glen Innes Grafton W

E

Bourke N Y Gympie Mossman MAJOR QUEENSLAND Narrabri W H Coffs Harbour Murgon Port Douglas D Testimonial DESTINATIONS TO Kybong Noosa N Coolum Kuranda A QUEENSLAND REGIONS Wondai Nambour L Maroochydore Mareeba G CAIRNS Tamworth Y Montville Mooloolaba Atherton N Brisbane to Toowoomba ...... 123 Kingaroy E W “Mission Beach and surrounding regions suffered both structural and much vegetation damage,Cob butar after H Maleny Herberton NBabindayngan Port Macquarie Kawana W Brisbane to Warwick ...... 154 Nanango C Malanda E I dusting ourselves off, we went immediately into recovery mode. We have made greatCaloundra steps forward and Innisfail F Blackbutt Beerwah Ravenshoe N I Brisbane to Kingaroy ...... 211 Broken Hill Mission Beach C A appreciate the numberBri sofba nvisitorse to Stant hthatorpe ...... are continuingP.o2rt1 4August ato choose Mission Beach as their preferred holidayTully Dubbo P Esk Caboolture Muswellbrook destination.” Hampton Brisbane to Hervey Bay ...... 291 Fernvale Bribie Island Cardwell Newcastle Brisbane to Goondiwindi ...... 349 Strathpine Redcliffe Gatton Mission Beach BusinessBrisbane and to Bun Tourismdaberg ...... 362 Ipswich Wynnum Manly Y Forbes Toowoomba W Lockyer Dunwich H Brisbane to Roma ...... 475 L Australian Valley Cleveland L BRISBANE E SYDNEY Brisbane to Gladstone ...... 532 W Capital Beenleigh E Brisbane to Rockhampton ...... 634 Boonah N Mt Tamborine Territory Warwick Yass Brisbane to Charleville ...... 741 Beaudesert MissionHarbourtown Beach VIC Case WStudyagga 17 Narrandera Wagga ADELAIDE Canungra Surfers LEGEND Brisbane to Mackay ...... 967 Rathdowney Paradise Coolangatta International Airports Brisbane to Airlie Beach ...... 1150 CANBERRA Brisbane to Longreach ...... 1309 Domestic Airports Brisbane to Townsville ...... 1356 Train Routes Albury Accredited Visitor Brisbane to Cairns ...... 1701 Shepparton Bega Information Centres Victoria Touring Routes Stanthorpe to Kingaroy ...... 306 Seymour Pacific Coast Touring Route Rockhampton to Barcaldine ...... 580 (Bruce Highway) St George to Emerald ...... 598 Mount Gambier MELBOURNE Matilda Highway (A2) Tennant Creek to Mount Isa ...... 662 Geelong Adventure Way Rockhampton to Longreach ...... 686 Portland Overlanders Way (A2 & A6) Goondiwindi to Rockhampton Great Inland Way (A7 & A55) (Leichhardt Hwy)...... 696 Savannah Way Cairns to Karumba ...... 758 Australia’s Country Way (A3) Townsville to Mount Isa ...... 903 Capricorn Highway (A4) Charleville to Mount Isa ...... 1164 Warrego Highway (A2) Leichhardt Highway George Town Great Tropical Drive The Gore Highway Tourism Queensland has compiled and produced this guide in the interest of promoting Tourism in Queensland. Devonport The information contained within this publication has been assembled and included with all due care. Launceston The Cunningham Highway Tourism Queensland makes no warranty or assurance as to the correctness, completeness or suitability of purpose of the Information. In no event will Tourism Queensland be liable to any person in contract, tort or otherwise if any Tasmania Published by Tourism Queensland, (March 2012) information in the publication is incomplete, inaccurate or not suitable for the purpose you use the Information for. © Tourism Queensland 2012 HOBART

Conn_Dest_VIC.indd 1 9/07/12 3:05 PM Mission Beach VIC’s Crisis Response Strategies

The Sydney Morning Herald observed, “Yasi almost killed the region's tourism industry, even though it inflicted minimal damage on Cairns and the main north Queensland tourism centres”.

The VIC played a significant part in supporting the industry through a difficult period and assisting in the recovery efforts.

Before Cyclone Yasi reached the coast VIC phones were transferred to the VIC Manager’s mobile. This meant as long as the mobile could be powered up, communications were not disrupted. The VIC Manager then moved operations to VIC after Cyclone Yasi, Mission Beach Castaway’s Resort and Spa which had an alternative power supply. While the VIC • Response Strategy 4: Coordinating captured the essence of the community building was not severely damaged there the delivery of new/clean linen from and it became one of Mission Beach was no power to run computers or various facilities in Cairns. As a result, VIC’s most popular online videos. phones. many accommodation facilities in • Response Strategy 7: Reinvigorating Mission Beach were operating within The relocated VIC resumed activity with interest in the region through a number days of the disaster. the help of some of their volunteer staff of local Mission Beach tourism prior to restoration of power and • Response Strategy 5: Looking for operators travelling to Europe with the communications and was fully operational opportunities to boost the economy. support of the State and Federal within hours of the cyclone passing. Within days of the cyclone crossing the Government to be part of the ‘Europe coast, the VIC developed a quirky on Tour’ sales mission. Where Following Cyclone Yasi, the VIC then strategy. A ‘Yasi’ caricature was businesses could not attend to promote became heavily involved in the region’s developed to promote the Yasi their product, the VIC and/or local immediate stabilisation and coordination Community Benefit Concert and put on tourism organisation represented their efforts. A series of innovative strategies a sticker to encourage local spend. The interests. A quick response code (QR and actions were initiated and supported sticker was not for sale and only code) was created for the sales by the VIC in response to the crisis. available by making a purchase at local mission, which linked off and online • Response Strategy 1: Immediately retail outlets in the Cassowary Coast information. One hundred lollypops with after Cyclone Yasi, providing regularly Local Government Area. This was the QR code sticker were sent to updated information on the VIC website followed by the development of specific Europe as part of the promotional and Facebook page on the status of Yasi merchandise products including efforts. A webpage was also created for accommodation, activities and t-shirts and stubby coolers. the wholesalers and product managers, restaurants/cafes. This was crucial to providing information about Mission the immediate recovery of the local Beach and links to other areas of the industry and region, as well to the website. The campaign titled ‘So Sweet comfort of relatives of those caught up to Meet You’ proved extremely in the event. successful.

• Response Strategy 2: Making the VIC • Response Strategy 8: Working to available as a hub for community recapture the vital drive market with meetings, briefings and information powerful and vibrant billboard sessions. This included sessions with messages. Paradise Outdoor insurance companies and assessors. An Advertising donated a six month, information board was also erected that $17,000 billboard to help the local could be regularly updated. industry.

• Response Strategy 3: Establishing a Yasi caricature • Response Strategy 9: Facilitating comprehensive database of those operators that were open and accommodation. Post Cyclone Yasi, with able to accept visitors to participate in • Response Strategy 6: Boosting no telecommunications, VIC staff drove the ‘Open for Business’ marketing and community morale, with a community throughout the region to audit promotional campaign. The campaign YouTube video produced featuring locals accommodation capable of operating was organised through Tourism who were asked to dance without and housing recovery workers. Within a Queensland (TQ) and supported by the warning or accompanying music. It was week, a comprehensive database listing State and Federal Government’s Flood professionally edited free-of-charge and vacancies, contact details, location and and Cyclone recovery activity. The VIC uploaded, and can be accessed via the catering available was posted on the was integral in collating local VIC website www.missionbeachtourism. VIC’s website home page, information and disseminating it to both com. Used as both a Christmas gift to www.missionbeachtourism.com. TQ and Tourism Australia. the community and a marketing tool, it The website was updated twice daily.

18 Mission Beach VIC Case Study Palm-lined Beachfront, Mission Beach

nature can have medium and long Performance and measures Ingredients for success term impacts on tourism and local businesses. of success Some important ingredients for VIC success in handling crises include: • Plan early for success. Write a Crisis Prior to Cyclone Yasi, the VIC did not Management Plan NOW! Work with have a documented disaster • Keep open the lines of communication. Council and other stakeholders to management or crisis management plan, The Centre deliberately focused its develop strategies and actions that will rather they ‘relied on gut instinct’. efforts on communication and maximise response efforts across the Council’s plan focussed on community facilitation to enable the region to region. safety and harm minimisation for local recover and rebuild in a timely manner. residents, rather than immediate • Understand the role of the VIC in a • Understand how to best to use multi- economic recovery. There was a notable crisis in the region and work closely media communication channels gap. with Council to improve coordination in including SMS and social media during managing crisis events. After Cyclone Yasi, the MBBT Board a crisis to provide accurate and timely developed a business plan and a information to ‘the outside world’ and • Audit the region to establish and comprehensive disaster management manage perceptions of the crisis. maintain an accommodation database plan for the VIC. The disaster that is always current. All key • Be accurate and sensitive in management plan is a living document, stakeholders across the region communicating when businesses are which community leaders and key (Councils, the Regional Tourism ready and open to trade. Local industry personnel contribute to Organisation, etc.) recognise the value businesses need to generate income as annually, and prior to cyclone season. of the accommodation database as a quickly as possible after a crisis. successful action and strategy Mission Beach VIC was well placed to In 2010-11, Mission Beach VIC received developed during the crisis, which will facilitate this activity by disseminating over 33,000 visitors, only a one percent be core to responding to future events. decrease on the previous year despite information on what was available and the region suffering negative impacts operational to visitors both while in the • Make use of local offers of support. from Tropical Cyclone Yasi in this period. region and before they left home. The ability and willingness of the local tourism industry to assist cannot be • Remain positive but don’t over undervalued. Following Cyclone Yasi, promise. A key lesson learnt by the the Chairman of MBBT gave the VIC Queensland tourism industry following staff access to facilities, resources and Cyclone Yasi and the summer 2010-11 office equipment to undertake floods is that careful consideration immediate recovery activities. needs to be given to the messages being delivered; think before you hit • Work with all stakeholders to complete send! The media will pick up on the a regional and localised assessment of sensationalist, and too many negative the successes and failures to disaster Bushwalking Beneath messages following an event of this responses. Licuala Palms, Mission Beach

Testimonial

“As well as coordinating recovery information immediately after Cyclone Yasi, the Mission Beach VIC provided leadership and inspiration to the whole business and tourism community by their 'we get up again' approach. Not only up again but better than before.”

(Former) Councillor Jennifer Downs Cassowary Coast Regional Council.

Mission Beach VIC Case Study 19