TASAC Minutes 18 March 2015

Minutes of the Tourist Attraction Signposting Assessment Committee Southern Region meeting

Wednesday 18 March 2015 in the Gibraltar Room at Wingecarribee Council Civic Centre Elizabeth Street, Moss Vale

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

Also present Mark Pepping Deputy General Manager Corporate Strategy and Development Services, Wingecarribee Shire Council Steve Rosa Manager, Destination Southern Highlands Izabella Lane Tourism Coordinator, Destination Southern Highlands Claire Digger Organisational Projects Coordinator, Wingecarribee Shire Council Selva Selvaratnam Asset Manager, Wingecarribee Shire Council Nicole Poelzl Member, Kangaroo Valley Tourist Association Karen Barker Executive Committee Member, Kangaroo Valley Tourist Association Dean Simmonds Manager Network and Safety Services, RMS Southern Region Andy Gaudiosi Senior Network and Safety Officer, RMS Southern Region Frank Burke Convenor, Old 31 Limited Diane Gardiner Economic Development and Tourism Team Leader, Wollondilly Shire Council Philip Martin Pulpit Rock Estate and Feast@McVitty Valero Jimenez Historic Joadja and Whisky Distillery Elisa Jimenez Historic Joadja and Whisky Distillery

Apologies Cr Duncan Gair Mayor, Wingecarribee Shire Council Cr Holly Campbell Councillor, Wingecarribee Shire Council Anna Borzi Kangaroo Valley Lynne Hocking Executive Manager, South Coast Regional Tourism Organisation Alaistair Saunders Vice President, Bundanoon Highland Gathering Jim Beck Milk Factory Gallery, Bowral

AGENDA ITEMS

1. DELEGATIONS / PRESENTATIONS & REGIONAL SIGNPOSTING ISSUES

1.1 Wingecarribee welcome signs

Claire and Steve provided the following advice regarding proposed new welcome and advertising signs for Wingecarribee Shire:

a) Council recently endorsed designs for welcome signs to be located in reserves near Shire and town entry points and for two advertising billboards to be located on

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privately owned land adjacent to the Hume Motorway, one near Yerrinbool near the Shire’s northern entry and one near Marulan near the southern entry.

b) The entry signs will welcome visitors to the Shire and its towns, recognise the original owners of the land and assist visitors to identify their location in emergency situations. The advertising billboards will encourage motorists to visit the Shire.

c) The welcome and town entry signs will refer to both Wingecarribee Shire and Destination Southern Highlands in accordance with an agreement reached between TASAC and Council in 2007 when welcome and town entry signs were last considered.

d) The design of the signs has been simplified to reflect matters raised by TASAC in its letter to Council of 3 October 2014.

e) Some 150 (75 back to back) signs will be installed to update existing welcome signs in the LGA. The signs will be retro-reflective and the Shire entry signs will be 3 x 1.5 m in size.

f) The pictorial billboards will include an image of Fitzroy Falls, which is the Shire’s top tourist attraction. The billboards will be a maximum size of 8 x 4 m but this may be reduced to 6 x 3 m. Development applications will be lodged for the billboards and the concurrence of RMS will be sought as part of that process if the size of the billboards triggers the relevant provisions of State Environmental Planning Policy No. 64. It was noted that advertising billboards on private property are outside TASAC’s area of responsibility.

g) The program will be implemented in stages over the next few years and Council estimates the cost of the project to be in the order of $220,000. This includes estimated costs of $25,000 per billboard and estimated costs of $170,000 for the Shire and town entry signs. Council has allocated $100,000 towards the project for 2014/2015.

The Committee members responded as follows:

i. Care should be taken to ensure that the blue background colour on the Shire and town entry signs is sufficiently different from the blue colour used on service signs. Details of the blue colour on service signs are available in the Australian national standards for road signs.

ii. RMS representatives indicated that they support the amended designs for the Shire and town entry signs. However, RMS Southern wishes to check the location of some of the proposed signs to ensure that new “skins” can be attached to existing posts.

Decision: TASAC and RMS have no objection to the revised Shire and town entry signs, subject to points i and ii above.

Action: Secretariat to advise Council as above.

1.2 Wingecarribee tourist drive signs

Selva addressed the meeting and referred to Wingecarribee Shire’s letter of 10 March 2015 to TASAC regarding its commitment to maintain its tourist drive signage. The letter indicated that:

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a) Council officers have audited all of the Shire’s tourist drives signs. There are some 200 signs in total and each sign has been given a condition score from one to five, with one denoting good condition and three indicating satisfactory condition. Scores of four or five were applied to signs that are in poor condition and require replacement.

b) Seventy of the signs were rated at condition four and 14 signs were assessed as having condition five, i.e. 84 of the 200 signs require replacement.

c) Council’s budget for signage maintenance and renewal is limited and the highest priority is given to regulatory and safety signs.

d) A budget of $7,000 will be allocated to the renewal of tourist drive signs during the current and next financial years. This is expected to allow approximately 7 signs to be replaced each year. Signs at condition five are to be given higher priority.

e) Additional funding for this work will be sought for expenditure in 2016/17, at which time Council might be in a position to make an enhanced allocation for tourist drive signage renewal.

f) Council has already begun to improve signage on Tourist Drive 16 (Sutton Forest to Marulan via Bundanoon) by following the recommended actions of a RMS audit (that was done in 2012).

g) All signs are included on Council’s GIS and it is planned to include them on Council’s asset register.

Mark added that Council is faced with many demands on its resources and any increase in one area of its budget will require a corresponding reduction in another area. He also informed the meeting that Council had recently replaced signs for Tourist Drive 17 on Berrima Road, in addition to the upgrade of some signs on Tourist Drive 16 referred to at “f)” above.

Steve stressed that tourist drive signage is an important navigational tool for the Shire’s visitors and he offered to provide advice to Selva regarding the tourist drives which are the most popular so that the sign renewal program can focus on the most travelled routes.

TASAC members responded as follows:

i. It is pleasing that Council has confirmed its willingness to maintain signage for its tourist drives into the future. However, it is disappointing that the renewed commitment comes more than four years after the matter was first raised with Council in February 2011.

ii. It is also disappointing that only relatively modest funds have been allocated for the work during the current and subsequent financial years. Based on Council’s estimates, it appears that only 14 of the 84 signs that need to be replaced will be renewed by June 2016. At this level of funding, it will take some 12 years for Council to replace all the signs that are currently in poor condition, by which time it could be expected that many of the signs that are currently satisfactory will have deteriorated to the point where they also require replacement. Given that the tourist drives are very well promoted to visitors via material available from Destination Southern Highlands and that many of them are highly scenic and / or help visitors to access many of the popular tourism experiences in

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the Shire, this rate of renewal is disturbingly slow and it will be an unacceptably long time before signage for the Shire’s tourist drives is fit for its purpose.

iii. The Committee noted that $100,000 has been allocated to renewing Shire and town entry signs in 2014/16 with a further large allocation expected in future years. The entry signs and advertising billboards are intended to encourage visitors to come to the Shire. However, it would appear that only $14,000 is to be spent during the same period to improve signs on tourist drives that are currently in poor condition and require replacement. TASAC members’ own inspections of tourist drives the day prior to the meeting confirmed that many of the signs along them are so dilapidated that they cannot be safely read.

Therefore, TASAC considers that there is a major imbalance between funds ear marked by Council for signs to draw visitors to the Shire and funds allocated for signs to improve the experience of visitors as they travel around the Shire. While the program to replace Shire and town entry signs and advertising billboards is likely to achieve its objective of increasing visitor numbers, visitors will become increasingly dissatisfied because of the difficulties of following tourist drive signs within the Shire. Poor tourism signage also has poor outcomes for public safety.

iv. Tourist drives have the effect of encouraging motorists off the State road system onto drives that are mostly on Council roads. TASAC is obliged to consider the need to remove signs for tourist drives from State roads where drives cannot be safely followed due to the poor condition of their signage.

v. RMS is currently looking to review all signs along the State road known as B73, which is associated with Tourist Drive 14 (B73 is the route number for the State road from Aylmerton to Bomaderry via , Bowral and Kangaroo Valley). If the signs for that tourist drive were in a satisfactory condition, then RMS would be able to upgrade signs for the drive located on B73 as part of the review. However, if the signs along the drive are so poor that motorists cannot safely follow the route, RMS may consider removing signs for it on the State road.

vi. Phil indicated that RMS will inspect some of the tourist drives and provide further advice to Council.

In view of the foregoing, TASAC will reply to Council’s recent letter in the above terms and formally request that it consider whatever means are at its disposal to accelerate the renewal of tourist drive signs, including giving consideration to slowing the implementation of the Shire and town entry program and advertising billboards and redirecting funds to the renewal of the tourist drive signs. Council’s response will be requested in time for it to be considered at the September TASAC meeting.

1.3 Signage for Nowra via Kangaroo Valley

Nicole addressed the meeting about improving directional signage for motorists travelling to the Shoalhaven area, and in particular to Nowra, from via the Hume Motorway and then via Bowral, Moss Vale and Kangaroo Valley. She explained that this route is popular with many people who wish to avoid the , which is frequently affected by road works. Izabella added that significant numbers of people arriving at the Mittagong Visitor Information Centre (VIC), particularly on weekends, ask for directions to Nowra via the Southern Highlands

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During her presentation Nicole made the following points:

a) The Shoalhaven district is the biggest tourist destination in NSW after Sydney.

b) There is no signage on the Hume Motorway for people travelling to the Shoalhaven district via the Southern Highlands and such signage should be installed near Aylmerton.

c) The first directional sign for Nowra on the route is located at the intersection of Kangaloon Road and Moss Vale Road, to the south of the Bowral town centre. This sign is currently obscured by vegetation.

d) Road signs directing visitors to an information bay for the Shoalhaven Wine Tourism Region are often misinterpreted by visitors and Nicole suggested that the font size on the road signs be charged to emphasise “information bay” and reduce the prominence of “wineries”.

The Committee members offered the following advice:

i. White on green directional signs are a matter for RMS not TASAC.

ii. Directional signs on State roads are designed on a route basis using strategic focal points along the route. Research conducted by RMS confirms that many motorists pre- plan their trips and, in any case, it is not possible to install sufficient signs to guide motorists to all destinations from everywhere. Therefore, RMS directional signs indicate the most direct route to a particular destination and it is not its policy to signpost alternative routes.

iii. Australian standards dictate how many destinations can be included on each signpost so they can be safely read (to a maximum of five destinations) and many existing signs tend to be overcrowded.

iv. As part of RMS’s proposed review of State road B73, Phil agreed to include “Nowra” on reassurance signs at appropriate locations.

v. While the design of the road sign referred to at point “d)” above complies with Australian standards, RMS Southern will consider whether the sign could be improved to clarify its meaning.

Nicole also inquired about tourist signposting for the Pioneer Museum Park at Kangaroo Valley. The park is open Friday to Monday from 10 am to 4 pm and daily during these hours in school holidays.

TASAC members advised that, to be eligible for tourist signposting from the State road network, the park needs to be open a minimum of six hours per day on five days of the week, including both Saturday and Sunday, during 11 months of the year. Therefore, the park would need to increase its opening hours for a tourist signposting application to succeed.

It is understood that the park is an outdoor museum in which several buildings (dairy, forge, memorial hall, settlers hut, bush school and suspension bridge) are used to depict life during the early years of European settlement. It was considered that the Museums category would be the

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1.4 Signage for “ 31”

Frank explained the background to a proposal to establish the route of the Old Hume Highway from the intersection of Parramatta and Liverpool Roads in Summer Hill to its terminus in , as an iconic driving experience for tourists. During his presentation Frank made the following points:

a) The route is strongly associated with the European settlement of and it has significant historical value.

b) Progressive upgrades of the route in NSW and have led to the bypassing of about 40 towns.

c) Old Hume Highway 31 Limited was established in 2014 as a non-profit, registered charity to bring together all by-passed communities and promote the old highway to visitors. Its members include the National Trust, Chambers of Commerce and 20 local councils.

d) There are considerable road safety benefits in encouraging motorists to take breaks when they travel between Sydney and Melbourne by visiting the bypassed towns along the old highway. These towns offer a variety of services, amenities and activities and taking driving breaks in the towns is arguably more effective for restoration than breaks taken at highway service centres or rest stops.

e) The old highway has no markers along it to help visitors find and navigate it. It is particularly difficult to locate the old route through some towns like Goulburn, where there are many “zigs and zags”.

f) A double-sided map of Old Hume Highway 31 is being produced. It will show the NSW portion of the route on one side and the Victorian portion on the other.

g) While much of the old route is able to be driven, there are some “broken” portions.

h) A black and white logo featuring the words “”Old Hume Highway” and the number “31” in a five sided shield has been trademarked. The logo is to be used on sign plates that will be similar in size to speed limit signs (say 800 x 600 mm or 600 x 350 mm) to help motorists navigate the route. It is estimated that the signs would cost about $53 plus GST for each sign and post.

The Committee members provided the following advice:

i. TASAC is responsible for assessing eligibility for tourist signs on State roads and local Councils are responsible for signs on local and regional roads.

ii. The design of TASAC signs for driving experiences features white text on a brown background.

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iii. From a tourism perspective, the development of alternative routes for visitors is supported. However, the Old Hume Highway 31 project does not lend itself to either of TASAC’s driving experience categories, i.e. numbered tourist drives and touring routes.

TASAC tourist drives are followed by white on brown road signs that have a number in a shield but no route name. TASAC touring routes are followed by route specific logos that appear on a brown background. The name of a touring route appears in white text on a brown background at key points, such as the start and end. Touring routes are also required to have off-road visitor information bays populated with information panels that describe the route’s tourism experience at locations near the start and finish points. For long routes, additional information bays at other points may be required. The cost of the signage for these driving experiences, including the cost of information bays for touring routes, and associated promotional material are met by applicants.

iv. In view of the foregoing, the Old Hume Highway project does not fit within either of TASAC’s driving experiences categories and its proposed sign designs (based on the black and white trademarked logo) are not consistent with the signs designs contained in the NSW Tourist Signposting Manual. Another concern is that it appears that the route cannot be followed consistently from start to end due to the “broken” portions of the old route.

v. It is understood that the proposed “Old Hume Highway 31” signs are not currently intended to be located on the upgraded portions of the Hume Highway / Motorway. Any future plans to do so would pose considerable policy and logistical difficulties for RMS and TASAC. The small signs Frank wishes to install on local / regional roads are not suitable for installation on highways / motorways. The Old Hume Highway is within three RMS Regions, namely Sydney, Southern and South West. Therefore, RMS needs to consider the project as a whole so that the same sign designs can be used on all roads, irrespective of whether they are State, regional or local. As the Old Hume Highway traverses NSW and Victoria, the support of Tourism Victoria and Vic Roads would also be required.

vi. While it is understood that the majority of the old highway is now made up of local or regional roads, some portions such as the 12 km through Goulburn, are still classified as State roads. In this respect, only RMS is authorised to install signs on its roads and its agreement will therefore be required. vii. Signs in the roadway may only be installed by suitably qualified persons. The signage cost estimates outlined by Frank do not include road occupancy costs required for sign installation, which will be a separate cost in addition to the cost of the signs and posts. viii. RMS has signposted the bypassed towns as per its bypassed towns signposting policy.

ix. It was noted that route 31 still exists but it is now known as M31 with a different route marker. Phil expressed concern about having two “Route 31s” with different style route markers, which would be confusing for motorists.

Actions: (i) Dean will advise Frank about which parts of the Old Hume Highway 31 route remain RMS’s responsibility and pass on this information to the Secretariat for TASAC’s records.

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(ii) Phil will consult with senior managers in RMS to see what might be possible.

1.5 Historic Joadja and Whisky Distillery

Valero and Elisa presented their plans to develop the tourism experience available at their town of Joadja and an associated whisky distillery as follows:

a) Joadja is the site of an abandoned shale oil mining and refining site, which existed from 1870 to 1911.

b) Extensive conservation work is underway at the town, which is listed on the State Heritage register as an item of State and National heritage significance. The town had close links with Scotland and the outline of much of the site is still available from surface evidence.

c) Currently, private tours of the former mining town and distillery are available on any day if prior arrangements are made and the town and distillery are open to unbooked visitors on weekends.

d) Consideration is being given to further developing the tourism experience at the town and distillery so that they can be open for unbooked visitors during days and times that would meet TASAC eligibility requirements.

e) Due to the fragility of the historic site and for safety reasons, people movers will be used to transport visitors through the site.

f) Tourist signposting for Joadja and the distillery in the Historic Properties and Sites and the Primary and Secondary Industries categories respectively could be sought with a view to obtaining combined signage for “Historic Joadja and Whisky Distillery”. However, before proceeding with the improvements to achieve compliance with the requirements of both categories, clarification is required about where tourist signposting could be provided as the destination is more than 10 km from the nearest State road.

The Committee provided the following advice:

i. The last 2 km of the road to Joadja is very poor and needs to be upgraded in order for the destination to be suitable for tourist signposting.

ii. It will be necessary for Mr and Mrs Jimenez to demonstrate that Joadja and the distillery fully comply with the eligibility requirements of their respective signposting categories.

iii. The destination could be signposted from Tourist Drive 17, which is some 22 km away. Although Joadja is more remote from where tourist signage could be provided than is generally allowable under the guidelines of the Tourist Signposting Manual, RMS is able to exercise some discretion in these matters with respect to destinations like Joadja that are on terminating roads. The rarity of the tourism experience and the unusual nature of the area’s history would also be taken into consideration.

iv. TASAC’s assessment of applications focuses on the experiences offered to unbooked visitors to view and learn about attractions such as historic properties or primary or

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secondary industries, rather than any related retail opportunities or booked activities such as functions or events. Therefore, the ability to buy produce, eat or drink on the premises or attend booked events is not relevant to TASAC’s consideration of applications for tourist signposting. Instead, applications must explain what unbooked visitors are able to see or do in order to learn about the property’s history (in this case about Joadja) or the production processes (whisky distillation) at all times during the opening hours / days.

v. The ability to learn about historic properties or industrial processes must be supported by sufficient written interpretive material (e.g. leaflets, visitor information panels, plaques, annotated displays, fact sheets, guided or self-guided tours etc.) and /or audio-visual interpretive material at the premises.

In particular, it will be necessary to show how visitors are able to learn about the area’s history and about whisky distillation without having to wait for unreasonably long periods of time to access guided tours. In this respect the number and timing of guided tours should be carefully considered and it is recommended that guided tours of both Joadja and the distillery be supplemented by audio-visual “virtual” tours so that visitors who might be interested in the town but not the distillery or vice-versa, would be able to receive a high quality tourism experience throughout the opening days / hours without having to wait for a guided tour.

vi. If applications were lodged and found to be eligible for Joadja and the distillery, it was noted that most tourist signs for them would be on Council roads. vii. The remoteness of the destination was noted as were the limitations of mobile phone coverage in the locality. There is one road in and out of Joadja apart from a fire trail, which is not suitable for coaches. When assessing any signposting applications, TASAC is mindful of an operator’s visitor safety management measures, particularly as they apply to emergency situations. It was noted that it would be in the interests of the business to contact the relevant telecommunications authorities about improving coverage in the locality prior to signage being sought.

During the discussion Valero raised some other concerns regarding a sign on for “Joadja 9 km”, a Welcome to Joadja sign at another location and A-frame signs on the Old Hume Highway and Wombeyan Caves Road. These matters relate to signs on local or regional roads and he was advised to pursue them with Council. He also inquired about a white on green directional sign for Wombeyan Caves on the Old Hume Highway past the Mittagong shopping centre, which he believed was too far from the relevant turnoff to be acted upon safely. Valero was asked to provide further details to Dean who would ascertain whether the sign is the responsibility of RMS or Council.

1.6 Updating Southern Highlands winery signage

Philip referred to the Southern Highlands wine tourism region signage scheme that was installed some years ago and expressed concern that some of the signage was out of date. He explained that some wineries had closed down, e.g. Blue Metal Vineyard, but road signs were still in place. Also, some well-established wineries in the district, such as Tertini Wines, do not have tourist signposting. Lastly, Philip referred to trailer signs on the freeway regarding the status of Wombeyan Caves Road.

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Dean advised that RMS had removed signs for Blue Metal Vineyard on State roads some time ago. Remaining signs are on local roads and their removal is a matter for Wingecarribee Shire Council and Izabella offered to follow this up. Maria advised that the manager of Tertini Wines had recently contacted her about applying for tourist signs and she expects that an application will be submitted in the near future. Philip was asked to raise his concerns about the trailer signs with Council, because while they are located on a State road, they are set up to inform visitors about conditions on a local road.

During the discussion it was noted that panels in two visitor information bays about the region’s wineries both require updating. The panels are located outside the Mittagong VIC at the northern entry to the region and near McDonald’s adjacent to the Hume Highway at Sutton Forest at the southern entry.

Izabella indicated that the Sutton Forest panel is to be relocated to the McDonald’s site and the Committee requested that the panel be revised and updated prior to relocation. RMS advised that it would also be necessary to reposition the road signs that direct visitors to the information bay when it is relocated.

In relation to the Mittagong visitor information panel, Izabella explained that it will be removed and replaced with an electronic information board to be installed inside the foyer of the visitor centre. In this way, the details on the panel, which should include the name, address, opening hours / days and contact details for wineries in the region, can be easily updated and the panel will still be able to be able to be read by visitors who arrive when the centre is closed.

1.7 Members’ report on site inspections

David and Phil made the following observations arising from their site inspections in the Wingecarribee area and environs the day before the meeting:

i. There is room in the roadway to locate tourist signs in both directions for Cherry Tree Hill Wines at Sutton Forest, which TASAC recently found to be eligible for such signposting.

ii. Mount Gibraltar Lookouts are well signposted from the State road. However, follow up signs on Council roads are inconsistent and poorly designed making it difficult for motorists to access the lookouts. Given that some of these roads are steep and winding, Council should review and improve the signs for the lookouts on its roads to protect public safety and report back to TASAC about progress in time for consideration at the next Sothern Region meeting on 16 September 2015.

Action: Secretariat to write to Council about the need to improve signs on local roads for the Gibraltar lookouts.

2. NEW TOURIST SIGNPOSTING APPLICATIONS

2.1 Cocoparra National Park, near Griffith

Cocoparra National Park, which is 35 km north east of Griffith, is well established and is regarded to be one of the major attractions within the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. The park has existing tourist signage on and Rankin Springs – Griffith Road. However signage is missing from the Myall Park and Mt Bingar Road intersection, which would direct

Final 2 April 2015 10 of 15 TASAC Minutes 18 March 2015 traffic to major features of the park such as Jacks Creek Picnic Area and Woolshed Flat Campground. The application has been lodged in response to the need to upgrade some signs and to replace others that are missing.

The park, which is open daily during all hours and months, is popular for its scenery, rocky outcrops, bush-walking, bird-watching and picnicking. Camping is available at Woolshed Flat for car based camping, caravans and camper trailers. There are four walking tracks, cycling tracks and day use areas. Gas BBQs, picnic tables and toilets are provided at the day use areas in addition to car parks and walking tracks. All weather access via good gravel roads is provided into the Jacks Creek and Store Creek picnic areas.

The park’s brochure indicates that toilets are available at:

 Woolshed Flat camping area  Jacks Creek picnic area  Spring Hill picnic area  Store Creek picnic area.

The letter that accompanied the application advises that information shelters are located at two key access points for visitors’ orientation and that interpretation signs are provided at a number of walking tracks including Jacks Creek, Store Creek and Mt Brogden. Photos of the information shelter signs and a representative sample of the interpretation signs associated with the walking tracks have been requested.

Decision: Cocoparra National Park is eligible for tourist signposting in the National Parks, State Conservation Areas, State Forest and Major Water Storage Areas category, subject to receipt of photos confirming the presence of interpretive information at the park as above.

Note: NPWS submitted the requested photographic evidence on 25 March allowing the application to be finalised.

Action: Secretariat to advise the applicant as above and inform RMS South West.

3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF 19 FEBRUARY 2015

The minutes of TASAC’s meeting of Wednesday 19 February 2015 in the Western Region at Forbes were confirmed. The Committee members and Secretariat advised that they had completed all the actions attributed to them from the meeting, except that Phil needs to follow up advice on signposting locations for Flyfaire Wines and conduct a site inspection for TreeTops Adventure Park.

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS

4.1 Update on proposal to amalgamate Bega Valley Shire tourist drives

As discussed at previous meetings, Bega Valley Shire proposes to create a new Tourist Drive 9, by amalgamating Tourist Drives, 8, 9 and 11 and removing east west cross links from the coast to the Princes Highway. The Committee noted the following advice from Karl Brough of RMS Southern after his inspection of the route of the new drive in late February:

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i. Appropriate new signage has been installed as per RMS specifications and all previous tourist drive signage has been removed.

ii. Signage along the new drive is of a high standard and suitable for the intended purpose.

iii. In accordance with TASAC’s request no signage changes have been made on the Princes Highway. Design and installation of highway signage will await further advice from TASAC.

TASAC is awaiting receipt of a revised brochure for the new tourist drive to address concerns outlined in its letter to Council’s General Manager of 22 January 2015 about the first draft of the document.

4.2 Historic Hillgrove, advice from Heritage Office

The Committee noted that the Office of Environment and Heritage has expressed its support for an application for tourist signposting for Historic Hillgrove, which has been lodged by Armidale Dumaresq Council. This concludes the assessment process for the application.

Decision: Historic Hillgrove is eligible for tourist signposting in the Historic Towns and Villages category.

Action: Secretariat to advise the applicant as above and inform RMS Northern Region.

5. INQUIRIES RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING

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

5.1 iFly Downunder Indoor Skydiving, Penrith 5.2 Modus Operandi Brewery, Mona Vale 5.3 Penrith Welcome signs 5.4 Parramatta heritage precinct 5.5 Old Hume Highway 31, Sydney to Melbourne 5.6 Koorawatha Falls, Cowra Shire 5.7 Jellore Street Cottage and the Settlers Hut, Berrima 5.8 Hopewood House, Bowral 5.9 Ranelagh Manor, Robertson 5.10 Bundanoon Highland Gathering 5.11 Montrose House and Berry Farm, Sutton Forest 5.12 Kangaroo Valley freeway signage 5.13 Historic Joadja and Whisky Distillery 5.14 Tertini Wines, Mittagong

6. POLICY ISSUES

6.1 Southern Region Tourist Drives

Unfortunately, Eurobodalla and Shellharbour Councils have not respond to requests from the Secretariat to provide updated information regarding improvements to signage and / or

Final 2 April 2015 12 of 15 TASAC Minutes 18 March 2015 promotional material for their tourist drives. Updates from the remaining Southern Region Councils are summarised in the table at Attachment 2.

Actions: (a) Secretariat to contact all Councils to obtain further progress reports in time for consideration at the 16 September meeting. (b) RMS Southern Region to work with Palerang Council (Trey Proctor) to address concerns regarding sign designs previously provided to Council by RMS. (c) RMS Southern Region to confirm that dilapidated signs on the Hume Highway 20 minutes west of Goulburn for former Tourist Drive 13 have been removed (support for the tourist drive was withdrawn in May 2011).

7. OTHER BUSINESS

7.1 TASAC Meeting Schedule

Narooma was selected as the location for the next Southern Region meeting to be held on 16 September 2015. Please refer to Attachment 1 for the schedule of meetings for the next six months.

7.2 Wording of letters to operators

The Committee resolved to remove a standard sentence in letters to operators (which was introduced at the February 2014 TASAC meeting) about applying for tourist signposting that refers to the capability of tourist signs to advertise a particular destination.

7.3 Upgraded signage for the Royal National Park

RMS installed new signs for the Royal National Park at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Farnell Avenue in 2014. Phil confirmed that unauthorised signs for a boathouse within the park were removed from the location at that time. However, Patricia Wilkinson of NPWS recently reported to Maria that she observed a sign for the boathouse earlier this month, suggesting that the sign may have been reinstated without authorisation.

In relation to other tourist signs for this park, Phil explained that the park’s name is shown in a panel at the bottom of a white on green directional sign in advance of Farnell Avenue but that it is not feasible to include the NPWS logo on this sign. TASAC is awaiting advice from NPWS about whether it wishes to improve existing signage for the park on the Princes Highway at Waterfall, which is faded and is becoming unserviceable.

Action: Phil to investigate the signage for the boatshed and take appropriate action.

7.4 Signage for Great Aussie Holiday Park, Bowna

Phil has asked RMS South West to remove unauthorised white on blue service signs for the Great Aussie Holiday Park from the Hume Highway at its intersection with Bowna Road. Phil tabled a photo of the sign which includes the park’s name and symbols for a boat ramp, caravan

Final 2 April 2015 13 of 15 TASAC Minutes 18 March 2015 park, bed (accommodation) and camping area. It is understood that the signs were installed without authorisation in late 2014.

7.5 Tourist Drive 12

Andy inquired about the status of Tourist Drive 12 from near the Hume Motorway at Prestons and returning to the motorway at . It is understood that the drive follows Camden Valley Way, Old Hume Highway and . Maria explained that papers provided to her by RMS at the beginning of TASAC’s review of the State’s tourist drives in early 2011 do not refer to Tourist Drive 12. Specifically, the drive is not listed in a RMS spreadsheet of the State’s tourist drives nor does it appear on maps that accompanied the spreadsheet. Therefore, Tourist Drive 12 has not been considered as part of TASAC’s tourist drive review.

Action: Secretariat to add Tourist Drive 12 to the agenda for the May 2015 meeting.

7.6 Accommodation establishment in Jellore Street, Berrima

Paul Hinchey, the owner of cottages in Jellore Street, Berrima that are available for visitor accommodation, contacted Maria to inquire about street signage and also to ask about who is responsible for visitor information signs in a park opposite Jellore Street that refer to some enterprises that went out of business many years ago.

Maria explained that accommodation establishments are not eligible for TASAC signs and she suggested that he contact Council about the information signs located within the park.

Action: Izabella to follow up Paul’s inquiry about the out of date signs in the park.

8. NEXT MEETING

Wednesday 22 April 2015 in Port Macquarie (Northern Region).

The meeting concluded at 2 pm.

Final 2 April 2015 14 of 15 TASAC Minutes 18 March 2015

Attachment 1 – TASAC Meeting Schedule

Region Location Date

2015 Northern Port Macquarie 22 April 2015 Sydney Camden 20 May 2015 Hunter Forster (TBC) 17 June 2015 South West Narrandera 15 July 2015 Western Broken Hill 19 August 2015 Southern Narooma 16 September 2015

Final 2 April 2015 15 of 15