TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 Minutes of the Tourist Attraction Signposting Assessment Committee Hunter Region meeting

Wednesday 17 June 2015 Taree Visitor Information Centre, 21 Manning River Drive, Taree North

TASAC Members David Douglas Regional Coordinator TASAC and Drive, Destination NSW Phil Oliver Guidance and Delineation Manager, Roads and Maritimes Services Maria Zannetides TASAC Secretariat

Also present Donna Hudson Tourism, Events and Communications, Greater Taree City Council Richard Wheatley Traffic Engineer, Greater Taree City Council Ken Saxby Manager Network & Safety Services, RMS Hunter Region Jamie Smoother Network and Safety Officer, RMS Hunter Region Belinda Novicky Executive Officer, North Coast Destination Network Gordon Mead Manager, Caravilla Motel Peter Calabria Owner, Artisans on the Hill Ben Stevenson ETC / Small Biz Connect

Apologies Tom Urban Zone Manager North Coast, Destination NSW Ron Posselt General Manager, Greater Taree City Council

AGENDA ITEMS

1. DELEGATIONS / PRESENTATIONS & REGIONAL SIGNPOSTING ISSUES

1.1 Taree Signposting Issues

(a) Greater Taree Signposting policies

Richard and Donna informed the meeting that Council is in the process of reviewing its signposting policies, which were introduced in 2003. Council’s tourist signposting policies generally reflect the standards in the NSW Tourist Signposting Manual.

(b) Tourist Drives 8, 6 and 2

Greater Taree Council’s tourist drives are all shared with other Councils as follows:

 Tourist Drive 8 (shared by Greater Taree and Port Macquarie Hastings Councils)  Tourist Drive 6 (shared by Greater Taree and Great Lakes Councils)  Tourist Drive 2 (shared by Greater Taree, Great Lakes and Gloucester Councils)

Richard and Donna provided the following updates:

(a) Improvements to Tourist Drive 8: Two bridges on the drive have been replaced and are no longer subject to weight limits. Parts of the drive are still narrow and there is an unsealed portion of about 28 km beyond Wingham. However, remedial works have been completed to

Final 26 June 2015 1 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 stabilise areas that were previously affected by land slippage. A sign past Wingham, which was removed due to road works, will be reinstated to warm motorists that the remainder of the drive is not suitable for oversize vehicles such as caravans. There are opportunities near the sign’s intended location for oversize vehicles to turn around.

(b) Recent signage audits: Council has reviewed the signage along Tourist Drives 8 and 6 in its area and confirmed that some signs need to be redone. Some of these are relatively minor works that are achievable under current budgets whereas other works require additional funding to be allocated. There is a need to improve signage on Tourist Drive 8 through Wingham and Donna has some ideas about how this might be done. Signage along Tourist Drive 2 will be reviewed when current road works along it have been completed.

(c) Greater Taree is working with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to improve promotional material for Tourist Drive 8.

(d) It is estimated that about 90% of visitors who take Tourist Drive 8 from Taree travel to Ellenborough Falls then return to Taree, rather than following the tourist drive to its northern end. Ellenborough Falls is 54 km from the Pacific Motorway at Taree. The road before the falls is unsealed for about 15 km.

(e) The possibility of changing the route of Tourist Drive 2 so that it extends north from Burrell Creek via Killawarra to Wingham then south to Tinonee (instead of the current situation where it proceeds east from Burrell Creek to Tinonee) was discussed. The altered route is sealed, would increase the length of the drive by about 13 km, is considered to be more scenic and has a number of features of interest to visitors including a lookout, an orchid nursery and a low level bridge.

The Committee members made the following responses:

i. As a first step it will be necessary for the Councils that share Tourist Drive 2 (Greater Taree, Great Lakes and Gloucester) to determine that they support the suggested alteration of its route. The Councils would also need to agree to meet the costs associated with: o Amending signage along the route. o Maintaining the signs in perpetuity; and o Preparation and ongoing maintenance of promotional material for the amended drive. Subsequently, the three Councils would need to make a submission to TASAC about the proposed alteration, indicating a timeframe for upgrading signage along the entire route, including the changed portion, and the preparation of promotional material.

ii. A “totem pole” of white on green, white on brown and white on blue signs on a Council road in Wingham features considerably more information than can be safely read by passing motorists and should be rationalised.

iii. Belinda was asked to follow up her query about the lack of directional signage to Wingham on Bucketts Way with the relevant Council as it is a Council road.

iv. Phil and David drove the entirety of Tourist Drive 6 from south to north the day prior to the meeting and made the following observations:

o The condition and position of signs along the drive is generally poor. o There is a need for advance signs for national parks accessed from the drive. o Very few route markers were observed.

Final 26 June 2015 2 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 o A reassurance sign at the southern end is badly affected by graffiti. o There is no road signage in connection with the drive for 40 km after the southern reassurance sign. o A large portion of the tourist drive passes through bushland and it is a long way before any water can been seen. o It is understood that Great Lakes Council has carried out an audit of signage along its portion of the drive but TASAC has not been advised of the outcomes. o Great Lakes Council advised the Secretariat that, while it does not promote its drives with specific references to their tourist drive numbers, they are promoted in its guides and other material. However, no response has been received to a request for copies of the material. o As the tourist drive generally follows a road named “Lakes Way”, the need for it to continue to be recognised as a numbered tourist drive is questionable. o The portion of the tourist drive from Forster to Tuncurry is a State road.

v. If signage along a numbered tourist drive is not adequate for motorists to safely follow the drive, then RMS needs to consider removing signs for the drive from State roads.

Actions: Donna to provide further advice to TASAC regarding upgrades to signage and promotional material for all Council’s tourist drives by 12 August 2015. In particular, Donna undertook to continue her discussions with Great Lakes Council about Tourist Drive 6 and provide an update about the future of this drive in the same time frame.

1.2 Artisans on the Hill, Mondrook

Peter Calabria outlined the nature of his business at Mondrook west of Taree. Artisans on the Hill is open from Thursday to Monday from 10 am to 5 pm. It displays work by local, national and international artisans that is produced using a variety of materials and methods, e.g. wood turning, glass slumping and fusing and silk painting. There are craft making demonstrations and a variety of craft workshops for booked guests. The business also operates as a B&B and coffee lounge.

The requirements of TASAC’s Craft Based Attractions and Galleries signposting categories were discussed. Attractions that are eligible for tourist signposting must be able to demonstrate that they provide unbooked visitors with a tourism experience that is supported by appropriate written or audio visual interpretive material at all times during their opening hours. Booked workshops, coffee lounge, accommodation and retail elements of businesses are not be relevant to eligibility for tourist signposting.

It was noted that the business is about 12 km from the Pacific Motorway. RMS advised that the relevant intersection is grade separated (i.e. there is an exit ramp). Therefore, even if eligibility for tourist signposting could be established, the business would not be eligible for signage on the motorway carriageway as this is only available to attractions that are open daily and which receive a minimum of 150,000 visitors per annum and the intersection is already at capacity in terms of signage.

1.3 Muswellbrook Signposting Issues

Casey Gilbey informed Maria before the meeting that Muswellbrook Shire Council is preparing a response to TASAC’s letter about the future of unauthorised tourist signs on the Golden Highway for “Upper Hunter Wineries” and “Winery Information”. The matter will be listed for discussion at the July meeting.

Final 26 June 2015 3 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 1.4 Members’ report on site inspections

David and Phil’s site inspections the day prior to the meeting primarily related to Tourist Drives 6 and 8 and their observations are recorded at item 1.1 above.

2. NEW TOURIST SIGNPOSTING APPLICATIONS

2.1 Hollydene Estate Wines, Jerrys Plains

Hollydene Estate Wines currently has unauthorised tourist signs on and from the Golden Highway and the application has been submitted at TASAC’s request to determine the winery’s eligibility for tourist signposting. The business, which is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, comprises a cellar door, wine tasting room, café/restaurant, bar, function centre, picnic areas, a children’s play area and it also conducts commercial alpaca, Angus cattle and sheep breeding operations.

Interpretive information includes 190 uncaptioned slides about viticulture and wine making that are shown in a continuous loop on a large screen above the cellar door counter and books and journals on viticulture and wine-making, including volumes on the history of the Hunter Valley and the vineyards that make up the wines under the Hollydene labels.

Casey Gilbey of Muswellbrook Council is preparing a site inspection report for the application.

Decision: Hollydene Estate Wines is potentially eligible for tourist signposting in the Wineries category subject to the receipt of a positive site inspection report.

Action: Secretariat to advise the applicant as above and complete the assessment of the application if appropriate after receipt of the site inspection report.

2.2 Bendeela Recreation Area, Kangaroo Valley

At TASAC’s request Water NSW (formerly the Sydney Catchment Authority) has submitted an application for Bendeela Recreation Area so that the appropriateness of existing tourist signs for “Bendeela Picnic Area” on Moss Vale Road (State road B73) can be reviewed.

The recreation area, which is open daily during all hours, is 8 km from Kangaroo Valley village and 7 km from the intersection of Moss Vale and Bendeela Roads. Its camping and picnic grounds are on the banks of the Kangaroo River arm of Lake Yarrunga behind Tallowa Dam. It is one of the largest camping sites in the Shoalhaven region and is also popular with day use visitors. Studies for Water NSW indicate that the recreation area receives about 35,000 visitors per annum.

Major visitor activities include picnics, canoeing, fishing, bike riding and camping. Visitor services include toilet blocks, drinking water and river access points for swimming, canoeing and fishing. Interpretive material comprises site information signs and a sign at Lake Yarrunga, images of which have been provided. The site information sign includes a map that shows the location of toilets (at two locations in the east and west of the recreation area) and other amenities such as drinking water, camp sites and canoe portage. It also describes access arrangements and guides use of the area by visitors. The sign at Lake Yarrunga includes a map of the recreation area in the context of the adjacent Morton National Park and wilderness areas. It also gives general information about the role of the lake in the Tallowa Dam and Shoalhaven water supply scheme.

Final 26 June 2015 4 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 While adequate, the existing interpretive information at the recreation area is relatively limited and could be enhanced to improve the experience for visitors, particularly in relation to giving a better understanding of the area’s role as a water supply catchment. It was noted that Water NSW is currently undertaking a strategic planning review for the facility’s future management and, in this context, the Committee members considered that the agency should take the opportunity to consider improvements to the existing on-site interpretive information.

Decision: Bendeela Recreation Area is eligible for tourist signposting in the National Parks, SCA, State Forests and Major Water Storage Areas category. The tourism experience at the site would benefit from improvements to the quality and quantity of on-site interpretive information.

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

2.3 Ernest Hill Wines, Nulkaba

The operator of Ernest Hill Wines has submitted an application at TASAC’s request to review the eligibility of the business for tourist signposting. Currently, the business has unauthorised signs that are of a non-conforming design on Wine Country Drive. While an application form was received prior to the meeting, supporting information requested on the form (promotional brochure, evidence of interpretive information etc.) had yet to be received. Therefore, the matter was deferred for consideration at the July meeting.

2.4 Milk Factory Gallery, Bowral

The operator of the Milk Factory Gallery has submitted an application following a request from TASAC in order to facilitate improvements to its existing tourist signs on Moss Vale Road (State road B73).

The gallery, which is within the village of Bowral, is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm during all months. An exhibition diary provided with the application outlines the 11 exhibitions hosted or to be hosted by the gallery during the period from December 2014 to December 2015. It is understood that the gallery has significantly increased its exhibition space since it was last considered by TASAC and it now has three exhibition spaces on two levels.

Izabella Lane of Destination NSW will be asked to prepare a site inspection report and the views of Museums and Galleries NSW (MGNSW) will be sought.

Decision: The Milk Factory Gallery is potentially eligible for tourist signposting in the Galleries category subject to the receipt of a positive site inspection report and the views of MGNSW.

Action: Secretariat to advise the applicant as above and complete the assessment process if appropriate after receipt of the site inspection report and advice from MGNSW.

3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF 20 MAY 2015

The minutes of TASAC’s meeting of Wednesday 20 May 2015 held at Camden in the Sydney Region were confirmed subject to the addition of the following item, which was omitted due to an oversight:

“Item 4.8 Old Hume Highway Project Update

The Committee noted advice from Phil regarding a proposal to develop the Old Hume Highway as a tourism product, which was discussed at the March TASAC meeting. After the meeting Phil consulted

Final 26 June 2015 5 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 Lindsay Tanner, RMS Regional Manager South West Region, who advised that RMS would not support any signposting on its roads for tourism product that did not fit in with the guidelines of the NSW Tourist Signposting Manual.”

During the discussion Phil added that Frank Bourke, Convenor of the Old Hume Highway project, had recently contacted him and he informed Frank that that RMS did not agree to any signs for the project on its roads and, in the circumstances, Frank should concentrate his efforts on working with local Councils about signage for the project on their roads.

The Committee members and Secretariat advised that they had completed all the actions attributed to them from the meeting.

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS

4.1 Mamre Homestead, Orchard Hills

Following discussions at the May meeting about existing dilapidated signage on and from the M4’s Orchard Hills off ramp, the Secretariat confirmed that Mamre Homestead is closed for major renovations till late 2015 or early 2016 and that its previous opening hours were less than required for tourist signposting. In the circumstances, the operator responded to a letter from TASAC indicating that he accepted that it was necessary to remove the current signposting. He may apply to TASAC for new signposting, if appropriate, after the renovations. Phil confirmed that RMS had issued a work order for removal of the signs on the off ramp and from Mamre Road.

4.2 Hunter Valley Zoo, Nulkaba

Melissa Carlill of Cessnock Council provided a site inspection report in support of tourist signposting for Hunter Valley Zoo on 26 May, shortly after the last TASAC meeting. The application was finalised and the operator and RMS Hunter were informed of the zoo’s eligibility on 4 June 2015. The operator was also asked to submit a copy of the zoo’s next licence after the current one expires on 30 June 2015.

Decision: TASAC noted that Hunter Valley Zoo is eligible for tourist signposting in the Outdoor / Nature Based Attractions (Zoos and Wildlife Parks) category.

4.3 Cambewarra Mountain Lookout

David tabled a site inspection report prepared by Carlina Ericson, Destination NSW’s South Coast Zone Manager, which supports signposting of Cambewarra Mountain Lookout.

In considering the application at the last meeting the Committee noted that the lookout’s brochure is currently being reprinted and was of the view that Council should take the opportunity to improve the brochure by adding a locality map, expanding the text to better promote the lookout’s attributes and adding contact details for Council’s visitor centre (currently it only gives contact details for the café at the lookout).

Decision: Cambewarra Mountain Lookout is eligible for tourist signposting in the Outdoor / Nature Based Attractions (Natural Features) category. The applicant should consider making certain improvements to the lookout’s brochure noted above.

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

Final 26 June 2015 6 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015

4.4 Removal of signs for Old Wallerawang Railway Station, Lithgow LGA

The Committee noted that Kellie Barrow, Visitor Centre Manager at Lithgow Council informed the Secretariat on 3 June 2015 that Council has removed tourist signs for the old Wallerawang Railway Station from the Castlereagh Highway. The signs had not been authorised by TASAC and the business closed some time ago after the death of the operator. Maria informed RMS Western region of the situation on 9 June 2015.

4.5 Coolah Tops National Park

TASAC found an application for Coolah Tops National Park to be eligible for tourist signposting at its May meeting. Subsequently, Patricia Wilkinson of NPWS inquired about whether it is necessary to replace the existing signs or whether they could be retained.

Action: Phil to arrange for the condition of the park’s existing signage to be reviewed and inform Maria of the outcome so that she can respond to the NPWS.

4.6 Bodalla Dairy, Bodalla

After a request from the Committee, the operator has provided the following additional information to demonstrate that Bodalla Dairy meets the relevant eligibility requirements:

 Photos of the viewing windows into the cheese-making area, including images of the associated interpretive information.  Details regarding labelling of cheese-making equipment displayed in the museum room.  Copies of two films screened in the museum room about the history of the dairy and its cheese making practices.  Details of information conveyed during guided tours.  Confirmation of the location and images of the cheese tasting area.

Kerrie-Anne Benton, Tourism Marketing Coordinator at Eurobodalla Council, has provided a site inspection report, which supports the application. The only remaining outstanding issue is the submission of a new brochure, which better promotes the tourism experience at the dairy (the previous brochure focussed on the retail aspects of the business). It is understood that a new brochure has been printed but it had not been received prior to the meeting.

Decision: Bodalla Dairy is eligible for tourist signposting in the Primary and Secondary Industry category, subject to the receipt of the new brochure.

Action: Secretariat to advise the applicant as above and finalise the application upon receipt of the new brochure, if appropriate.

Note: A new brochure for the dairy, which better represents the nature of the tourism experience it offers, was received the day after the meeting and the application will be finalised on this basis.

4.7 Mudgee Wine Tourism Region

TASAC noted recent advice to the Secretariat from Andrew Kearins, Works Engineer at Mid-Western Regional Council, that a third and final off-road information panel has been installed in a hard stand

Final 26 June 2015 7 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 area off the Ulan Road, near its intersection with Wollar Road, for the benefit of visitors coming to Mudgee from the north east. In addition, white on brown tourist signage welcoming visitors and directing them to the information bay has been installed in the roadway in advance of the information bay. The information panel is identical to two other panels located at the south and north west entries to the wine region. They all include a map of the region showing the location of each winery and a list of the winery names, addresses, phone numbers and opening hours. Installation of the third information panel completes the outstanding requirements in relation to signage for the Mudgee Wine Tourism Region.

Decision: Mid-Western Regional Council has demonstrated that Mudgee meets the eligibility requirements for wine tourism region signage.

Action: (a) Secretariat to request a photo of the Ulan Road information sign for its records. (b) David to inform Maria about advice provided earlier in the year to the operator of Mongrel Vineyard regarding the future of signs for the business on the Castlereagh Highway. (c) Subject to (a) and (b) above, the Secretariat is to advise the applicant and Council as above and inform RMS Western.

4.8 Bago Vineyards, Wauchope

The day prior to the meeting Jim Mobbs, the operator of Bago Vineyards, emailed the Secretariat about a recent incident involving a motorist travelling to his business earlier this month and sought TASAC’s advice about how to avoid similar situations in the future. Apparently, the motorist was fined by police for travelling too slowly in a right hand lane on the Pacific Motorway. Consequently, Mr Mobbs has raised a number of concerns with TASAC including incorrect GPS instructions about how to access Bago Vineyards (causing the motorist to enter the wrong lane on the motorway) and no directional signage to the business on the motorway.

The Committee members made the following comments:

i. Enforcement of road rules is a matter for the NSW Police Force. ii. The eligibility requirements for tourist signposting on motorways were explained to Mr Mobbs at TASAC’s April meeting and these have not altered. iii. Phil offered to consult the RMS group that provides network information to mapping organisations to ensure that RMS has provided accurate road network information regarding the subject locality. iv. Mr Mobbs may care to inform Council about the incident to see if it has any suggestions about how to improve the quality of information on GPS systems. v. Mr Mobbs may care to review the locational information in his promotional material (brochures, website, social media platforms etc.) to ensure that it gives visitors clear and comprehensive advice, in both map and text forms, about how to access his business. For example, the website’s current location map is very small, which makes it difficult to work out the names of the roads. Also, there is no text to guide visitors travelling north or south on the motorway to the business. The consistent and prominent use in all promotional material of a larger, clearer map and text explaining access arrangements would assist visitors.

Action: Secretariat to respond to the inquirer as above.

Final 26 June 2015 8 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015

5. INQUIRIES RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING

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

5.1 The Treat Factory, Berry 5.2 Slim Dusty Centre, Kempsey 5.3 Ceramic Break Sculpture Park 5.4 Mumbulla Creek Falls in Biamanga National Park (Bega Valley Shire) 5.5 The Farm Byron Bay 5.6 Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh 5.7 Skypark Adventures, St Marys 5.8 Temora Aviation Museum 5.9 Lake Centenary, Temora

During the discussion the Committee asked Maria to make arrangements to review the eligibility of the items at 5.8 and 5.9 for existing tourist signposting.

Action: Secretariat to contact the operators of Temora Aviation Museum and Lake Centenary and request them to submit tourist signposting applications.

6. POLICY ISSUES

6.1 Tourist Drive 8 (shared by Greater Taree and Port Macquarie Hastings Councils) 6.2 Tourist Drive 6 (shared by Greater Taree and Great Lakes Councils) 6.3 Tourist Drive 2 (shared by Greater Taree, Great Lakes and Gloucester Councils)

Please refer to item 1.1 for the discussion on the above three matters.

6.4 Promotional Material for Tourist Drive 33 (Cessnock Council)

Earlier this year Cessnock Council indicated that it was looking to a community leader to prepare a promotional brochure for Tourist Drive 33. Rhiannon Stevens of Council recently advised Maria that the designated person has moved away from the locality and Council is looking to identify a new lead contact for the project. Rhiannon further advised that there has been progress made with some of the materials for the project, e.g. in relation to branding and the preparation of a website and Council’s budget for the work will be carried over to the next financial year.

Belinda informed the meeting that Tourist Drive 33 is promoted in the “Itineraries and Trails” section of the Legendary Pacific Coast website as “Central Coast to Hunter Valley Tourist Drive 33”. The material includes a map of the route and text under three headings: “General Information”, “History” and “Highlights”.

Action: Maria to contact Cessnock Council about promoting the tourist drive on its website by including a link to the Legendary Pacific Coast information until such time as Council’s own promotional information is published.

Final 26 June 2015 9 of 10 TASAC Minutes 17 June 2015 7. OTHER BUSINESS

7.1 Removal of redundant tourist signs in Hunter Region

Ken indicated that tourist signs for the following destinations (which have closed or are no longer eligible for signage) have been removed from State roads in the Hunter Region:

 Burbank Nurseries, Kangy Angy  Sahara Trails Horse Riding, Port Stephens (remaining signs for this business are on private land)  Monarch Museum, Port Stephens  Wyndham Estate, Dalwood

7.2 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 15 June 2016 at a location to be advised.

8. NEXT MEETING

Wednesday 15 July 2015 in Narrandera (South West Region).

The meeting concluded at 1.15 pm

Attachment 1 – TASAC Meeting Schedule

Region Location Date

2015 South West Narrandera 15 July 2015 Western Broken Hill 19 August 2015 Southern Narooma 16 September 2015 Northern Grafton 14 October 2015 Sydney TBA 11 November 2015 N / A Sydney 9 December 2015 2016 N / A Parramatta 20 January 2016

Final 26 June 2015 10 of 10