Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan 2018 Goobarragandra River, Tumut Credit: Destination NSW Destination Riverina Murray Destination Riverina Murray Board Contact Destination Riverina Murray is one of six Destination Genevieve Fleming | Chairperson For more information about the Riverina Murray Networks established by the NSW Government. The Judith Charlton | Director Destination Management Plan please contact: Networks are responsible for driving the growth of Neil Druce | Director the visitor economy in each respective region to help Belinda King | Director [email protected] achieve the NSW Government’s overnight visitor Alex Smit | Director expenditure goal for 2020. Naomi Stuart | Director Urban Enterprise The Destination Networks facilitate growth in the Mission Statement This Destination Management Plan (DMP) was prepared visitor economy at a local level by representing and by tourism, economics and urban planning consultancy coordinating the region’s tourism industry. Destination Riverina Murray’s mission is to strengthen firm Urban Enterprise in collaboration with Destination the region’s visitor economy by developing strong Riverina Murray (DRM). Urban Enterprise authors The operations of Destination Riverina Murray are partnerships with industry, local government and include: funded by Destination NSW, the lead government tourism organisations to collectively contribute agency for the New South Wales tourism and major towards increasing visitation, expenditure and dispersal Mike Ruzzene events sector. within the Riverina Murray region. Chris Funtera Danielle Cousens Thank You www.urbanenterprise.com.au Destination Riverina Murray would like to thank the people and organisations who have contributed to Version the development of the Destination Management Plan, including Local Governments, the local tourism Version 1.1 industry, Destination NSW, Murray Regional Tourism, April 2018 Thrive Riverina, National Parks and Wildlife Service and many more important contributors. Destination Riverina Murray appreciates the time you have committed to ensuring the Plan provides a cohesive direction and can be effective at driving increased investment and visitation to the region. Contents Acronyms Glossary of Terms Executive Summary DMP Destination Management Plan Domestic day trip visitors: Those DRM Destination Riverina Murray who travel for a round trip distance Part A: Background 1 of at least 50 kilometres, are away IVS International Visitor Survey 01. Introduction 2 from home for at least 4 hours, and LGA Local Government Area who do not spend a night away from 02. Visitor Profile 5 MIA Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area home as part of their travel. Same 03. Cross-Border Considerations 15 MRT Murray Regional Tourism day travel as part of overnight travel is excluded. 04. Economic Impact 17 NVS National Visitor Survey POMR Ports of the Murray River Part B: DMP Framework 18 Domestic overnight visitors: People TRA Tourism Research Australia aged 15 years and over who undertake 05. DMP Framework 19 an overnight trip of one night or 06. Project Assessment 30 more and at least 40 kilometres Part C: Sub-Regional Profiles 32 away from home are referred to as overnight visitors. Only those trips 07. Albury Hume 33 where the respondent is away from 08. Eastern Riverina 41 home for less than 12 months are in scope of the NVS. 09. Western Riverina 51 10. Outback Riverina 59 International visitors: A person is defined as an international visitor 11. Central Murray 65 to Australia if they are currently a 12. Snowy Valleys 75 resident overseas, have been in Australia for less than one year and 13. Regional Positioning Projects 82 are aged 15 years or over. Appendices 84 Appendix A: Strategic Context 85 Appendix B: Sub-Region Visitor Profile 88 Appendix C: Tier Three Major Projects by Sub-Region 92 Executive Summary Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan 5 Murrumbidgee River , Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW Destination Riverina Murray was established by the The Region NSW Government in 2017 as one of six Destination Sub-Regions Councils Networks responsible for driving the growth of the The Riverina Murray region encompasses 149,000 region’s visitor economy. square kilometres, 22 local government areas, 16 Outback Riverina Wentworth, Balranald, Hay National Parks and is home to over 275,000 people. The The Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan region is one of the most diverse in NSW and includes a Murray River, Edward River, Berrigan, (DMP) will guide and assist DRM to stimulate growth variety of visitor experiences including: Central Murray Federation in the region’s visitor economy in partnership with Destination NSW, Murray Regional Tourism (MRT), • The alpine landscape of the Snowy Valleys. Thrive Riverina, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Albury Hume Greater Hume, Albury (NPWS), Local Governments and the tourism industry. • The Murray River, Australia’s longest river and major Key outcomes of the DMP include: nature-based tourism destination. Snowy Valleys Snowy Valleys • Strategic Development Themes which provide a • The Riverina region, the food bowl of NSW and towns framework for the identification of development and villages showcasing Australia’s agricultural and Bland, Temora, Coolamon, Junee, opportunities across the region. pioneering heritage. Eastern Riverina Cootamundra-Gundagai, Wagga Wagga, Lockhart that will be a catalyst for driving • The arid environment and cultural heritage of the • Priority Projects Carrathool, Griffith, Leeton, Western Riverina increased visitation to the region. Outback Riverina. Narrandera, Murrumbidgee • A suite of Destination Development Opportunities. Due to the large geographic size of the region, diversity of product and varying visitor markets, it is necessary Table 1: Riverina Murray Sub-Regions • Consideration of Strategic Cross-Border Projects to provide analysis and strategic direction at the sub- which will have an impact on both sides of the river. regional level. The Riverina Murray is composed of six sub-regions, based on Council clusters, as shown in • A number of Regional Positioning Projects which aim Table 1. to strengthen the Riverina Murray region. Consideration has been made within the Riverina Murray DMP to cross-border relationships with Victorian Councils along the Murray River. MRT is currently undertaking an update to the 2012 Murray Region DMP. This work has been co-ordinated and aligns with the DMP process for Destination Riverina Murray. Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan Executive Summary6 The Kidman Way willandra national park HILLSTON wentworth mungo Newell Highway national park BALRANALD Sturt Highway bland WEST wentworth WYALONG murray river cocoparRa MILDURA national park GRIFFITH jindalee CARRATHOOL lachlan valley national park national park HAY kemendok national park TEMORA yanga national park LEETON DARLINGTON POINT balranald COOTAMUNDRA oolambeyan murrumbidgee river national park MURRUMBIDGEE murrumbidgee COOLAMON valley N.P NARRANDERA JUNEE Hume Highway EDWARD RIVER WAGGA GUNDAGAI murray RIVER WAGGA the rock MURRAY DOWNS CONARGO livingstone LOCKHART nature SWAN HILL national TUMUT URANA reserve JERILDERIE park wakool SNOWY VALLEYS DENILIQUIN FEDERATION BARHAM GREATER HUME KOONDROOK murray valley HOLBROOK woomargama BERRIGAN national park national park TUMBARUMBA mathoura barooga mulwala corowa MOAMA cobram Newell Highway yarrawonga ALBURY wahgunyah kosciuszko ECHUCA WODONGA Snowy Mountains national Way Hume Highway park mt kosciuszko Destination Riverina Murray Region Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan Executive Summary7 Product Strengths Outback Central Western Eastern Albury Snowy Riverina Murray Riverina Riverina Hume Valleys The Riverina Murray Region has a number of strengths that define perceptions of the tourism product across Events and Festivals l l l l l l the whole region. The following table illustrates the relative product strengths of each sub-region Arts and Culture l l l l l destination. History and Heritage l l l l l l The product strengths are categorised as: Sport and Recreation l l l l l l• Primary – well established strength of the region/ Nature and Parks l l l l l l sub-region, with mature and recognisable assets in the identified tourism product. Rivers and Waterways l l l l l l l• Secondary – established strengths in the region/ Dining and Local Produce l l l l l l sub-region. However, not considered to be the number one tourism product. There is scope to Wine, Brewing, Distilling l l l l further develop the product to improve product, awareness and profile. Business and Conferencing l l l l l l• Emerging – there is evidence of an emerging tourism Table 2: Experience Strengths product in the region/sub-region, which is either new or relatively limited in scale. Riverina Murray Destination Management Plan Executive Summary8 Gears and Beers Festival, Wagga Wagga Credit: Beardy McBeard DMP Framework Theme 5: Major Touring Routes A set of nine Strategic Development Harness the region’s major transport Themes were developed to respond corridors to develop easy to navigate to the issues and opportunities for touring routes. the region. 42 Priority Projects were selected using the project assessment Theme 6: Sport and Recreation criteria to provide a set of catalyst projects for the region. Unlock the strong sporting culture and infrastructure of the region to develop Theme 1: Major Centre Development recreational experiences and attract major sporting events and carnivals. Develop