TASAC Minutes 11 December 2013 Minutes of the Tourist Attraction Signposting Assessment Committee and the Destination NSW Head Office Wednesday 11 December 2013 at Destination NSW Head Office, Level 2, 88 Cumberland Street, The Rocks Members David Douglas Regional Coordinator TASAC and Drive, Destination NSW Maria Zannetides TASAC Secretariat Also present Patricia Wilkinson Regional Tourism Co-ordinator, NPWS AGENDA ITEMS 1. DELEGATIONS / PRESENTATIONS & REGIONAL SIGNPOSTING ISSUES 1.1 NPWS / TASAC liaison Patricia broadly described a realignment that is currently taking place in NPWS and indicated that a new structure is expected to take effect from March 2014. As part of this process consideration is being given to the way in which NPWS will interact with TASAC after that time. 2. NEW TOURIST SIGNPOSTING APPLICATIONS 2.1 Waa Gorge Mt Kaputar National Park (Moree Plains Shire) Waa Gorge is within Mt Kaputar National Park. It is open daily during all hours and months. It can be accessed from the Newell Highway north of Narrabri or from the Gwydir Highway east of Moree. The access from both directions includes unsealed sections, gated crossings through private property and Allambie Road, which is the final portion of the route to the gorge, is a dry weather road only. Waa Gorge has some existing unserviceable signage from the Gwydir Highway and NPWS has advised that visitors are no longer able to navigate to the gorge via the existing signage. The walls of Waa Gorge are dramatic and spectacularly colourful. Visitor facilities at Waa Gorge include an amenities block, picnic tables, car park and trackhead / access point from Mill- bulah walking track (1 km return medium grade walk) and Waa Gorge walking track (a 2.5 km return challenging half day climb). The Mill-bulah track is fully marked along its length but this is not the case for the Waa Gorge track. As the latter track is a difficult walk suitable for experienced hikers, appropriate information panels should be erected on site to inform visitors of its challenges. Also, signs need to be installed on any gates along the access roads to the gorge to make it clear to visitors that they need to pass through the gate to reach the gorge and that the gate needs to be kept closed. 18 December 2013 1 of 8 TASAC Minutes 11 December 2013 Decision: Waa Gorge Mt Kaputar National Park is potentially eligible for tourist signposting in the National Parks, State Conservation Areas, Forests and Water Storage Areas category subject to confirmation that the on-site visitor panels referred to above have been installed. Action: Secretariat to inform the applicant as above. 2.2 Terry Hie Hie Aboriginal Area (Moree Plains Shire) Terry Hie Aboriginal Area is a new attraction without any tourist signposting. It is open daily during all hours and months and is north of a small township of the same name. The area was once an important ceremonial and gathering place for the Kamilaroi Aboriginal people and includes a corroboree ground. A bora (a site where initiations were performed), several carved trees, scarred trees and two Aboriginal cemeteries can also be found nearby. The land was previously a State Forest where cypress pine and iron bark had been logged and many Aboriginal men who lived at Terry Hie worked in the timber industry and at a former timber mill in the area. Visitor facilities at Terry Hie include, picnic tables, gas / electric BBQs, fire rings, car park, drinking water, an amenities block, electric power, education centre, bush tucker garden and trackhead / access point for Yana-y-Warruwi walking track (2 hours each way). The area is rich in native wildlife species including woodland birds, mammals and reptiles. There are a number of ways to access Terry Hie Aboriginal Area and RMS and the relevant council(s) will need to work together to determine how tourist signposting can be provided most effectively and efficiently. Decision: Terry Hie Aboriginal Area is eligible for tourist signposting in the National Parks, State Conservation Areas, Forests and Water Storage Areas category. Action: Secretariat to inform the applicant as above. 2.4 Australia Brewery, Rouse Hill The Australian Brewery is co-located with the Australian Hotel and both were established in July 2010. The brewery can be accessed via the main hotel entrance and by a second courtyard on or side entry. The brewery is open daily from 11 am to 5 pm during all months while the hotel has longer opening hours. Interpretive information comprises: A DVD (7 min 49 sec) in which the head brewer explains the brewing process with footage of the equipment and processes and the use of graphics. The brewing equipment and activities can be viewed through safety windows. The raw materials involved in the brewing process are available for visitors to touch and smell. Six labelled bowls (hop pellets Cascade; hop pellets Galaxy; Pilsner malt barley; Crystal malt barley; hop flowers; and roasted malt barley) are set up on a table outside the brewing room with a framed notice inviting visitors to “Taste the malt and smell the hops”. 18 December 2013 2 of 8 TASAC Minutes 11 December 2013 A typed one-page fact sheet outlines the history of beer making and beer styles in Australia from the First Fleet to the contributions of the Fosters Brothers from America in 1888. Its presentation is basic and not particularly engaging. A more attractive presentation would better serve to encourage visitors to pick it up and read it. A visual process chart is painted on the walls in the brewery courtyard and photos of the chart have been provided. It lists 10 steps in the brewing process (milling; mashing; lautering to filter; boiling; whirlpooling; cooling; fermenting; maturing; filtering; and packaging), gives brief details about each and is supplemented by some cartoon style drawings. An information panel titled “Guide to AB Beer” is mounted over the brewing room door. Tasting notes for the beers are included in a brochure titled “Australian Brewery Brewed and Canned in Australia”. A single sheet flyer titled “Australian Brewery Interested in How We Make Beer” promotes the beer making tourism experience by describing the virtual tours, giving their times (daily 11 am to 5 pm), and address and website details. In general the promotional material and current website focus more on the pub/dining experience than presenting the brewery element as a separate tourism experience. It would be desirable if this could be addressed as part of a new website currently under development and in future promotional material. Tania de Stefano of the The Hills Shire Council has been asked to prepare a site inspection report. Decision: The Australian Brewery is potentially eligible for tourist signposting in the Primary and Secondary Industry category subject to the receipt of a positive site inspection report. Action: Secretariat to inform the applicant as above. 3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF 13 NOVEMBER 2013 The minutes of TASAC’s meeting of Wednesday 13 November 2013 with the South West Region Subcommittee in Wagga Wagga were confirmed. 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 Yarrawarra Aboriginal Art Gallery TASAC decided at its October meeting that Yarrawarra Aboriginal Art Gallery was potentially eligible for tourist signposting subject to the receipt of a site inspection report. Brian Bowers, Manager of Coffs Coast Visitor Information Centre provided an inspection report on 28 November which supports signposting of the gallery. The views of Museums and Galleries NSW will now be sought and if appropriate the Secretariat will complete the assessment process once these are received. 18 December 2013 3 of 8 TASAC Minutes 11 December 2013 4.2 Murray Valley Regional Park Moama Five Mile Moama Patricia Wilkinson provided photos on 26 November to confirm that toilet facilities have been installed at Murray Valley Regional Park Moama Five Mile. This completed the outstanding actions for the application and the Secretariat advised the applicant and RMS South West Region of its eligibility for tourist signposting on 28 November 2013. Decision: TASAC noted that at Murray Valley Regional Park Moama Five Mile is eligible for tourist signposting in the National Parks, State Conservation Areas, Forests and Water Storage Areas category. 4.3 Gan Gan Lookout, Nelson Bay The applicant provided copies of a promotional brochure for Gan Gan Lookout and a letter of support from Brendan Callander, Community and Recreation Coordinator of Port Stephens Council was also received. This completed the outstanding matters associated with this application and the Secretariat informed the applicant and RMS Hunter Region that the lookout is eligible for signposting on 28 November 2013. Decision: TASAC noted that Gan Gan Lookout is eligible for tourist signposting in the Outdoor / Nature Based (Natural Features) category. 4.4 McCrossins Mill Museum, Uralla The operator of McCrossins Mill Museum was to have submitted an application by 9 November to allow unauthorised signposting to be regularised. By that time it was expected that the museum’s opening hours would have increased in a manner that would satisfy TASAC requirements following the opening of a major new exhibition space at the museum earlier in November. Sue Singleton, Honorary President of the Uralla Historical Society that operates the museum recently confirmed that the new exhibition space has opened but the hoped for extension of hours has not occurred due to a shortage of volunteers. Sue, who has recently taken over responsibility for some aspects of the museum’s administration advised that the museum will be open from 10 am to 5 pm during the summer school holidays from 20 December to 28 January and that a recruitment drive will occur during this period to allow the summer hours to continue into the future.