By Deanne Jeffers
THE Goulburn Valley has earned its reputation as an events and tourism destination, helped by new and returning high-quality events and the emergence of institutions like Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) and MOVE museum.
Formed in 2001, Tourism Greater Shepparton (TGS) is an independent, voluntary board that celebrates and promotes the Greater Shepparton region as a tourism destination.
Unlike other regional centres, like Bendigo and Geelong, Greater Shepparton does not belong to a regional tourism board. When the Goulburn River Valley Tourism Board disbanded in 2019, no government funding has been allocated to a dedicated and consistent voice for the local tourism sector.
To address this, TGS unveiled its new identity at the Shepparton Art Museum Terrace on Monday – Destination Goulburn Valley (DGV) — that will future-proof tourism promotion in the region.
“The Covid pandemic has had devastating impact on our region, our operators and our events industry with estimates of in excess of 50 percent decreases in visitation and expenditure,” said DGV interim chair, Alice Tallis.
DGV secured $20,000 in funding to realise its new identity, as well as $90,000 from the state government for its tasting trail project, that will be delivered next year.
Aptly named Seasoned, the regional tasting trail will be promoted in several edition publications, providing bite-sized offerings encouraging visitors and locals to connect with our local food story, while showcasing our region’s food and beverage offerings and must-dos along the way.
Supported by Regional Development Victoria and Greater Shepparton City Council, Seasoned will feature content by celebrated food travel writer Richard Cornish, imagery by James Greer and Serana Hunt Hughes and a specially commissioned art collaboration by Tom Day and Tank.
“We believe the future success of our region lies in collaborative partnerships combining our collective strengths of community, our producers, our sporting clubs, our arts and cultural creators and our tourism and hospitality industry working alongside Council,” said Alice.
Learn more and stay in the loop by visiting www.destinationgoulburnvalley.com.au.
