The Volcanic Lakes and Plains region is in the limelight after winning a State excellence award.
Over the past several years Corangamite Shire Council has run awareness campaigns to attract tourism and new residents to the spectacular area.
The 2020 campaign won in the Community Partnerships Initiative category at the LGPro Annual Conference in Melbourne on Thursday. LGPro is the key Victorian member organisation for Local Government professionals.
Mayor Ruth Gstrein said the campaign was inspired by community members who saw a need to attract visitors to explore inland from the famous coastal attractions.
“The idea came from township community plans,” Cr Gstrein said.
“In 2019 Council committed funds and secured financial support from Berrybank wind farm developer GPG to promote our central and northern towns.
“We collaborated with the other councils in the Volcanic Lakes and Plains tourism region: Moyne, Colac-Otway, Southern Grampians shires and Ararat Rural City.”
Corangamite officers took the lead, with the support of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, developing television, social media and radio ads with music by a local composer, as well as billboards and a tourist map.
“These all focussed on the natural beauty of the area and on the eco-tourism, dining, shopping and other attractions in our small towns,” Cr Gstrein said.
“There is also a website, www.volcaniclakesandplains.com.au, where businesses can advertise and build their profile with a widespread audience.
“Our towns are central to other tourism regions and the campaign showed visitors why they should stop and explore while they’re travelling through.”
Cr Gstrein said the award was a well-deserved reward for Council’s Growth and Engagement Team who had put in a huge amount of work over several years.
“They have helped create a regional identity that lays a solid foundation for future collective marketing to support our small towns and communities.”
The campaign was mirrored in 2021-2022 and will continue in 2022-2023.
Caption (L-R): Manager Growth and Development Rory Neeson, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mason, Director Sustainable Development Justine Linley and Manager Environment and Emergency Lyall Bond accept the LGPro Community Partnerships Initiative Award.
